IWSG: Struggle to the End

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs. You can also join us on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG, or on the Facebook page.

Now, IWSG hosts have changed up the format in an effort to make it more fun and interactive. Every month, they will announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

Don’t forget to visit others that day to see their answers. Want to join, or learn more? Visit our - Sign-up List.

JUNE QUESTION - When the going gets tough writing the story, how do you keep yourself writing to the end? If have not started the writing yet, why do you think that is and what do you think could help you find your groove and start?

MY ANSWER - Many people refer to this experience as writer's block. They lose momentum, stamina, drive, or they flat out can't decide where to go next, or what to do with the story. When this happens, I recommend exercise, read a book, watch a good movie, listen to great music, travel – anything that gets me away from the work and relaxed. Then I can return with a fresh mind and renewed energy. If I'm still stuck after a break, then I need to reevaluate my story plan. I start most projects as a pantser, but once I get my initial thoughts, emotions, or scenes down I go back and plot the whole story out. 

How about you? What is your process like? What do you do when you struggle to write to the end?

Reading Stack and Twitter Pitch Reminder

 

I received quite a few books for Christmas - something I'm always excited about. 

Throughout the year I often save books I'm interested in reading to my digital wish list. If a friend or family member wants to get me something for the holiday, my birthday, or some other special occasion, then they know what I want.

This year was no different. While I have already enjoyed a few of the holiday and romance themed reads, this is a picture of the ones I'm working my way through now. I've already read through quite a bit of the INK & PAINT book as well as the TREASURY of DISNEY ANIMATION ART book. I'm looking forward to diving into the other four others soon.

Did you receive any good reads for the holidays? What have been some of your favorites this year?

I'm also working on a few of my writing goals for the year. While I have not spent as much time as I'd like writing this month, I HAVE been writing and even submitted some. One of my new year's goals was to improve my own motivation. This includes editing pieces I have started, and not just abandoning them for new projects once I've made it past the first draft.

I hope you are working on a project you are passionate about as well.

Reminder:

There will be an #IWSGPit on Wednesday the 26th!

If you've never participated in a Twitter Pitch Party, this is your chance. Dozens have signed book contracts as a result - you could be next. Visit the #IWSGPit page for the rules and hashtags - then join the group on the 26th.

How are you doing so far on your 2022 writing and reading goals? Will you be participating in the Twitter Pitch?

IWSG: Why Would You Quit Writing?

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs. You can also join us on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG, or on the Facebook page.

Now, IWSG hosts have changed up the format in an effort to make it more fun and interactive. Every month, they will announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

Don’t forget to visit others that day to see their answers. Want to join, or learn more? Visit our - Sign-up List.

The awesome co-hosts for the July 7 posting of the IWSG are Pat Garcia, Victoria Marie Lees, and Louise – Fundy Blue! Be sure to stop by and say hi to them!

JULY QUESTION - What would make you quit writing?

MY ANSWER - When the joy and drive are gone. For instance, this past year has been particularly stressful and I have not written nearly as much as previous years. I can't just blame the pandemic, although a lot of it does relate to that in some way. In the first few months of the pandemic, I actually increased my writing productivity because I was working from home (even though it wasn't much) and our family and financial situation was pretty well fixed heading into the Spring of 2020. However, our family experienced a lot of changes heading into the 20-21 school year. Both of my jobs changed their approaches drastically. Online teaching was the norm for my college classes, but the high school classes remained 90% in person. Teachers were asked to make a lot of changes this year, and the stress levels were high for parents and administrators, often increasing it for teachers as well. Other situations in our family life changed drastically, including hurricanes, moving, and unprecedented freezes. Our immediate family fared decently, but the emotional toll of all of these changes, as well as the inability to see much of our family (siblings, some parents, etc.) for the past year has left us feeling a whole in our lives. I haven't seen my Dad, or siblings since November of 2019, and I miss them. Needless to say, all of these highly emotional situations have often left me feeling numb and motivation just has not been present. I went through a similar dry spell in 2013 when three of my grandmothers all died that year. When joy and drive are missing, or they have to be redirected into survival mode, the motivation to write can be difficult to chase. I hope I never give up completely, and I am hoping as things head back to "normal" I am able to reconnect with the pleasure and passion the craft has often brought me.

How about you? What would make you quit writing? Have you ever been tempted to do so, and for how long?

IWSG: Genre Choices

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs. You can also join us on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG, or on the Facebook page.

Now, IWSG hosts have changed up the format in an effort to make it more fun and interactive. Every month, they will announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

Don’t forget to visit others that day to see their answers. Want to join, or learn more? Visit our - Sign-up List.

MARCH QUESTION - Everyone has a favorite genre or genres to write. But what about your reading preferences? Do you read widely or only within the genre(s) you create stories for? What motivates your reading choice?

MY ANSWER - I read in the same way I write - by mood. This means it's not unusual for me to read a romance, biography, true crime, cozy mystery, scifi, or fantasy, etc. I usually have more than one book going at a time. It's not even unusual for me to read in multiple genres at a time. Example, I might be reading a biography in the morning (while I'm waiting for my kids to finish getting ready for school), a scifi during the day (if I take a lunch break), and a romance at night (before I fall asleep). I keep books in my car, at my desk, and on my nightstand. Sometimes, if I'm extremely drawn into one particular story, I will abandon all other books until I've finished the tale absorbing my mind - regardless of the genre. I'm also motivated by mood. I like new takes on a genre, tried and true tropes, and interesting characters for which I feel a connection.

How about you? Do you have a favorite genre to read? Is it the same one you prefer to write?

May Scribbler Box: Theme

In April I talked about my March Scribbler box and mentioned how it would be my last shipment. This sevice has been hit or miss for me. I've only enjoyed maybe half of the books, and some of the "writerly gifts" - and seldom together. In other words, there were only a couple of those months where I loved everything inside - the novel, the gifts, the talk subscribers are invited to, etc. Thus, with everything else going on in life, my husband and I have decided to cut back on unnecessary purchases. Hence, I just couldn't see continuing with a service I wasn't 100% thrilled with EVERY month.

Well, surprise to me, hubby gifted me a three month continuation of this service (minus the April 2020 box which was digital). So, here is a peek into the thirteenth box I have received from this service. 

As always, the first thing you see upon opening the box is a writing exercise/contest postcard. Each month provides a new challenge for writers to practice. The deadline for this month is June 13th. 

The "Curated Writerly Gifts" this month include a beautifully ornate journal in black with a gold embossed sun, moon, and stars. Inside the box was also a Bic 4 Color pen, a temporary tattoo that looks like the dictionary entry for the word "writ-er (n)", and a pack of Chewie Fruities - a candy I had never heard of before this.

As usual, this box also came with an inside look at the publishing process for this months author, and an exclusive invitation to chat with a publishing professional: bestselling author Jessica Brody who has published over seventeen novels for all ages including Save the Cat! Writes a Novel. There was also the collectible 'Writing Passport' with the author discussing this months theme which is THEMES.

This months new release is STORIES WE NEVER TOLD by Sonja Yoerg.

From the Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestselling author of True Places comes a suspenseful novel of love, secrets, and obsession.

Psychology professor Jackie Strelitz thinks she’s over Harlan Crispin, her ex-lover and colleague. Why should she care if Harlan springs a new “friend” on her? After all, Jackie has everything she ever wanted: a loving husband and a thriving career. Still, she can’t help but be curious about Harlan’s latest.

Nasira Amari is graceful, smart, and appallingly young. Worse, she’s the newest member of Jackie’s research team. For five years, Harlan enforced rules limiting his relationship with Jackie. With Nasira, he’s breaking every single one. Why her? 

Fixated by the couple, Jackie’s curiosity becomes obsession. But she soon learns that nothing is quite what it seems and that to her surprise—and peril—she may not be the only one who can’t let go.

If you'd like to see learn about previous boxes, click on the "Scribbler" link in the labels below.

Do you subscribe to any boxing services? What do you recommend? Have you heard of SCRIBBLER? Are you tempted to join?

March Scribbler Box: Double Theme and Changes for April

I have received my twelfth and, for now at least, final box from Scribbler. You can learn about previous boxes, and why I subscribed by clicking the "Scribbler" link in the labels below.

I was pleasantly surprised  to find the box this month featured a DOUBLE theme: OPENINGS and HUMOR.

As always, the first thing you see upon opening the box is a writing exercise/contest postcard. Each month provides a new challenge for writers to practice. The deadline for this month is 4/15.

The "Curated Writerly Gifts" this month include a bookmark featuring one of the authors other books, a "Creating a Character" guide page, a lemon and coffee scented candle, and old-fashioned "Green Apple" hard candies that were quite good.

As usual, this box also came with an inside look at the publishing process for ONE of this months author's, and an exclusive invitation to chat with a publishing professional: Jane Dystel, agent and president of Dystel, Goderich, & Bourret LLC,  as well as the collectible 'Writing Passport' with each of the author's discussing one of this months themes - Darynda Jones on OPENINGS and David Sosnowski on HUMOR.

This months box included a copy of FIRST GRAVE ON THE RIGHT by Darynda Jones and the new release novel BUZZ KILL by David Sosnowski. I've never read a book by either author, and I'm looking forward to both of these as the descriptions are very interesting:

First Grave on the Right (the first in a 13 book series) is the smashing, award-winning debut novel that introduces Charley Davidson: part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper.

Charley sees dead people. That's right, she sees dead people. And it's her job to convince them to "go into the light." But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e., murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she's been having about an Entity who has been following her all her life...and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely.

This is a thrilling debut novel from Darynda Jones, an exciting newcomer to the world of paranormal romantic suspense.

First Grave on the Right is the winner of the 2012 Rita Award for Best First Book.

“Along with the almost satirical rendering of the world, the lovely writing, and engaging plot, the characters of George and Pandora are brilliant.” —Booklist

Pandora Lynch lives in Alaska with her single dad, an online therapist for Silicon Valley’s brightest and squirreliest. Homeschooled by computer and a self-taught hacker, Pandora is about to enter high school to learn how to be normal. That’s the plan at least.

NorCal runaway George Jedson is a hacker too—one who leaves the systems he attacks working better than before. After being scooped up by a social media giant, will George go legit—or pull off the biggest hack ever? Not even his therapist knows for sure, but maybe the headshrinker’s daughter…

After meeting in cyberspace, the two young hackers combine their passions to conceive a brainchild named BUZZ. Can this baby AI learn to behave, or will it be like its parents and think outside the box?

With a hilarious and deeply empathetic narrative voice, this elegiac and unapologetically irreverent novel is both humorous and tragic without ever taking itself too seriously.

Scribbler made a few changes for April. So, if you're curious about this box, here is a cheaper chance to try it out - if you don't mind digital:

Due to the That Which Shall Not Be Named, we are offering an entirely digital Scribbler box for the first time ever! Hooray! 🎉 Each virtual box will include a digital Writing Passport with an introduction from Scribbler and an exclusive essay from a bestselling author on pulling readers' HEARTSTRINGS. This box will also include a digital Publishing Process Inside Look, an invitation to an online live chat with one of the most powerful literary agents in the industry, and a fun Writing Contest that's exclusive to the box. Our April Scribbler Box will hit your inbox on April 21 along with a buy link to an ebook that complements the included teaching materials. We'll be running book discussions with the Scribbler founders, so while the book isn't required to enjoy the box, it sure will sweeten the experience (and keep a hungry author fed!). See you April 21st for a month of learning and online fun! 


The company hopes to return to shipping their regular style boxes in May. To learn more about this monthly box service: https://www.goscribbler.com/

Do you subscribe to any boxing services? Have you heard of SCRIBBLER? Are you tempted to join?

February Scribbler Box: Author Career II

I just received my eleventh box from Scribbler. You can learn about previous boxes, and why I subscribed by clicking the "Scribbler" link in the labels below.

The theme this month is AUTHOR CAREER II. Yes, ANOTHER repeat theme. This company is only two years old and they have repeated themes on more than a couple of occasions when there are still so many they could be covering. I by no means am implying that there isn't more to say on the repeat themes, but why go back to something you've already done when you're such a young company. This is their 24th box - one a month for two years now.

As always, the first thing you see upon opening the box is a writing exercise/contest postcard. Each month provides a new challenge for writers to practice. The deadline for this month is 3/11.

The "Curated Writerly Gifts" this month include a coaster depicting the quote "Remember Why You Started", a sticker that states "Enjoy every moment" and has a picture of a typewriter, a package of dark roast coffee (I don't drink coffee, but my husband likes it), and a two-sided door hanger (one side reads "Caution - Writer on Deadline - enter at own risk" and the other side "Writers kill people in books - do not disturb").

As usual, this box also came with an inside look at the publishing process for this months author, and an exclusive invitation to chat with a publishing professional: Susan Raihofer, agent at the David Black Agency,  as well as the collectible 'Writing Passport' with the author discussing this months theme of AUTHOR CAREER II.

This months new release novel is IF YOU TELL by Gregg Olsen, and is based on a true story. In the few months since it's release, the book has become:

A #1 Wall Street Journal, Amazon Charts, USA Today, and Washington Post bestseller.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Gregg Olsen’s shocking and empowering true-crime story of three sisters determined to survive their mother’s house of horrors.

After more than a decade, when sisters Nikki, Sami, and Tori Knotek hear the word "mom", it claws like an eagle's talons, triggering memories that have been their secret since childhood. Until now.

For years, behind the closed doors of their farmhouse in Raymond, Washington, their sadistic mother, Shelly, subjected her girls to unimaginable abuse, degradation, torture, and psychic terrors. Through it all, Nikki, Sami, and Tori developed a defiant bond that made them far less vulnerable than Shelly imagined. Even as others were drawn into their mother's dark and perverse web, the sisters found the strength and courage to escape an escalating nightmare that culminated in multiple murders.

Harrowing and heartrending, If You Tell is a survivor's story of absolute evil - and the freedom and justice that Nikki, Sami, and Tori risked their lives to fight for. Sisters forever, victims no more, they found a light in the darkness that made them the resilient women they are today - loving, loved, and moving on.

To learn more about this monthly box service: https://www.goscribbler.com/

Do you subscribe to any boxing services? Have you heard of SCRIBBLER? Are you tempted to join?Gregg OlsenSusan