IWSG: Rereading Early work

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.

FEBRUARY 4 QUESTION - Many writers have written about the experience of rereading their work years later. Have you reread any of your early works? What was that experience like for you?

MY ANSWER - Yes, and the experience is a mixed bag. Sometimes, I'll read something, and I feel like "That was so amazing! Did I really write that? Why isn't all of my stuff this good?" Then, other times, it has been completely embarrassing. "This is so bad! Did I really write that? I hope no one else ever see this. I better burn/delete this." 

How about you? Have you reread any of your early works? What was that experience like for you?

IWSG: Reader Responses

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.

MAY QUESTION - Have readers ever responded to your writing in a way that you didn't expect? If so, did it surprise you?

MY ANSWER - Yes, actually. There have been several times that a reader reached out and compared my writing to another, much better known, author. In all three cases, I had never actually read anything by those authors at the time. I'm not sure whether to feel flattered that I'm compared to authors deemed "great" by others, or feel deflated because my work isn't more original - maybe a bit of both. We all bring our experiences to the writing, and the reading, table. Those experiences are just as unique as the individual, but also as recognizable as so many universal themes. If you enjoy reading and writing, just keep doing so - regardless of what others think and say.

How about you? Have readers ever responded to your writing in a way that you didn't expect? If so, did it surprise you?

IWSG: Writing Surprise

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.

AUGUST QUESTION: Has your writing ever taken you by surprise? For example, a positive and belated response to a submission you'd forgotten about or an ending you never saw coming?

MY ANSWER:  My writing has taken me by surprise several times when I almost felt like someone else (my muse) took over and shared a tale so perfectly that I needed very little revision later. This has only happened a few times and I'm still in awe of those experiences. I think that is why I connected so deeply to Elizabeth Gilbert's BIG MAGIC (see my previous post). She addresses those experiences and how to deal with their lack of frequency. I highly recommend this book!

I've also been surprised by a few of my readers who contacted me to share their own reactions to my writing. To realize you've created something so powerful to not only yourself, but to others as well, is a truly humbling and magnificent experience. It reminds me how connected we all are, even when caught up in the idea of our own life.

How about you? Have you ever been surprised by your own writing, or someones response to it?

3 Ways to Surprise Your Reader with an Unexpected Villain

You don’t want your stories to be too obvious, or your reader won’t finish them. The audience needs to be challenged and surprised to want to continue reading. One of the best ways to do this is to camouflage your villains.

I’ve written several times about strengthening my own villains, and techniques I’ve used to show the antagonists deceit, cunning, and manipulation. The truth is, you don’t always recognize the bad guy – in real life or in fiction. The ones who surprise you can often be the scariest ones of all. Remember that when creating your own tale.

Here are a few ways to hide your villain in plain sight so you can surprise, thrill, and excite your reader. WARNING – Possible spoilers may be offered as examples.

1)      Charming and lovable – how often do we hear people on the news claiming “he was a likable guy” or “we never would have thought him capable of...” Most forms of evil have an appealing coating. Very seldom is it visually evident such as in a cartoon. You usually can’t tell a person is bad right away because they have learned how to cover their goals with social skills, good looks, or carefully designed acts to impress. They have learned to make themselves likable or lovable when they are really cruel, selfish, and even downright wicked. When you create your own villain, what is their goal and what would they do to ingratiate themselves to achieve that end? Think of Hans in Frozen or Loki in Thor.

2)      Friend not foe – readers don’t usually expect the villain to be close to the hero. Certainly, they don’t expect it to be someone who has been helping the hero up to this point. Ulterior motives can often put the bad guy in proximity of, if not outright partnering with, the main character. This villain might be a mentor, friend, or family member. Readers shouldn’t be able to see the hidden agenda until the reveal. Think about Magneto’s character in the X-Men universe or the end of Doctor Strange.

3)      Harmless or Incompetent – the bumbling and clumsy idiot, fool in a wheelchair, or victim in a coma can’t possibly be the villain, right? WRONG! We expect the bad guy to be strong, or at least able-bodied. However, don’t forget they are deceitful. Of course they will “hide in plain sight”. Think about Unbreakable or the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

Remember, the best villains have learned to become whatever suits their purpose best. These dark crusaders of injustice can appear kind, heroic, or inept. The more your reader likes you character, the less likely they will be to recognize them as a villain until the end. They won’t want them to be the bad guy, but it will make sense once they see the whole picture.

Have you ever read a book, or watched a movie, where the identity of the villain totally surprised you? Which one was your favorite?

IWSG: Surprised 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.

SEPTEMBER QUESTION: Have you ever surprised yourself with your writing? (For example, by trying a new genre you didn't think you'd be comfortable in?)

My Answer - Yes, two of my favorite published pieces "WIN" (a new genre for me which was published in the IWSG PARALLELS anthology) and "Family of Rejects" (published in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Reboot) are both pieces I am particularly proud of producing. I won't talk about unpublished pieces yet.

I hope you'll be pleasantly surprised with some of your own writing!

If you're keeping up with the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Texas, you can read my post yesterday, or follow my facebook feed.