Category: IWSG

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Squirrel! #IWSG

  By IWSG
 
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
 
The awesome co-hosts for the May 1 posting of the IWSG are Victoria Marie Lees, Kim Lajevardi, Nancy Gideon, and Cathrina Constantine!

Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG 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.

May 1 question – How do you deal with distractions when you are writing? Do they derail you?

 
Or as they used to say in the office before I retired—Squirrel! That was the standard response to any of our IT experts getting distracted by a new project, which happened frequently. But it applies equally to my endeavors in writing as well.
 

Image by moonflower5 from Pixabay

 
It could be anything-going down a rabbit hole in research, spotting an interesting post on social media (I should block myself from Reddit) to one of the other people in the house tapping me on the shoulder to ask me a question. (Recently, I moved my desk to a more ‘public’ area in my house and I like to listen to music as I write, so with my headphones on, I’m easy to sneak up on.) Depending on the type of distraction, I might not return to my writing immediately, or I might need to get out of my chair and go do something else.
 
How derailed do I get? That depends on what I’m working on at how long the distraction lasted. If I had to make a run to the kitchen while I was working on a blog host, I likely will get right back to work. But in the case of something like stopping to do yardwork or run a load of clothes, it might be hard for me get back into writing mode.

That’s not always a bad thing.

A break gives me time to refocus my thoughts. If I’m working on a tough spot in a chapter, the answer may come to me while mulling it over as I do something else. When I get derailed while doing research, I may stumble across a fact that fits in with my topic. If I’m composing a blog post, a temporary absence may give my mind time to come up with other points I should cover.
 
Don’t let my post fool you. It’s not all sunshine. I might not get back into my writing groove for a week or more. It frustrates me, and I don’t have a consistent cure.
 
What do other authors have to say? Check out a few of their answers by following the links below.
 
As always, until next time, please stay safe.
 
 

Taking A Chance On AI #IWSG

  By IWSG
 
 
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
 
The awesome co-hosts for the March 6 posting of the IWSG are Kristina Kelly, Miffie Seideman, Jean Davis, and Liza @ Middle Passages!

March 6th question: Have you “played” with AI to write those nasty synopses, or do you refuse to go that route? How do you feel about AI’s impact on creative writing?

Sorry this is up late, but life happens.

Before I answer, don’t forget there different levels of AI. Technically, Grammarly, ProWritingAid, and other such editing programs can be considered to be AI. In fact, Grammarly is advertising itself as an AI tool. But now those programs are getting into the realm of rewriting sentences and suggesting different ways of stating the information presented to it.

I’ve used the grammar and spellcheck options of those programs for years. Recently, I’ve paid attention to the rewriting part of the programs. (I use ProWritingAid.) Frankly, I don’t think I’ve ever used a suggested sentence revision. They don’t have the same meaning as what I’m trying to say. So, I can’t imagine using it to write a synopsis.

Once, and only once, I played with a built-in Word Press plug-in to write a key phrase for a blog post. The results were so far off the mark that I didn’t give it a second thought and discarded it. I haven’t tried it again.

I’ve seen several blog posts from others that appear to be AI written. Lordy, they were bad. Real bad. Stiff and artificial with click-bait titles that had little to do with the content. I’d compare them to the pictures floating around the internet with free-floating hands with six fingers. But I could see them getting reads, presumably based mostly on the header.

I can’t see the future, but AI has me worried. If the market gets flooded by poor-quality writing, readers will be discouraged, and aspiring authors may get shut out of the market. And that’s not good.

Okay, I’ll get off my soapbox now. Don’t forget to check out some of the others on this hop by clicking on the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

Please Don’ts For A Writer’s Website #IWSG

  By IWSG
 
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.
 
The awesome co-hosts for the February 7 posting of the IWSG are Janet Alcorn, SE White, Victoria Marie Lees, and Cathrina Constantine!

February 7 question: What turns you off when visiting an author’s website/blog? Lack of information? A drone of negativity? Little mention of author’s books? Constant mention of books?

Remember MySpace?

When every page was bright, flashy, twinkling fluorescent colors that sparkled and hurt your eyes? Please, don’t do that to my poor old aged eyes. Or post anything that is seizure-inducing. (Confession time – I never had a MySpace page.)
 
Other than that, I’m pretty easy. Well, I have one complaint. Don’t throw a huge ‘sign up for my newsletter’ block up before I’ve had a chance to even view your information. I’m not saying don’t have one. Maybe have it in a sidebar or somewhere else. Because if you place it on the front page, I’m going to close it without even reading the message. I may even skip checking out your site. (But probably not. I’m too stubborn for that.)
 
Yes, I know this goes against all the marketing advice out there. Oh, well! Chances are, I’ve come to your website looking for something in particular, and the demand for a newsletter signup annoys me. But I’ve often said, I’m not your standard consumer and all ads turn me off. That’s one reason I stopped watching TV.
 
One more thing. Please make your menu easy to navigate. I may be stubborn, but sometimes I’m lazy.
 

Having said all that. I’ve got to go back and check my website.

It’s been a while since I’ve done a major update. But I promise you, no flashing font!
 
If you haven’t done it yet, please check out some of the other authors on this hop. (See the many links below.) And, as always, please stay safe until the next time.
 
 

Following And Being Followed on BookBub #IWSG

  By IWSG
 
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer – aim for a dozen new people each time – and return comments. This group is all about connecting!
The awesome co-hosts for the January 3 posting of the IWSG are Joylene Nowell Butler, Olga Godim, Diedre Knight, and Natalie Aguirre!

January 3 question: Do you follow back your readers on BookBub or do you only follow back other authors?

 
I’m glad it’s a quick and easy question for the new year.
 
I put effort into building a BookBub following a few years ago, but never got too far with it. (I’m sitting at 359 followers.) And yes, I will follow back anyone that follows me. But since I only get notification that I’ve added followers, and not who they were, it can be hard to figure out who to follow back.
 
So, I’m pretty close to following the same number of folks on the site as are following me. I get lots of notifications of authors adding books, putting books on sale, etc., but never get any feedback if folks get similar notices for me. Adding reviews seems like a good way to get more attention, but haven’t developed the habit.
 
Here’s my BookBub link if you would like to follow me. I’ll be sure to return the favor. https://www.bookbub.com/profile/p-j-maclayne
 
I wish you the best for the New Year. As always, until next time, please stay safe.
 
 
 
 

It’s NaNoWriMo Time Again #IWSG

  By IWSG
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
The awesome co-hosts for the November 1 posting of the IWSG are PJ Colando, Jean Davis, Lisa Buie Collard, and Diedre Knight!

Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG 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.

November 1 question: November is National Novel Writing Month. Have you ever participated? If not, why not?

I almost missed this month’s posting! November 1st snuck up on me.
 
Yes, I’ve participated in National Novel Writing Month. . In fact, that’s what got me hooked on this little endeavor. I didn’t ‘win’ with my first attempt-I only reached 49.000 words- but I realized how much I enjoyed it. I rewrite that book several times, including switching the point of view, but I could never make in into something worth publishing. It was overly-derivative of someone else’s story.
 
But I learned a lot from the attempt. A year later, I tried again, and that year I reached the goal of over 50,000 words in November. That book wasn’t good enough to take further either, but I learned even more about the process of writing. I have written books during NaNoWriMo that I have published.
 
I won’t be trying this year. I need to put all my efforts into my WIP. It’s up to 42,000 words and I’m feeling good about it. I’m really stretching my abilities in my current effort, but I think it’ll be worth it.
 
For folks who haven’t attempted NaNoWriMo and are considering it, I say unleash your creativity go for it. Even if you don’t make the  goal, you still win.
 
By the way, Happy November!
And until next time, please stay safe.
 
 

AI – Assistance or Threat? #IWSG

  By IWSG

 

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer – aim for a dozen new people each time – and return comments. This group is all about connecting!

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.
The awesome co-hosts for the October 4 posting of the IWSG are Natalie Aguirre, Kim Lajevardi, Debs Carey, Gwen Gardner, Patricia Josephine, and Rebecca Douglass!

October 4 question: The topic of AI writing has been heavily debated across the world. According to various sources, generative AI will assist writers, not replace them. What are your thoughts?

A while back, I talked about AI in a blog post. While I don’t use it in a major way, I do use a computer program for spell and grammar checking. Although the program I use (ProWritingAid) also offers potential fixes for problematic sentence structure, that feature feels inadequate, and I mostly ignore it. 

I haven’t used any AI program to ‘write.’ I’ve run into what I suspect are AI generated blog posts, and found them lacking in their content and writing style. But would an average reader feel the same way?

My worry is that until better tools are created to identify what is computer generated vs. what a human has written, AI content will be a threat. There are already bogus books on Amazon that Amazon hasn’t figured out how to detect. (But Amazon has always had a problem with ‘fake’ books.) If readers get bitten by additional sham books and dodgy writing, the whole writing community will be suspect. That could be a major problem for indie authors.

It feels as if we are in for a rough transition. I hate to see authors losing income to people who are churning out content with little or no effort on their part. But AI tools can also be beneficial if used properly.

Check out some of the other writers on this hop my following the links below.

Until next time, please stay safe.

 

Happy Birthday Insecure Writer’s Support Group! #IWSG

  By IWSG
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer – aim for a dozen new people each time – and return comments. This group is all about connecting.
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.
The awesome co-hosts for the September 6 posting of the IWSG are Sonia Dogra, J Lenni Dorner, Pat Garcia, Sarah – The Faux Fountain Pen, and Meka James! HAPPY TWELTH BIRTHDAY INSECURE WRITER’S SUPPORT GROUP!!!
🎈✨🎉🎊🎁🎂🍰

September 6 question: The IWSG celebrates 12 years today! When did you discover the IWSG, how do you connect, and how has it helped you?

I’ve been participating in this hop for a long time, off and on. I’m not sure when I started. The oldest post I can find was back in 2019, so four years ago. I think I ran across the group from through another author, when she posted about it on FB. (She doesn’t take part anymore.)
I’m not very good at the connected part, and that’s my fault. Although I read lots of interesting posts, I’m bad at commenting or following those blogs. I try to tweet (is that the right term anymore!) posts I’ve read but I don’t know how many views that gets for the other authors.
Why do I stick with it? It forces me to step away from whatever project I’m working on and think about something new, depending on what the topic of the month is. When I return to my WIP, I can look at it with a fresh eye.
So, Happy Birthday, #IWSG, and thank you to Captain Alex Cavanaugh, our founder.

After Reaching The End #IWSG

  By IWSG
 
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
 
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

The awesome co-hosts for the August 2 posting of the IWSG are Kate Larkinsdale,Diane Burton, Janet Alcorn, and Shannon Lawrence!

August 2 question: Have you ever written something that afterwards you felt conflicted about? If so, did you let it stay how it was, take it out, or rewrite it?

Easy answer: All the freakin’ time. I worry about the last few words, the last sentence, the last paragraph, the last chapter. Is the story going where I want it to go? Am I setting the right tone? Staying true to my characters?

But I suspect the question is referring to an entire story. The answer is still yes. I’ve written total books that are filed away because I don’t believe they are good enough. If they don’t meet my standards, I won’t foist them off on my readers.

For example, I’ve tried to write romance. Just can’t do it.. At least, I’m not meeting the expectations of the genre. I can’t write the deep emotions that readers anticipate. Give me action/adventure, mixed with a touch of romance, and I’m in my element. 

I’ve handled those failed attempts in several ways. I have set some aside. Sometimes I take elements of the stories to reuse in a whole new work. I am currently working on a remake of a manuscript I set aside over a decade ago. As I set to work, I realized the new story was more of a tribute to the original, rather than a rewrite. I’ve shed some of the major plot points from the first version while strengthening others. (The working title is The Edwards Agency. )

I don’t consider any of those set-aside books as failures. I see them as learning experiences. Each one has improved my writing skills. 

To see how other authors feel about the question, check out a few of the links below.

Where Do The Ideas for My Books Come From #IWSG

  By IWSG
 
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.
The awesome co-hosts for the July 5 posting of the IWSG are PJ Colando, Kim Lajevardi, Gwen Gardner, Pat Garcia, and Natalie Aguirre!

July 5 question – 99% of my story ideas come from dreams. Where do yours predominantly come from?

 
I don’t remember most of my dreams. And most of the ones I remember are so scattered that they don’t make any sense. I had a dream that started on a cruise ship (I’ve never been on a cruise) and ended with me running up and down hills somewhere in Italy. (I’ve never been to Italy, either.) I can’t figure out how to turn that nonsense into a coherent story.
 
There is an exception. Wolves’ Pawn, my first published book, got its start from a snippet of a dream that turned into the prologue. The other two books in the Free Wolves series were a natural extension of that story.
 
The rest of my stories? They have a way of making themselves known to me. For example, The Marquesa’s Necklace was originally titled The Ghost Who Loved Me. The characters soon convinced me that my original premise for the story was all wrong and I switched it. What was supposed to be a paranormal romance turned into a whole series of mysteries. The Jake Hennessey stories were inspired by a background character in those books.
 
MY current WIP, The Edwards Agency, is a tribute to a story I wrote over a decade ago, and never attempted to publish. The time just wasn’t right. I thought I’d rewrite it, but soon realized that it needed a total reworking. The new book shares a title, some characters, and a few basic plot points. It has a life of its own, which it deserves.
 
So, where do my book ideas come from? The characters chose the time to talk to me. It’s up to them.
 
Find out where other authors get their ideas by following the links below. 
 
As always, until next time, please stay safe.
 
 
 

What Inspires My Writing #IWSG

  By IWSG
 
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer – aim for a dozen new people each time – and return comments. This group is all about connecting!

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

The awesome co-hosts for the May 3 posting of the IWSG are Joylene Nowell Butler,Ronel Janse van Vuuren,Meka James,Diane Burton,Victoria Marie Lees, and M Louise Barbour!

Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG 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.

May 3 question – When you are working on a story, what inspires you?

What I am inspired by depends upon the story, but music is the constant. What music depends on what mood I am in. Sometimes it’s classic rock, sometimes it’s Celtic, but singer songwriters like John Denver, Buffy Sainte Marie and Joni Mitchell are my fallbacks. Although lately, I’ve been following several YouTube reaction channels, because they remind me of music I loved but that I lost track of.

The other thing I’ve added to my playlists are 1980s country, because my WIP references songs from that time frame, and it wasn’t anything I followed back in the day. But those songs are part of the way I’m trying to recreate the time period and the atmosphere of scenes. 

But my biggest inspirations come from the characters themselves. I may start off knowing where I want the story to go, but as I get to know my characters, they will tell me what I’m doing wrong. Yes, I have changed my plot because the characters have convinced me their way of doing things is better. It happens more often than not. They will also tell me if I am writing a stand-alone or a series.

One quick sidenote- my new book, The Rise of Jake Hennessey, releases May 17th. Watch for it on this blog. 

Check out some of the links below to find out where other authors get their inspiration.  Until next time, please stay safe!