IWSG 73: Psst! I have a Secret

~~~oOo~~~

This post was written for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group where we share our encouragement or insecurities on the first Wednesday of the month, to join the group or find out more click here.

~~~oOo~~~

Co-Hosts

 Pat Garcia | J.Q. Rose | Natalie Aguirre

OPTIONAL IWSG DAY QUESTION:

Writers have secrets! What are one or two of yours, something readers would never know from your work?

I tend to be an open book. No pun intended.

One thing that may not be obvious is I’ve got a terrible memory. It comes in handy when rereading or rewatching something. Sometimes I go through the whole thing before I realize I’d been there before.

Sounds like a laugh until I try to remember where I added a detail, or if I added a detail in a chapter?

Not so much fun for a writer when they spend just as much time rereading their work as writing new pages.

Out of self-defense I started using Scrivener.

Some say they don’t have time to learn how to use it. I hear that. But since I’ve gone through the tutorial several times and I think have mastered it. I save so much time.

Some say that they don’t want to stop and collect data to save in different files. Okay. To each, their own. But the five to ten minutes I do use to file away data on characters, settings, and items, saved me hours of looking and finding that stupid detail I was sure was in chapter two and I find in chapter nine.

A place for everything and everything in its place. Whoot!

A quick click I can check eye color or the type of drapes in someone’s house without reading pages and pages. Where did I leave the clue and who has it now?

Using Scrivener has given me hours of writing time which to me is a huge success.

Anyone use Scrivener or have tips to help them remember details? Please share. All of us want to know your tricks of the trade.

IWSG 72: Breaking Through

~~~oOo~~~

This post was written for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group where we share our encouragement or insecurities on the first Wednesday of the month, to join the group or find out more click here.

~~~oOo~~~

OPTIONAL IWSG DAY QUESTION:

Do you have any rituals that you use when you need help getting into the ZONE? Care to share?

Co-Hosts

Feather Stone | Beverly Stowe McClure | Mary Aalgaard | Kim Lajevardi | and Chemist Ken

There is always a moment when the words stop and I can almost see them beyond a glass barrier trying to break through.

I’m sure you know the moment. It’s when the movie your recording pauses, or when the scene ends and a new one begins, or when you have to go somewhere you’ve never been before.

The last one is the hardest for me.

To get to where I must go, I close my eyes and see the glass barrier. Then I imagine a hammer—mine’s small and silver—and I tap the barrier softly. It cracks. Slowly the cracks grow and the shards fall away.

Usually it’s slow going and I have to repeat the process. Knocking down that invisible wall. It’s what I did during my first year winning Nano. The words weren’t coming. I needed to make my word count, so I broke my barrier.

And again when I wrote my first murder scene. Some might say it wasn’t real. The not so funny thing was it seemed pretty real to me and horrific.

I still do my ritual when I have to write something that I find hard to face, t00 real, or beyond my usual realm.

What about you. Is there a place you hate going but write about it anyway? How do you mange it?

IWSG 71: Don’t Drink the Kool-Aid

~~~oOo~~~

This post was written for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group where we share our encouragement or insecurities on the first Wednesday of the month, to join the group or find out more click here.

~~~oOo~~~

OPTIONAL IWSG DAY QUESTION:

Each month, from all over the globe, we are a united group sharing our insecurities, our troubles, and our pain. So, in this time when our world is in crisis with the covid-19 pandemic, our optional question this month is: how are things in your world?

Co-Hosts

Diane Burton | JH Moncrieff | Anna @ Elements of Emaginette | Karen @ Reprobate Typewriter | Erika Beebe  | Lisa Buie-Collard!

I started to write another post all positive and sparkly, then my sister texted me and not for the first time. Here’s the full reversal: the fear mongering, gossip, and death threats are ridiculous in my world. I feel myself folding under the enormous pressure of speculation and stupidity.

I’m not saying don’t be careful. All of us need to use diligence.

Here are my numbers and no doubt they’ll be different when you read this:

Canada: British Columbia: Population 5 million

covid-19 Pandemic as of 2020 03 31

• • • Active Cases: 435
    • Recovered: 606
    • Deceased: 25

When you compare them to the numbers worldwide, what do you think? Right, me too. For the few of us that haven’t lost someone, can we please stop freaking out?

The flood gates will break in BC soon enough and the only way we can fight back is by social distancing.

Stop Panicking

Being upset doesn’t keep us safe. I know emotions can come on really, really strong. I have them too. As someone with depression, I get it. Strong emotions make me careless; and worse, I live in a black hole blind to everyone else.

Not thinking straight will be our undoing worldwide, and we can’t afford to make a mistake. Our friends and family are depending on us.

We’ve been following these rules (if they’ll  help):

• Stay 10 feet (3.05 metres) away when talking to anyone.
• Wash your hands or use sanitizer.
• Don’t touch your face.
• Wash your doorknobs and fridge handle regularly.
• Stay at home, without visitors.
• Contact friends and family through email, text, etc.
• Buy gas at the pump.
• Buy food and supplies (when possible) online.
• Go out only if you must.

I’m going to take a chance that I’m not the only one facing constant bombardment with warnings and testimony about a friend of a friend of mine.

Sorry for the rant, I really am, but I’ve had enough. Try not to drink their frigging Kool-Aid.

Panic is our enemy; following protocols is our defence.

What have you been doing to stay calm and stay safe?

IWSG 70: A Writing Group

~~~oOo~~~

This post was written for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group where we share our encouragement or insecurities on the first Wednesday of the month, to join the group or find out more click here.

~~~oOo~~~

OPTIONAL IWSG DAY QUESTION:

Other than the obvious holiday traditions, have you ever included any personal or family traditions/customs in your stories?

Nope, no witch trials, dragon hunting/saving, mining the belt, communing with aliens, or visiting magical lands. We keep that all in the family behind locked doors. 😉

I’m pretty sure I signed—pressed my baby thumb to—an NDA when I learned to speak.

Co-Hosts

 Jacqui Murray | Lisa Buie-Collard | Sarah Foster | Natalie Aguirre | Shannon Lawrence

On to something very close to my heart

I used to have an online group with Scribophile. We talked every day and because we were all at different stages of our writing lives, everyone brought something different to the group.

After years, it slowly petered out. I miss them so much. Hate the fact I took them for granted and regret it more than I can say.

But I don’t have to live without a group; all I have to do is reach out. That’s what I’ve learned here. So here I am reaching.

I would like to start/join a group that chats daily. We share thoughts in a safe place. Where they can post: a blurb, a logline, a tagline, or a chapter and get some feedback.

Or chat about the day. I don’t expect everyone to have something to say all the time. There could be crickets occasionally. But I will ask you how it’s going and hope that you have time to answer.

What I can’t do is a Facebook group. They are way too overwhelming. I’m sure some of you have noticed I only drop by once a month. That’s all I can manage.

What I am looking for is sign-ups or information. Fill in the form below with what you’ve got and let’s see where it goes.

Thanks in advance.

IWSG 69: Pics Used For Inspiration

~~~oOo~~~

This post was written for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group where we share our encouragement or insecurities on the first Wednesday of the month, to join the group or find out more click here.

~~~oOo~~~

OPTIONAL IWSG DAY QUESTION:

Has a single photo or work of art ever inspired a story? What was it and did you finish it?

Co-Hosts

Lee Lowery | Ronel Janse van Vuuren | Jennifer Hawes | Cathrina Constantine | Tyrean Martinson

First try

Was Seasons Change for the Make Believe Anthology. The pic before it became a cover was used for inspiration. I didn’t succeed but one of my friends got in and arranged this for me.

I still treasure it.

Next Time

Was and is one of my best loved stories is, Mexmur, the Huntress. The picture was this:

When Mexmur was published, I learned so much from the group at Roane Publishing. Unfortunately for all of us there, it closed its doors.

the lessons i learned

I learned what success felt like. What working with a supportive and inspired publisher felt like. What losing all that I gained felt like.

It was a wild ride.

Would I do it again? Hell! Yeah!

Well, that’s what I think until I have to push SEND. Then the reason I need all of you so much raises its head and pushes my hand away.

Good news is I’m still writing. And where there is writing; there’s hope.