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#IWSG: How to get past writer’s block?
The purpose of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group is to share with and encourage other writers. This month I chose a topic with which I’m currently struggling. I’ve been working on a cozy mystery for a long time and I can’t seem to get past a certain point. I did a rough outline when I first began and am past the introduction and progression of the main plot. I’d say I was in the middle third of what I hope is a novel-length manuscript. I know how I want the book to end but it’s the middle that I want to make sure is engaging and keeps the reader interested.…
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#IWSG: What’s the one thing about your writing career you regret the most?
This month’s question for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group makes me a little sad but it also addresses a topic that I’ve been thinking a lot about. I just turned 59 (isn’t that the new 39?) I regret not having a cozy mystery published by this time in my life. I’ve written articles for trade magazines. I’ve written non-fiction articles for my current position for a nonprofit and there are several for which I am proud. I also regret not carving out more dedicated writing time daily and have thought about it every day for the last 20 years. If I actually spent the time writing, instead of flogging myself…
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#IWSG: What about journaling?
My Insecure Writer’s Support Group monthly post for November is about journaling. I’m a fits and starts-type of journaler. I aspire to be a daily journaler for several reasons. I think it keeps my creative part of my brain exercised so when I need to write for either business or pleasure, it comes easier. The ideas and concepts flow much easier. I also think it’s a good practice that can fuel my other writing projects. Recently I bought a fountain pen and enjoy writing with it. Writing is a lot like using the fountain pen – if I continue using it, the ink flows freely and beautifully. If I stop…
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#IWSG: Oct. 6 entry
Monthly question: Where do you draw the line in your writing? Answer: I’m answering this question in a bit of a different vein than most. These days, I’m having trouble “drawing the line” at what is interesting enough to read? What can I post that will resonate with more people versus just my own thoughts? As I get older, this question seems to get harder. Often, something will strike me as funny and I want to write about the experience. But, I’m unsure as to whether others will feel the same way that I do. Is it worthy to publish for anyone else? When writing about real-world experiences, and many…
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Favorite writing resources
What is my favorite writing craft book? This is the question for this month’s Insecure Writer’s Support Group blog. I actually have a few. I have several tried-and-true inspiration resources and then a few new ones that I’m checking out. First, the ones that I rely on: Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, Stephen King On Writing and The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. There are some just for specific genres like writing a mystery novel (which I am attempting to do): Writing and Selling your Mystery Novel: How to Knock ’em Dead with Style, by Hallie Ephron and Writing Mysteries edited by…
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Victrola
My brother calls me right before my birthday in November and says, “You’ll never guess what I have.” He was right. I couldn’t guess. He told me he’d gotten a turntable and was able to play some of his old records. He asked if I had kept my records and I said, “They are somewhere around here.” I had a feeling they were in the garage and if the mice hadn’t eaten them (or sold them to their music-savvy relatives), then I still had them. For my birthday, he gave me a turntable. After doing a little sleuthing, I found out that my brother, Gary, had given me his turntable…
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Instant Pot craze
In December, I broke down and purchased an Instant Pot with a gift card bonus from work. I’ve been hearing about how well, and how quickly it cooks everything from a whole chicken to hard boiling the perfect eggs. It makes yogurt (I had no idea that one could make her own yogurt). It makes perfect rice. Apparently it does almost everything. Does it do windows, I asked? No, it doesn’t do windows. In purchasing my incredible new machine, I did research. I had no idea that it was introduced in 2010. It took me almost 10 years to buy in to this important cooking wonder. I was told by…
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Hope for better times ahead
Three guesses as to what this is? It’s not a kitty hairball. It’s not a photo of my hair in the morning. Okay. You guessed it. It’s an up-close photo of a bird’s nest found on the ground at a local park by a friend. This little nest gives me hope for the future. If a tiny bird can have the innate intelligence and the patience of Job to find specific materials and build such a beautiful, sturdy nest that survives beyond several seasons, I can learn a few lessons from these crafty creatures. I imagine it can take days for the bird to first find a safe spot, and…
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IWSG: First Wednesday Favorites
As writers, we can be our own worst critics, right? Sometimes we look to our favorite authors to keep us encouraged along the journey. This First Wednesday for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group blog hop, I thought it would be fun to mention a few of my favorite authors of all time. You know, those authors you had to read when they had a new book published? You finished the last book only to feel a certain loss that there wasn’t another book in the series to begin? Here are my top (5) Janet Evanovich – Stephanie Plum series This series will have you laughing out loud with the characters…
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Content right where I’m at …
When things are crazy busy in my life – work, home, my mind (in the form of worry) – I feel like I’m just rushing from one thing to another. Rushing to get up, get dressed, feed the dog, spend a few moments with my husband and then off to work. At work, I boot up my computer just in time to make it to one meeting, then another. I grab a bite to eat prior to the afternoon meeting, and then I find time to work on my projects. So the days go. I accomplish things and check them off my list. And more things move up the list…
