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IWSG: Do I use personal information with my characters?
In answer to the Insecure Writer’s Support Group question for October: Have you ever slipped any of your personal information into your characters, either by accident or on pupose? My answer is yes and no. For the fiction, mystery novel that I’m writing, my voice at times comes through loud and clear in my heroine. I haven’t given her physical characteristics similar to mine because I think somehow she won’t be as interesting. I gave her two cats because I am an animal lover and I can’t imagine writing about someone who doesn’t like dogs or cats or … The way she sees the world is similar to me because…
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IWSG: Have I ever surprised myself with my writing?
The answer to this month’s Insecure Writer’s Support Group question is a resounding yes! You’ve heard it said that “Hindsight is 20/20”. This is true for my writing many times. Periodically, what I begin writing doesn’t at all resemble what is finally published. I start with an idea and let it evolve, based on my personal experiences. I’m also a photographer so I may take a photo and that helps form my blog or article. There are also times when I go back and read a blog that I wrote awhile ago and I’m surprised. I’m surprised at how it started in one direction and ended up in an entirely…
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#IWSG: Pet peeves when reading/writing/editing
The question for today’s Insecure Writer’s Support Group blog hop is, “What are your pet peeves …” The only pet peeve that I can think of is when writers misspell words or have typos in their articles. In this quick-publish, post-everything-to-the-web culture, it’s easy to find spelling mistakes in blogs, articles and even in printed pieces like magazines and newspapers these days. I’m sure I am as guilty as others. I do my best to edit before I publish online and then proof my work again once it’s visible on the screen, in case I’ve missed something. Invariably sometimes things slip through the cracks. I wonder if because we text…
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Clean laundry
When I was little, my mom washed and hung our clothes outside on the clothesline to dry. We had a dryer but keeping costs down was important and our clothes smelled terrific afterward. Over the years, we lost grass in our backyard and the clothesline poles rusted. Using the dryer became more convenient. My parents also raised English Springer Spaniels so I imagine the dogs playing fetch with our clean clothes was an encouragement to bring the chore inside. The Amish in Indiana still dry their clothes outside and I couldn’t help but take a picture because of the fond memories that surfaced. Seeing white and colored clothes, newly cleaned,…
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IWSG: What fuels our writing?
We recently experienced a loss in our family. Our cat of 12 years, Tikey, had to be euthanized because he had cancer and he was in pain. I used to have trouble writing with so much emotion built up, but I find that it is now cathartic. I returned home from the vet and the words began to flow. It’s at those times that I write without a lot of editing or going back and reviewing, until I’ve gotten out all that I wanted to say. I also find that my writing seems better at these times. I’m not worried about what words to use or sentence structure. I’m concerned…
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Five Minute Friday: A bittersweet BLESSING
Usually when I think of blessings, I think of positive things that I find incredibly heartwarming or awesome, that have happened in my life. Today, I’m counting a blessing that is bittersweet. Our tabby striped, 12-year-old Maine Coon cat, Tikey, had to be euthanized last night at the vet, amidst hugs and an ocean of tears. What my husband, Joe, and I thought was an aggressive ear polyp that was next to his eardrum and had begun bothering him (with dizziness and nausea which had caused him to stop eating), was compounded by stomach/colon lymphoma. A good quality of life was no longer possible for him and I believe he…
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#IWSG: How to find blogging topics?
The first Wednesday of the month is the official Insecure Writer’s Support Group day! When I first started my blog, it was as much for my own sanity as it was for others. I hope that doesn’t sound too selfish! I’ve always written for my day job/career but most of my writing has not been “creative”. I do remember when I was a copywriter for Joslin’s Department Store in Denver, Colorado (think Macy’s but on a smaller scale). I wrote a few punny paragraphs about athletic shoes or dreamy text about an evening dress. The pay was horrible. I then got involved in B2B publishing after that (layout, collecting ads,…
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#AtoZChallenge: Zee end!
Okay, I might be cheating a bit with this last entry. I was thinking that while the A to Z Challenge is coming to an end, and April for that matter, spring is beginning to rock! Weeks ago, I saw our pair of foxes romping through the backyard, playing in the tall grass and pausing to eat something. Since it was probably a squirrel or rabbit or other cute, furry creature, I didn’t want to dwell too much on the circle of life. I was just glad to see that the foxes were back again this year. For the past five years, at least, the momma fox has had (at…
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#AtoZChallenge and #CTST: Yard sailing
#CTST: garage sale finds and also interacting with interesting people while shopping in neighborhoods! Here are a few tips I’ve picked up during my yard sale exploits. Do you care to share any of yours? 1. Choose to yard sale in an area that is more upscale that your own. However, there are exceptions. I found a Canon camera lens at a garage sale on the side of a highway. You never know. 2. Selection is better earlier in the morning. However, you may get a lower price if you go mid-day or later, as people want to get rid of items. 3. Go to multi-family garage sales first,…
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#AtoZChallenge: X-cellent, furry alarm clock
Throwback Thursday post from 2016: The alarm clock feature on the iPhone is quite dependable. Unless you are a consistent “snoozer” like I am. I like to wake up and hit the snooze button a few more times before doing my leg exercises and getting out of bed. My orange, 12-year-old Manx cat, Oliver, (aka Ollie), has other ideas. He enjoys snuggling in bed in the mornings but once the alarm goes off, he’s ready for breakfast. At first, he patiently waits for me to wake up and turn the alarm off (or “snooze it,” as I usually do). He quickly learns that if I go back to sleep, that…
