Wednesday, January 8, 2020

#IWSG - January 2020 - #IWSGPIT is one week from today!


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!

Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

January 8 optional question - What started you on your writing journey? Was it a particular book, movie, story, or series? Was it a teacher/coach/spouse/friend/parent? Did you just "know" suddenly you wanted to write?

The awesome co-hosts for the January 8 posting of the IWSG are T. Powell Coltrin, Victoria Marie Lees, Stephen Tremp, J.H. Moncrieff! 
***
Happy New Year!
Besides the happy news that I finally self-pubbed my 3rd book in the Maguire's Corner series, I don't really have much to tell you for 2020.
I don't really know what, or if, I will be writing anything new for now. I have my original manuscript, the one I started this blog about, still languishing on my laptop somewhere. It basically needs a complete re-write.
At times I think I should write an NA or even a YA book, but I'm way out of the loop on those. I should just go into my TEEN's room and read everything he has, but you know...life and stuff.
Maybe a short break is in order. For now I think I will just continue to read the romance stuff on my Kindle.
Honestly, reading a few books that I think suck will usually push me to start writing my own stuff again.
How about you guys? Got big plans? Bigger goals?
*** 


The next #IWSGPit will be on January 15, 2020, 8:00am - 8:00pm Eastern Standard Time.
Create a Twitter-length pitch for your completed and polished manuscript and leave room for genre, age, and the hashtag. On January 15, Tweet your pitch. If your pitch receives a favorite/heart from a publisher/agent check their submission guidelines and send your requested query.
Many writers have seen their books published from a Twitter pitch - it’s a quick and easy way to put your manuscript in front of publishers and agents.
Rules:
Writers may send out 1 Twitter pitch every hour per manuscript.
Publishers/Agents will favorite/heart pitches they are interested in. Publishers can either Tweet basic submission guidelines or direct writers to their submission guidelines. (Writers, please do not favorite/heart pitches.)
No images allowed in pitches. 
Go HERE for more information!

***
 


The Insecure Writer’s Support Group made the list - The Write Life’s Best Websites for Writers 2020! 

That's four years in a row now.

Thanks to all of you for making it happen.
 

25 comments:

  1. Happy New Year! I think you've earned a break given all the hard work you've done on your series. It's probably best not to force anything when it comes to a new idea. Hopefully the right thing will come along when you least expect it... though I also love the idea of sucky books prompting you to do better!

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  2. Sometimes a short break is good. You've achieved your goal with the trilogy - take some time to discover the next one.

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  3. Hi Heather - live takes hold doesn't it - good luck with taking time out and adjusting ... it's difficult to leave blogging. All the very best and enjoy the IWSG Twitter Pitch next week ... cheers Hilary

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  4. I took a break, Heather, and it was the best thing I could have done. I feel like a new person! In an old body. LOL. I don't know, I think you should live like your life is full of possibilities, then take it from there.

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  5. A break is always a good thing. I've been breaking for a while, and during that time, I made a decision to self-publish my next book. It'll be a new journey for me.

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  6. I seem unable to comment as Richard Dee SciFi, but that's who I am now. I take a break from new materiel every now and then, by writing blog posts and expanding on my theories of Sci-Fi world-building. I find it refreshes my stock of ideas and my enthusiasm for the novels whew I come back.

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  7. Heather, breaks are necessary. I need to get back into the swing of things. Have a great New Year!

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  8. I'm so excited for you for getting And Then You Fall out into the world. That's an awesome achievement, and I'm looking forward to reading it soon.

    And I loved the part about how reading a few terrible books will inspire you to get back to writing...That works for me, too, sometimes. :)

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  9. Mental breaks are always good for me - hope it works for you. I also get inspired when I read some not-so-great or really-awful books :)

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  10. I didn't really think I could write until I won a very small local competition – but from then on I knew that's exactly what I wanted to do.

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  11. Happy New Year! Congrats on getting the trilogy out. :) A break can be a very good thing. I took one myself over December. Of course, I'm trying to keep my goals simple for the year and they're already expanding! =P

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  12. Take a break if you need. If a spark ignites and something demands to be written, it will let you know :)

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  13. Take a break. I'm sure you'll find enough crappy books to read to inspire you again.

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  14. Congrats on the publication! I've read some not-so-good books that have inspired me too :)

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  15. Well, whatever you choose, I bet it will recharge the batteries and spark and idea. :-)

    Anna from elements of emaginette

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  16. Interesting that you have 3 published book, but none are your original manuscript. I bet it's good.

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  17. You've made some huge accomplishments, so I think a break is all right. You'll write when it feels right.

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  18. It is good to take a break from time to time - to refresh and avoid burnout. And you have more than earned the break.

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  19. I'm really glad to hear you have your third book in the series out. I kind of sense you hanging your head just a bit when you typed that. You should be extremely proud of all you've accomplished. I think you're awesome. <3 I can totally relate to stepping back for a bit. I can help rejuvenate our love for storytelling. It's the business aspect of writing that's harder to get all warm and fuzzy over.

    Wishing you all the success in the world during this upcoming year! I'm here whenever you need to vent, but you already know that.

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  20. Happy New Year. Congratulations on your third book. Well, I guess, sometimes taking a break is the best thing you can do to boost your creativity. So have a great time reading!
    Sonia
    Https://soniadogra.com

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  21. IWSG is staying strong! thanks in part to you Heather!
    congrats again on your 3rd pub. I got mine!
    Have a great weekend =)

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  22. Congrats on your 3rd published book in your series wahoo! I am late making the rounds. Happy IWSG!

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  23. Hi, Heather! Life and stuff, isn't that the truth? It's good to take a break when you need one. Congrats on your third book. All the best in the coming year!

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  24. Congratulations on your third book! And good luck figuring out your next project.

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  25. Congrats on your third publication! Despite keeping my goals lean for 2020 I'm already falling behind. But if bust my fingers I just might make the two submission deadlines towards the end of this month and beginning of February. Good luck in 2020 and happy reading.

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