#IWSG - 2019 - January Anthology Contest Winners and more!

 

The Insecure Writer’s

Support Group

 

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.

Our Twitter is @TheIWSG and hashtag #IWSG.

January 2 optional question: What are your favorite and least favorite questions people ask you about your writing?

The awesome co-hosts for the January 2 posting of the IWSG are Patricia Lynne, Lisa Buie-Collard, Kim Lajevardi, and Fundy Blue!

AND...

IWSG Anthology Contest Winners

Here it is!! The big moment everyone has been waiting for – the announcement of the IWSG winners. Here are the stories and authors that have been selected for our fourth anthology:

Oddly Suited by LG Keltner
Sea of Sorrows by AV Brown
Behind the Catcher’s Mask by Jennifer Lane
A Diver’s Ball by Angela Brown
Fearless Heart by Deborah Solice
The Dark Charade by CD Gallant-King
The Cog Prince by Elizabeth Mueller
Flower of Ronda by Myles Christensen
Remedy by Chelsea Ballard
Charleston Masquerade by Carrie-Anne Brownian

The top story has the honors of being included in the title. LG Keltner’s story came out on top! The official title of our next anthology – Masquerade: Oddly Suited. Congratulations, LG. (She was also in the top spot for our first anthology, Parallels: Felix Was Here.)

The IWSG Admins spent many hours reading the entries and fourteen were sent to our special judges. We certainly wish to thank them for taking time away from their own work to read the entries:

Elizabeth S. Craig, author
Kelly Van Sant, agent at Red Sofa Literary Agency
Elana Johnson, author
DL Hammons, Write Club founder
S.A. Larsen,author
Kristin Smith, author
Gwen Gardner, author and previous IWSG anthology winner

Look for Masquerade: Oddly Suited late spring!


AND...

IWSG Instagram 2019 Challenges

AND....

The next #IWSGPit  will be in January 15, 2019 - 8:00 am - 8:00 pm EST

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.

#IWSG - December is here!

Insecure Writer’s Support Group

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

The awesome co-hosts for the December 5th posting of the IWSG are J.H. Moncrieff, Tonja Drecker, Patsy Collins, and Chrys Fey!


Today’s optional question - What are five objects we’d find in your writing space? 


First, I don't really have a permanent writing space. When the mood strikes me to write, I do so wherever I am and I'll write in a notebook, or on scrap paper, or on my laptop.
I will most likely have coffee. Before I had The BOY, I used to have more wine. :)
My ebook copies of my favorite thesauruses are on my computer. (https://writershelpingwriters.net/bookstore/)
And, that's pretty much it.

I recently saw a photo of a lady who gives herself gifts when she reaches certain word counts. She had them all wrapped up and ready to go. I'm thinking that sounds like a great way to reward ourselves for our hard work!!

The #IWSGPit Twitter pitch is coming up this January! 

Don’t miss it.

 

The next WEP Challenge is December 19! 

It's much broader than a Christmas story! Give us ribbons - a race? Or candles - a tomb? Sign up now at the WEP site.

 
We also have a winner for the February WEP theme challenge – Toi Thomas with the theme 28 Days.

Tyrean Martinson won the IWSG admin theme challenge for next December with the theme Footprints. 

Congratulations!

#IWSG - November - Stuffed w/ IWSG News!!

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. We encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

The awesome co-hosts today are Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor JQ Rose Ann V. Friend and Elizabeth Seckman!

November 7 optional question - How has your creativity in life evolved since you began writing? 

 

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It's been a cold and rainy fall so far. I'm hoping things dry out soon so we can pick up all these leaves before the dreaded 'S' word. *shudders* I hate the 'S' word.

 

The elections may be over, but it's still scary out there. Remember to be kind to yourself. Take a break from the constant barrage of news and social media. Be kind to others. Remember we're all just people, not opinions.

***

Are you following the IWSG on Instagram?
Here are the prompts for November: 

The #IWSGPit Twitter pitch is once a year now – and the next one is in January!

Don’t miss it.

 

The IWSG partnered with Write…Edit…Publish and we are hosting a contest for the February theme!

Rules: Submit your idea for a WEP February theme by November 12 to admin AT insecurewriterssupportgroup.com. Nothing so U.S. culturally bound. Should have wide appeal.

Prize: Feature in the December newsletter for the winner. And, of course, the winning theme will be the official February WEP theme!

Deadline: November 12. Winner announced in the November newsletter on November 28.

#IWSG - October - Where I use the 'F' word - Annual IWSG Anthology Contest!

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group

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. 

Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time.

Our Twitter is @TheIWSG and hashtag #IWSG.

October 3 OPTIONAL question - How do major life events affect your writing? Has writing ever helped you through something?

   
Alex's awesome co-hosts for the October 3 posting of the IWSG are Dolorah @ Book Lover, Christopher D. Votey, Tanya Miranda, and Chemist Ken!

  Be sure to visit the
Insecure Writer’s Support Group Website!! 

I'm frustrated. Yep. I said it. Frustrated.

It's frustrating when I get dinged by agents/publishers for parts in my book that they see as an 'issue' or their reason for not wanting to take the next step with me, and yet there are lots of books out there with much worse problems than mine.

I'm not saying my books are perfect, they're not, but it's nothing a good editor couldn't fix if given half a chance.

So, I have to assume its something else they don't like and instead of telling me that, they simply choose something obvious so I'll move on.

Then I have to wonder what that something 'else' is and can I find it and fix it myself so I can get these dumb books back out on the market?

And then I think, of course I can't. If I knew the problem, I would have fixed it already.

It's frustrating. I'm frustrated.

***

The 2018 Annual IWSG Anthology Contest needs your stories! 

 

Guidelines and rules:

Word count: 3500-6000

Genre: Young Adult Romance

Theme:

Masquerade

A Masquerade can be a false show or pretense, someone pretending to be someone they aren't. It can be a ball, a fancy dress party, it can be a mask. Open to interpretation.

Submissions accepted: September 5 - November 4, 2018

How to enter: Send your polished, formatted (Double spaced, no page numbers), previously unpublished story to admin @ insecurewriterssupportgroup.com before the deadline passes. Please include your contact details, your social links, and if you are part of the Blogging, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter IWSG group. 

Prizes: The winning stories will be edited and published by Freedom Fox Press next year in the IWSG anthology. Authors will receive royalties on books sold, both print and eBook. The top story will have the honor of giving the anthology its title.

Our previous IWSG anthologies:

Tick Tock: A Stitch in Crime

Hero Lost: The Mysteries of Death and Life

Parallels: Felix Was Here

Gwen Gardner, Jen Chandler, and LG Keltner know what it’s like to have the winning story.

Yours could be next!

***

Are you on Instagram?
This month, we are prepping for NaNoWriMo (if participating) and staying motivated in our writing lives.

 

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Do you Write, Edit, Publish with WEP?
October's WEP Challenge is:

 

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#IWSG - September is here! Wait. What? - Anthology Contest!!!

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

The awesome co-hosts for the September 5 posting of the IWSG are Toi Thomas, T. Powell Coltrin, M.J. Fifield, and Tara Tyler!

September 5 optional question - What publishing path are you considering/did you take, and why?

 

***

My apologies for the late post! I won't keep you long. Nothing new to report on the writing/publishing front. -- The BOY, aka my 12 year old, starts 8th grade tomorrow! Thank the UNIVERSE! I need a break! He's awesome, but a serious handful. -- It's hot in NY! We've been under heat advisories off and on for weeks now, but the way pumpkin spice is being advertised around here you'd think we were deep into October already. Fall is my favorite season too, but we get to keep summer until almost the end of the month, people! -- That's about it! Make sure you read to the end for some funny FB memes!!

***

 

The 2018 Annual IWSG Anthology Contest

is now open for submissions!

 

 

Guidelines and rules:
Word count: 3500-6000
Genre: Young Adult Romance
Theme:
Masquerade
A Masquerade can be a false show or pretense, someone pretending to be someone they aren't. It can be a ball, a fancy dress party, it can be a mask. Open to interpretation.

Submissions accepted: September 5 - November 4, 2018

How to enter: Send your polished, formatted (Double spaced, no page numbers), previously unpublished story to admin @ insecurewriterssupportgroup.com before the deadline passes. Please include your contact details, your social links, and if you are part of the Blogging, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter IWSG group.

Judging: The IWSG admins will create a shortlist of the best stories. The shortlist will then be sent to our official judges. This year, we are honored to have seven incredible judges:
Elizabeth S. Craig, author
Elana Johnson, author
S.A. Larsen,author
DL Hammons, Write Club founder
Gwen Gardner, author and previous IWSG anthology winner
Kelly Van Sant, agent at Red Sofa Literary Agency
Kristin Smith, author

Prizes: The winning stories will be edited and published by Freedom Fox Press next year in the IWSG anthology. Authors will receive royalties on books sold, both print and eBook. The top story will have the honor of giving the anthology its title.

Our previous IWSG anthologies:
Tick Tock: A Stitch in Crime
Hero Lost: The Mysteries of Death and Life
Parallels: Felix Was Here

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Are you following the IWSG on Instagram?
Here are the prompts for September: 

 

 

 

 

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