#IWSG - March: where we do the time travel!

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!

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.

March 6 optional question - Whose perspective do you like to write from best, the hero (protagonist) or the villain (antagonist)? And why?

  Alex's awesome co-hosts for the March 6 posting of the IWSG are Fundy Blue, Beverly Stowe McClure, Erika Beebe, and Lisa Buie-Collard! 

 

 

Greetings, Blog Friends!! Happy March!

This weekend in the US we voluntarily change the time on all the clocks because it's Daylight Savings time. No, I don't know what that means either.

In the beginning of the year they call it 'Spring Ahead', like that makes it sound better, and we all time travel into the future one hour.

I like to call it.

It's a little crazy that we still do this twice a year. Half the country takes a week to recover and the other half doesn't know what time it is because they don't know how to reset the time on the microwave which is about the only clock you have to manually change these days.


The battery companies have seized upon this awesome marketing opportunity to remind people to change the batteries in your smoke/CO detectors, so we should still do that.

Bottom line is, when you wake up on Sunday it will be in the future...except when you look at your microwave.

***

Release date – April 30, 2019

Masquerade: Oddly Suited

An Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology

Find love at the ball…

Can a fake dating game show lead to love? Will a missing key free a clock-bound prince? Can a softball pitcher and a baseball catcher work together? Is there a vampire living in Paradise, Newfoundland? What’s more important—a virtual Traveler or a virtual date to the ball?

Ten authors explore young love in all its facets, from heartbreak to budding passion. Featuring the talents of L.G. Keltner, Jennifer Lane, C.D. Gallant-King, Elizabeth Mueller, Angela Brown, Myles Christensen, Deborah Solice, Carrie-Anne Brownian, Anstice Brown, and Chelsea Marie Ballard.

Hand-picked by a panel of agents and authors, these ten tales will mystify and surprise even as they touch your heart. Don your mask and join the party…

Young Adult Fiction: Romance - General/Paranormal/Contemporary

Print ISBN 9781939844644

eBook ISBN 9781939844651

Website - IWSG Anthologies

#IWSG - February is here and we're cold and then hot and then cold!

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 February 6 posting of the IWSG are Raimey Gallant, Natalie Aguirre, CV Grehan, and Michelle Wallace!

February 6 optional question - Besides writing what other creative outlets do you have? 

Hello there, nice blog people! (and occasional bot!)

It's February and the temps in NY this week are bouncing all over the thermometer! This morning it's below freezing, but yesterday afternoon we had a high of 60-somthing and I had the windows open in the car!

Mother Nature is keeping us on our toes.

I have nothing good to report on the writing front. On my latest story I've had 16 rejections, 2 no-responses, and 1 recent submission that's waiting a reply. That list is a mix of agents and publishers.

The rejections are all similar....thank you for the opportunity to read your work, it doesn't fit with what we're doing at the present, this is just one person's opinion, have a great day.

If I had the money to self-publish, I would consider it, but after you get so many rejections you have to start wondering if it's what you're sending out that sucks and not just the responses.

So...on that depressing note...I'm going to share a few funny pics, and some other IWSG info, and keep moving forward!

Thanks for listening.

 

The WEP 2019 February Challenge - 28 Days

What to do with 28 Days?

What does 28 Days bring to mind?

You can sign up now at the WEP site.

Post your entry on or around February 20.

Here are the prompts for February’s IWSG Instagram:

The IWSG Book Club on Goodreads is changing things up!

- 5 discussion questions instead of 10
- Discussion Day poll for quick and easy participation.
- Members can help us create Goodreads quizzes for the books we read.
- Giveaways exclusive to our members every Discussion Day.
- Freebies members can download when we announce our next reading selection.
- Writing and reading related polls for fun and insight.
We will still read a new book every other month, alternating between craft books and fictional books that demonstrate an aspect of writing, and our members will continue to vote on our fictional books. Our February/March 2019 book is…Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. This book was voted on by our members to be a good example of setting. Discussion Day will be March 20th.
Join us HERE

#IWSG Anthology: Masquerade: Oddly Suited Cover!!

IWSG Anthology Cover Reveal!

Here is the cover of the next IWSG anthology!

Masquerade: Oddly Suited…

Masquerade: Oddly Suited
An Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology
Release date – April 30, 2019
Young Adult Fiction: Romance - General/Paranormal/Contemporary
Print ISBN 9781939844644
EBook ISBN 9781939844651

Find love at the ball…

Can a fake dating game show lead to love? Will a missing key free a clock-bound prince? Can a softball pitcher and a baseball catcher work together? Is there a vampire living in Paradise, Newfoundland? What’s more important—a virtual Traveler or a virtual date to the ball?

Ten authors explore young love in all its facets, from heartbreak to budding passion. Featuring the talents of L.G. Keltner, Jennifer Lane, C.D. Gallant-King, Elizabeth Mueller, Angela Brown, Myles Christensen, Deborah Solice, Carrie-Anne Brownian, Anstice Brown, and Chelsea Marie Ballard.

Hand-picked by a panel of agents and authors, these ten tales will mystify and surprise even as they touch your heart. Don your mask and join the party…




Sadly, the IWSG is losing two of its admins - Lynda Young, who was second-in-command, and Joy Campbell are both stepping down. They have been with the IWSG Admin Team since the site began and will be missed. Thank you ladies for all of your help getting the IWSG to where it is today!


It's been great working with you both!!




However, we’re not ending on a sad note - Elizabeth Seckman has joined the IWSG Admin Team! She will be in charge of the Publishers/Agents/Queries page and active on Facebook, as well as contributing to the site, the newsletter, and other areas.

Welcome, Elizabeth!

#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!