so let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
Thanks, Alex
Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.
The awesome co-hosts for the November 2 posting of the IWSG are Diedre Knight, Douglas Thomas Greening, Nick Wilford, and Diane Burton!
Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.
Remember, the question is optional!
November 2 question – November is National Novel Writing Month. Have you ever participated? If not, why not?
I’m so happy this question is easy to answer. I’m just not up to thinking right now. I’ve never participated in NANORIMO. The simple reason is I don’t want to. I don’t write the way participating requires. I don’t want to write that way. If I did write that way, nobody would ever want to read the product–even after major edits–including the author, so there’s no need to consider signing up. I always wish everyone well, and I’m pleased to cheer them on, but I’m a sideliner for this event, and I’m sure I always will be.
Now, talk about a total shift of topic…
There are two things that significantly change the way I see the world. One is writing. The other is travel. And on this trip I combined both interests. For ten days in Sicily I explored an island that’s steeped in history and offers up a chance to see some spectacular examples of civilizations that extend from the prehistoric through the Greek, Carthaginian, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, and Norman invasions–yes, Sicily has long been a target for conquest.
I’m listing to an archeologist read a bit of Euripides. Without a microphone her voice could be heard at the top of the theater.
Your face is going to go blank on this next image. With all of the beauty in Sicily why did I post one of an ancient pair of manacles? Great question, and I asked almost the same one. Why were these displayed alongside such amazing works of art in a museum? They’re iron. Iron rusts. Unlike marble or pottery shards, anything made of iron is pretty much gone by the first few decades after being tossed. These manacles are extremely rare, and they offer up an image (author alert) of what it was like to be a captured slave of the Greeks.
Moving right along into the 4th century A.D., here’s the Villa Romana del Casale. The abundant mosaics are almost as brilliant as the day they were created, and that’s because they were buried very quickly by a landslide and preserved by layers of earth for many centuries. I’ve added a link to a more complete look at the villa because the mosaics are nearly uncountable and incredibly beautiful. This very famous one caught my attention.
Obviously, I still have one foot in Sicily, and my head is filled with so much that I saw. How can I use all of what I experienced in a story? Let me think.
Quote of the Month: “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”
– St. Augustine
I kind of love that you don’t do NANO since it seems like something authors are always talking about. It’s not really something that works for me either.
i’ve done camp nano in the summer, but november is just too busy…
love that you shared your exciting trip with us — incredible pictures and experiences! so glad people are still traveling and enriching their lives and gaining knowledge from past and present perspectives.
i went to greece years ago and it was amazing…
hope all is well with you!
Thank you for sharing the pictures. That sounds like an amazing trip! I want to go to Italy. A portion of that trip dedicated to Sicily sounds like a good idea. I feel like the entire area around the Med is rich in history, and some day I’d love to explore, maybe partially by boat.
Sounds like an amazing trip!
I bet that’s an amazing trip! Have a great time traveling. Great pictures.
“I write to give myself strength. I write to be the characters that I am not. I write to explore all the things I’m afraid of.” —Joss Whedon
J Lenni Dorner (he/him 👨🏽 or 🧑🏽 they/them) ~ Reference& Speculative Fiction Author, OperationAwesome6 Debut Author Interviewer, and Co-host of the #AtoZchallenge
That’s a wonderful quote! Thanks for sending it over.
I love traveling, too! I think you learn so much more than just reading books about places and events. Probably because you’re using more of your senses. Love your pictures! Thanks for sharing!
Involving all your senses, does give you the full impact of an experience!
I love see these ancient drawings, what inspired our predecessors. Looks like a great trip!
The extent of these mosaics is astounding. No two alike and thousands of square feet of beautiful art.
I love to travel. People always questioned my aversion to buying a bigger house, and it’s simply because my home is just my landing spot. I need all that home money for travel expenses.
Your photos made me think two thoughts. The first is that humans taking advantage of the powerless among them is nothing new…sadly. The second is that as much as we think we’ve changed, we haven’t changed much at all.
Your observations are spot on, Elizabeth.
Your trip to Sicily looks like a lot of fun! I’ve not been able to keep up with NaNo for a while now. I’ve been busy with my book sequel. Hopefully, I’ll be done this week.
Congrats on that sequel!
Hi Lee – it does sound as though you had a marvellous time in Sicily … so pleased you were able to go and spend time understanding the history … I’ve loved seeing your posts … which will inspire you for many a year … enjoy the memories and photos – fun to see – cheers Hilary
You post so many photos of your experiences out and about, that I think you inspired me.
Welcome back. I am sure that your travels have fed your writing muse and look forward (so much) to seeing where they take you/us.
I’m rather looking forward to seeing what I come up with, too! One never knows.
Hi Lee. I enjoyed this post. First things first – nobody will enjoy a NaNo draft … not even the author! Oh my! You just got me thinking. I hate to admit it now, but I haven’t been enjoying editing the one I wrote last season.
Lovely pictures. You seemed to have enjoyed a wholesome trip and the quote does perfect justice to your post.
I know those drafts can be ugly, but then my first drafts are no darlings either. It’s all about re-writing, isn’t it?
Hey Lee, I enjoyed following your travels through Sicily. It’s on my bucket list. The pictures are awesome. I love ancient societies and their history.
My writing style isn’t meant for NaNo, but many writers use it however they want, so bully for them. I like to edit as I go so I’m not left with a mess which I can’t stand to look at!
We seem to write in the same fashion. I’m notorious for going back every few minutes to re-read and re-write. They say that’s not good, but I can’t do it any other way.
I miss the days of traveling around to new places. I recall my first trip across the pond with one of my stops in Spain. At one leisurely point in the trip, we went on a drive excursion in the countryside, and somewhere along the line, I realized I was looking at a stone fence that was older than my home country. That one thought absolutely changed my perception of the world and what was important. Everyone should have that experience, it might make for a more peaceful world.
Thanks for sharing. And I agree, no NaNo for me either.
That kind of experience is priceless, isn’t it? In the U.S., 1700s seem old, but step onto a Greek island or a into a British circle of stones, and “old” takes on a whole new meaning.
Thanks for stopping in!
What a wondrous geographical and historical adventure.
Glad you got to go.
I’m very lucky!
I agree with every word you wrote about NaNo. I could sign under your answer.
Great photos of Sicily. That mosaic is amazing.
Yay! Another NO NANO friend!
So how old are those iron shackles? That is impressive they are still around.
They were about 400 BC. Remarkable, heh?
Hi, Cheryl-Lee!
I fully understand why a novelist like you avoids the NaNoWriMo challenge. You are a person who does a lot of traveling and painstaking research to prepare for writing a book. The November competition encourages you to rush through the first draft so that you will have ample time for edits as the deadline nears. I simply can’t picture someone like you cranking out a novel in assembly line fashion.
Thanks for showing us pictures from your amazing ten day trip to Sicily. The manacles make me shudder as I imagine how many people suffered while wearing them. The mosaics are incredible and so well preserved that they could pass for the work of a 21st century urban graffiti artist. Yessum, you still have one foot in Sicily and your head is running a continuous slideshow of the awesome sights you beheld. Surely they will remain with you the rest of your life.
Have a wonderful November, dear friend Cheryl-Lee!
Those mosaics are incredible! I’m surprised I haven’t heard of/seen them before. Amazing preservation.
So glad you enjoyed your trip – sounds wonderful!
There are so many of them that I suppose they’re commonplace for Sicilians. It’s the wide-eyed tourist that drops their mouth in awe!
Wow, your traveling sounds great! I’ve been outside the US twice, but I’ve always wanted to travel more. Someday, when I don’t have to worry about kids being in school. Someday.
I got the travel bug BC…before children, and I haven’t been able to kick it in all of these years. Luckily my husband was a pilot ( think I planned it that way) and I could go a lot of places even with the kids in tow.
Glad you had such a fascinating trip. Travel can really open your mind and get story ideas going too.
Too many stories sometimes, Natalie. I’m sure you know that.
I know travel changed my outlook, but it was temporary. I’d need to do more to stay that opened minded forever. Loved the pics and post this round.
Have a wonderful time. 🙂
Anna from elements of emaginette
Thank you, Anna. Even a temporary change is energizing.
It looks like you had fun and got a lot to think about. It’ll be interesting to see what you turn it into.
Whatever comes from this trip will surprise me. I’m sure of that.
What an amazing trip. It’s such a beautiful place and so steep in history.
I’m still trying to sort out the timeline for all the places I visited. B.C. A.D. Hellenic. Roman. Byzantine. Good gravy! I need a refresher course in history.
What a fantastic adventure!
Your comment on the last image made me chuckle.
I’d never have the nerve to do what that lovely lady has done for centuries.
I’m excited to hear how your travel stories come together in your writing. 🙂
I think travel and writing are both wonderful parts of life, and I’m glad to see your travel pics!
Writing and travel are a great combination. I highly recommend it.