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! Be sure to link to this page and display the badge in your post. And please be sure your avatar links back to your blog! Otherwise, when you leave a comment, people can’t find you to comment back.
Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.
The awesome co-hosts for the August 3 posting of the IWSG are Tara Tyler, Lisa Buie Collard, Loni Townsend, and Lee Lowery!
Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG posts. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience, or a 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!
When you set out to write a story, do you try to be more original or do you try to give readers what they want?
Today I’m answering this question over at The Insecure Writers’ Support Group site, so I hope you’ll stop by and read what I’ve written. However, I’ll be self-serving here and mention one example of my having to choose between this either or question.
When Alligators Overhead came out, I had some requests for more adventures with Pete and Weasel. I hadn’t thought about writing a series, but I’d enjoyed creating the escapades for these two boys, so I wrote Book 2, The Great Time Lock Disaster. After that was published, I received more requests, so those led to Book 3, Some Very Messy Medieval Magic. I suppose this means that I did try to give readers what they wanted, but I’m not sure I could have done that if I hadn’t really liked the stories with those kids doing crazy things.
Did you answer this question? If so, I’ll stop by and see what you had to say.
Last month I didn’t follow through and post each Wednesday, but I had an excuse. This is it!
I entered my car in a show, and that took a lot more time than I’d expected. First, there was the grooming (the car, not me), then there were the rallys, which in truth involved a lot of driving and eating, a lot of wine, and more…grooming (this time for me as well as the car). By the end of the month, I’d pretty much worn both of us out trying to show up when and where we were supposed to be.
It was a lot of work, but a lot of fun, so I may have to do it again. Only next time, I’ll know what I’m supposed to do and not be the total newbie.
Quote of the Month: “If everything comes your way, you are in the wrong lane.” —Unknown
Oh, wow! Congratulations to you and El Camino!
Nice car! I bet it’s fun to drive around in it. That’s really cool that you kept writing to please your audience and it worked out. Your books are so good!
Being asked to write more is high praise. It’s funny when people connect with a character you don’t expect them to love.
“Libraries will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no libraries.”
―Anne Herbert
My IWSG blog post discussed my love of originality. I’m looking forward to the bout of books readathon and WEP’s flash fiction later this month.
Life threw me a curveball with a neighborhood crisis this week, but we got through it.
Fun fact: August is the only name of a month that’s also a popular name among 👶 baby boys.
J Lenni Dorner (he/him 👨🏽 or 🧑🏽 they/them) ~ Reference& Speculative Fiction Author, OperationAwesome6 Debut Author Interviewer, and Co-host of the #AtoZchallenge
What an amazing adventure with that spiffy car! Who knows where that may crop up in your writing. I will go read your longer comments about this month’s IWSG question, but for now, I just want to say thank you again for your generosity in supporting other writers (including me). May August bring you good writing and some down time.
I might have to invent a car rally story, Beth. That’s a bit out of my usual topic range, but it would be fun.
I love working with authors, so if I can help them to get the word out about their books, I’m really happy.
I wrote the 4th book in the Coulter Men series to please readers. It’s a wonderful problem to have-being asked to keep a world alive a bit longer.
What a nice car! No wonder you wanted to show it off!
Isn’t it wonderful to find out people actually want to read your work? Good for you.
That’s a grand old car, Lee. I can see why you’re proud of it.
Hi Lee,
Great car! It looks and sounds like you had a blast! I think to some extent, all authors try to please their readers. Maybe our first works are for us, but when our work gets published, we have to answer to our readers if they ask for more, like in your MG books.
Yes. That’s why this question seemed easy, but it really wasn’t. I had to give it some thought.
I’m not a published author, so I can’t really answer the question. I guess if I liked something myself and readers wanted MORE of that, I’d be inclined to do so!
And how fun about the car show. 🙂
Makes sense, right? If someone enjoys a particular kind of story, they’ll want to keep reading them.
It’s always good to hear the behind-the-scenes journey of stories. And hooray for the car show!
Hi YV. Thanks for the visit.
So great to have readers ask for more. Looks like you had fun with the car.
I did.
Isn’t it wonderful that you wrote what you were most moved to write and then readers responded! Love it.
p.s cool car!
Yes. That worked out well. One never knows.
Yup, sometimes those things take more time and effort than we think they will. Sounds like you had a good time. That’s what’s important.
Absolutely!
Oh my gosh! Early in our marriage, my husband had a 1972 El Camino, black and silver, mag wheels. What a great memory!
The 1972 was a stylish car! They had the best lines, didn’t they?
That car show must have been super exciting. Worth the grooming, LOL. And great how your books developed into series.
We both looked a lot better than usual. I should do more things that take me out into the public eye!
Best excuse ever!! Sounds like you had a LOT of fun!
So true. If you’re off having fun, then everybody understands why you didn’t show up as usual.
El Camino extraordinaire!
I took my driving test in my dad’s el camino—yikes! but I past =D
nice!
Wow! That’s a great memory. This was my dad’s car, and I plan to keep it, hoping someone else in our family will love it.
Nice Camino! Hubs had a ’72 he decked out and suped-up. When he fired it up pictures fell off the wall in the kitchen! Good times.
Enjoy!
Ha! They do make a noise, don’t they? My neighbors have Tesslas and they sneak in and out without notice. Imagine when I leave!
A car show - what an exciting adventure!
My reasoning…there’s a first time for everything.
You have a super excuse, Lee. What a beautiful car! Bet you had fun.
I did. So much that I think I’ll do it again.
What a cool car! The whole event sounds like a lot of work but even more fun. Now back to regular programming, at least for a few days 🙂
Yes. Regular and something I actually know a little about.
You have been busy and from the sounds of it had a heap of fun too. Which is lovely.
As you know I love your characters and am always happy to learn more about them and ‘their’ latest adventures.
That’s good to hear, Sue. Thank you. I am “playing” with another possible Pete and Weasel adventure. I need some escape. 🙂
What fun! I love walking through those car shows and hearing the stories the car owners tell about their babies. My hubs gave me a red mustang convertible in 1995. We sold it last summer. Miss her so much, but the new owner is taking good care of her.
I love it when people speak fondly of their vintage cars. When you sell them they must go to the right home. I loved the older mustang convertibles.
Woo Hoo on the car show. What fun, Lee.
Right! Who knew this was going to happen, but it did.
So cool! That’s a fun way to get out and about.
Love the quote about being in the wrong lane - that made me laugh. 🙂
I loved that quote, too. Wish I could credit someone with it, but there wasn’t a name.
That Chevy El Camino is a beauty. Cool, classy olde-world-charm. 🙂
When I drive it, I feel like on a cruise ship. It’s actually a very comfortable car to ride it, but it costs a fortune to fill the tank. I think she holds as much gas as a cruise ship might.
I saw that last photo somewhere else and wondered. How fun.
I posted on FB during the event, so you probably saw it there.
I absolutely love old cars. Yours is so cool. I’m glad you showed it. Car shows are a fun world.
Teresa
They’re fun and this one has taken me into a whole different world of contacts.
Hi Lee,
Yes, you have answered my question. I get a kick out of reading your books. They soothe my mind and more than that I feel the heart in them. You invest in your characters and that makes a big difference to any reader.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange
That is such a kind thing to say, Pat. Thank you so much.
What an incredible car. It appears to be in perfect shape. Enjoy the car shows and the attention..
It’s not restored, but it does have new upholstery and paint. Polishing it takes a looooong time! I require music, a cold beer, and lots of soft rags to get the job done.
with the right music and a cold beer, I could be enticed to join in!
Hi Lee - that sounds so much fun - and yes you must definitely do it again next year - perhaps you’ll give us a tour … even after the event. Brilliant and I’m not surprised you’re ready for a holiday. Fantastic … cheers Hilary
I was trying to put together a video of the event, but I’ve been tied up with other things. Maybe I’ll get it done this month. Thanks for stopping in again!
Lee, I am such a fan! Love your adventurous streak and it’s so inspiring how you take on life. I tried to download Alligators Overhead when you had made the announcement about the Kindle download but somehow I couldn’t. I’m going to try again after this.
I love having you as a fan and an online friend. Thanks so much for the visits, and if you still have trouble downloading that book, let me know.
It looks like you both had a fun month!
I think it was fortunate that you could give the readers what they want and that you enjoyed that journey too. I think it’s nice when readers can lead us down a path we might not have thought about. Really, the reader-writer relationship should be a dialogue rather than one-sided.
That is an excellent way to put it, Nick! I like it.
Hi, Cheryl-Lee!
It’s great to see you, dear friend. Happy August 2022!
I definitely admire artists of any stripe who give us genuine labors of love, not those who consistently try to calculate in advance which type of work will be most profitable. If you are one of the fortunate few who do not need to choose “either or” and find that you can make a good living doing what you love, you’ve got it made. I believe you are in that zone.
Clearly, you derive excitement and satisfaction from entering your vintage El Camino in car shows and rallies. Initially, you might have thought you didn’t have time for such a pursuit. Isn’t it funny how we “create” time to do something when we are inspired and passionate about it?
The Quote of the Month is clever. It reminds me of a quote from my favorite movie, Ruby in Paradise (1993) starring Ashley Judd.
Ruby Lee Gissing:
I heard that Hell is when all your dreams come true.
Have a wonderful month, dear friend Cheryl-Lee!
Yes, we do find time to pursue what we love, don’t we? Love the quote because it is so true. Thanks for coming by. I’m making my rounds today and can’t wait to see what you have in store for us on your blog.
It sounds like you had a lot of fun entering your car in the show, even if it was a lot of work.
That’s very cool! Car shows sounds like a new adventure for you.
I never thought of a series until readers wanted more after my first book, so I get you. Good thing I liked my main character.
We are both fortunate, Alex. I enjoyed the very different week filled with old cars and people who dote on them. Quite a departure from hanging out with writers.
Wohoo! Feeling excited 😀