IWSG: What is your favorite aspect of being a writer?

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Insecure Writers 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!

Our Co-Sponsor's this month are:
Joylene Nowell Butler
Jen Chandler
Mary Aalgaar
 Lisa Buie Collard
Tamara Narayan
Tyrean Martinson
Christine Rains

What is your favorite aspect of writing?

For once there is no short answer. ;-) How can there be when writing is such a huge part of my life? I've thought about this question a lot and I keep coming back to one answer--other writers. Not storytelling--which is a major love of mine--or sharing my words with others. No, my favorite thing is other writers. Those people who get this craving that has so fulfilled my life. I can't tell you how much the people at the Books and Writers Forum mean to me. Or how important the Women's Fiction Writers Association is.

But when I get to the heart of it, I have to come home to the group who supports me, loves my stories, and can be most instructive with their critiques. These are the people who I turn to when the story goes awry. When I can't find words. When I need to cry over the darlings I've had to murder. They are also the people who planned for a year and a half to converge from all over the world at the Surrey International Writers Conference two weeks ago. Even though, three of our group couldn't make it, we kept in touch with them via Facebook. One sent a care box all the way from Australia full of Tim Tams and personalized notes and selections from our writing. There are no words that can express what these friends mean to me. They keep me writing. They keep me honest. And most of all, they are fabulous people who tell amazing stories.

Go, SOC, Go!

Next Week: The first of two November Book Reviews!

New Friends and Old

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As much as I love a quiet day in which to write, I can't imagine doing that and only that. Truly, it takes connections with the rest of the world of writers. For that I'm blessed to have many options and opportunities.

One of the groups I'm a member of is the Women's Fiction Writers Association (founded 2009). I've mentioned my genre group many times here, but I could go on and on. Once I found my genre home and we formed, I found resources and workshops, but more than that, I found friends and cheerleaders who help me and allow me to help them. This group is international, but that doesn't mean that there aren't a few in my general area.

Jody Herpin, Emily Carpenter, Melanie Logan, and me

Last Saturday, a few of us in the Atlanta area got together for lunch. What fun! We found time to check in with each other about our writing journeys. Even though, I was an hour and a half late because of road construction and a wreck. (That's Atlanta traffic in a nutshell--even on a Saturday!) There's nothing like sharing the battles and victories with others of your tribe. Here's to you, Emily Carpenter, Jody Herpin, and Melanie Logan. I'm just sorry that the other Atlanta area writers--Kimberly Brock and Monica Cox--couldn't be with us for lunch. We talked, talked, and talked some more about our writing, and books. The fact that I'd missed Emily's BURYING THE HONEYSUCKLE GIRLS, has been remedied. (Once a book pusher, always a book pusher. ;-) Be sure you check out these talented ladies sites, too!

Long before I even know Women's Fiction existed and that my stories were included, I joined the CompuServe Books and Writers Forum. I know I've talked incessantly about this group that calls itself the "longest-running literary cocktail party" on the web. I can only thank Diana Gabaldon for introducing me to this marvelous group. It's within the welcoming membership that I've found fellow writers willing and able to teach and critique me. The Writers Exercises folder is worth a ton of $$$ and it's free! The only requirement is that you dive in and share your ideas and hints.

From the ranks of the Books and Writers Forum, I met sixteen friends who live all over the globe. Collectively, we're known as the SOC. and we share critiques, suggestions, and serve as a sounding board for all things story. But far more than that, we share acceptance, love, and genuine concern. It's not just writing that keeps our little group hopping. ;-) I love you one and all! 

Don't think that you'll be sentenced to solitude if you become a writer. Seek out genre connections, writers groups, and other like-minded souls and get those stories going!

Tomorrow: Don't miss my guest post on Jody's blog--Sensing Southern.

Next Week: IWSG--Inspiration for the Journey 

March Tip: Five Helpful Links on Queries

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Source

Querying is always a daunting task for writers. Here's some of the latest posts I've seen about them.

What No to Do When Querying K. Whipkey has a great list of dos and don'ts.

The Hunt is On: How to Find an Agent Janice Hardy has six steps in the process.

And some oldies from the Books and Writer's Forum. If you've ever been curious about a writing forum, this is the place to be. The Research and Craft and Writers Exercises folders are golden. (Can you tell I'm a member? ;-)

Advice Please! Dig around in this one. Though is specific to Fantasy writer Julie, there's a lot of general info, too.

Query Help Dig in this one, too. Check out the query checklist for some lovely advice.

Query Based on First Twenty Pages This is a great resource, too.

Next Week: I'll have four more lovely reads to review. See you then! ;-)

Snip Week--a poem and an update on FRIENDLY FIRE

It's the first week of the month and I promised you some snips, poetry, or something of the sort. I thought I'd share a "found poem". The rules are to read anything and collect phrases and then try to construct a poem from them. This is an exercise from Sara Crawford's THIRTY DAY WRITING CHALLENGE.

I used a review of the recent movie remake of Godzilla. Really. ;-) The not-so-good review turned into a commentary on a bad marriage. Yep, you read that right. Here goes. The found phrases are in Italics.

She’d gotten the short end of the stick.
Again.
Of course.
He looked like someone who
Everyone thinks is a standup guy—
One communicating with a slow burn—
With the tone and character
To counter balance
Life’s pains.

Only the worried wife
Knew the disastrous truth—
He was the world’s most famous monster—
A man dedicated to thunderous applause
And spectacular blows.

Her life would be vastly improved
If she only existed for his short attention span
Instead
Of awakening his dormant,
Meticulous, cool notes
Of prolonged disdain.
 (copyright May 15, 2014)

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FRIENDLY FIRE Update:

I've reworked two scenes using this month's B&W Forum exercise on details. Making them count and tying them to the POV character's emotions is a big craft item for me. I've loved every minute of it. It's like the idea of setting details has finally clicked for me. 

I've also been working on digging deeper into my secondary characters--Rosemary and her son Dean. This is as eye-opening as the digging I did on Samantha earlier this year. It's all necessary to make FRIENDLY FIRE the best it can be--a layered story that will hook readers into my world of Cherry Hill.

Hard Nut Scenes

We've all struggled with them. Hit them with all the brain power we can muster. And still, they just lay on the page, mocking us. You know you've had one, or twenty. (That's being conservative. ;-)

You know those scenes that are just not quite right. It's a scene you know you have to have to tell the story you're writing. So, what do you do about it? 

Check out this discussion on the Books and Writers Forum.
Here's a list of the suggestions made by the various writers. 

1. change the venue of the scene
2. explore alternative choices of action
3. give yourself more time
4. change POV for the scene
5. play with phrases to hunt for the kernel
6. pretend it's written and write the consequence scene
7. look for issues in the story that make the planned scene is not viable and decide if you need to  abandon this scene.

Now, which method will work for you? Or me? I have hard nut sitting on my desk right now. It's a booger and I need it to open up. Wish me luck! ;-)

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Useful Links!

I've got a bumper crop of links for you, too!

Check out Anne R. Allen's Ten Commandments of Social Media Etiquette for Writers  There's a lot of good info here.

From Writer Unboxed, try The Art of Creating Memorable Villains Whatever Your Genre

Besides you might be writing crap and that's okay. Read Charlotte Rains Dixon's The Benefits of Writing Crap to find out why.   ;-)

Have you ever heard to start in media res? If you want to know what it really means and how to do it, check out Kristen Lamb's Starting the Story "In the Action"...

Also check Kristen Lamb's post of Character Arcs.

Rewarding Award

Sometimes life hands you a beautiful award. Today is one of those days. ;-)

I've known Jo Murphy for years. We met at the Books and Writers Forum when I joined in late 2008. Jo became a fast friend and trusted critiquer. I followed a link to her blog and I've been an avid reader ever since. After Jo's stroke, I realized that there was more than just friendship here. Jo makes me try harder, accept challenges with greater grace, and makes me laugh! I can't imagine my experience of the blogosphere without Jo's presence. Check out Jo's blog, The Murphy Saga for all of the above and some fabulous ideas about how to adapt to whatever comes your way.

On Sunday, Jo nominated me for the Butterfly Light Award for being her biggest cheerleader. As always, I'm floored by such nominations, but this one is really tops to me. Spreading light and grace is something I try to do. Finding out that someone I admire thinks I'm accomplishing this goal is wonderful and gives me the light to see by so I can continue to strive.

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As always, there's rules with these awards. ;-)

Here are the conditions for accepting the award :

1. You must write an acceptance post, making sure you link back to the blogger who awarded you and thank them. You MAY NOT lump this award in with a batch of other awards.

2. You must individually name and re-award to a minimum of 1 blogger. You must let them know either personally with a comment on their blog OR a pingback.

3. You must link back to Belinda’s blog either to http://idiotwriting.wordpress.com/2014/03/13/i-love-charismatic-geeks/ OR http://idiotwriting.wordpress.com/about/

4. You must write a short paragraph entitled either “How I’m Spreading Light” OR “How I’m A Positive Influence”

5. Display Belinda’s lovely “Butterfly Light Award” badge on your blog.

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 How I'm a positive influence:

I'm constantly seeking out ways to encourage other writers. I'm the "Goals Girl" at the Books and Writers Forum where I set up a theme for each month and be sure that all those who set goals get some encouragement at mid-month and end of month check ins. And remind them that the only time they'll ever get a "teacher face" from me is when they denigrate the  progress they're making as being too little or not good enough. When the Woman's Fiction Writers Association was looking for a program coordinator for the annual Write-A-Thin goal push, I volunteered. That added another official "cheerleader" title to my resume. 

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I'd like to nominate S. P. Bowers for the award for being my encourager. She had given me the encouragement to continue with my WIP and it's theme of abuse and the story of an adoption that makes a new and unconventional family possible. Thanks, S. P. I can't thank you enough!