The first Wednesday of every month, an optional question is announced that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience, or even a story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post. Remember, the question optional.

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world! Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

May 6 posting of the IWSG are Jenni Enzor, Jemima Pett, Jamie of Uniquely Maladjusted but Fun, and Kim Lajevardi! 

May 6 question - What was the most inspiring feedback you received from readers, including agents, editors, and beta readers.

It seems like a lifetime ago...

That I went to a writer’s seminar in Pasadena...

And had a one-on-one with a prominent agent...

Who represented John Updike - The Witches of Eastwick

And—woo hoo—my story had witches.

I had sent a partial a few weeks before my meeting...

And when I met him, he told me, he liked the premise of the story…

And said to send the whole manuscript...

And I did...

And this is what he sent back

 At my next writer group meeting...

I was starry-eyed and flying high...

And showed the women what the agent had sent back ...

But all the writers in the group... 

Were romance writers with RWA...

And didn’t have an agent...

They were contracted directly with a publisher who did the editing .

My story, however, was not in the romance category...

It was religious horror.

(yes, I know…but these women took me under their wing)

I then queried publishers who handled horror...

But no nibbles.

**sigh**

I was too naïve and insecure to contact the agent again...

And eventually I let the ball drop on this manuscript.

**sigh**

Years later... 

I self-pub’d.

I really don’t ever want to self-pub again...

I did not enjoy the process...

It was painstaking.

But now...

I’m querying to agents for Love in the Time of Wrinkles...

A humorous work of Upmarket Women’s Fiction—

That and has been read by several professional betas and they loved the story...

(and no, the betas were neither family members or friends)

It has also been fully edited by a paid editor...

But after many, many many queries...

This one too is  getting declined.

**sigh**

      WHY?

So? 

Is this my destiny?

I’m a good writer...

But getting an agent and seeing my book in a bookstore is never going to happen?

But ya know what?

If I have to self-pub again (damn it), I will.

So?

What’s your story?

 May it make me smile.

Always, 
Em-Musing

 

 

 

It’s the Monthly Blog Hop for the Insecure Writers Support Group founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. 

The first Wednesday of every month, an optional question is announced that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience, or even a story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

                         Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

The awesome co-hosts for the April 1 posting of the IWSG are Melissa Maygrove, Cathrina Constantine, Kate Larkinsdale, and Rebecca Douglass!

 

 April 1 question - If you have a playlist (or could put one together) that either gets you in the groove to write or fits with one of your books, what is it? What type of music or what songs?

Oh, you betcha I have songs and playlists.

I have two playlists that I put together years ago that I listen to when I’m writing in the early mornings.

 The first is music from Windham Hill that offered distinctive sounds that became synonymous with the New Age genre that produced acoustic music with folk, classical, and jazz influences. Prominent musicians were William Ackerman, Liz Story, George Winston, Michael Hedges, Alex DeGrassi, to name a few. Here's one of their albums.

My other playlist includes New Age music from Narada, another label from the ‘early 80’s with artists like Paul Speers, and David Lanz. The label evolved through an expansion of formats to include world music, electronica, jazz, acoustic guitar, Celtic music, new flamenco, and piano releases.  

Now, about songs that are relevant to my novel, Love in the Time of Wrinkles  that I’m the process of finding an gent for.

 

The first would be “Kiss of Life”  by Sade. While my novel is fiction, it’s inspired by my true love story. Is there anything more exciting than a first kiss? At any age? 

https://youtu.be/MmOau-PMWJk?si=uSNNPUPny8JsUoaL

https://youtu.be/1qJU8G7gR_g?si=iPUU5veaE4nT8fKl

The second song would be “At Last” by Etta James. When I finally made the move to Mexico after four years of waiting, wanting, and planning, I moved into my second act and all I could think was, at last.

 

And for music during the day writing... 

It's Sky TV's Brazilian station. 

So...

What're yours?

 

Always,

Em-Musing

 

 

It’s the Monthly Blog Hop for the Insecure Writers Support Group founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. 

The first Wednesday of every month, an optional question is announced that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience, or even a story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.

                          Today's awesome co-hosts for the March 4  posting are:

  PJ Colando, Ronel Janse van Vuuren and Natalie Aguirre     

The March 4 question: What elements do you include in your book launch? Or what do you have in mind for your future book launch? Or what advice do you have to offer to others planning to launch a book??

 

I come from anther time...

A magical time...

When writing a book was all an author had to do.

When the book was finished...

And the author landed an agent...

And the agent landed a publisher...

And the publisher had the manuscript edited...

And all the details about book cover design, promotion, etc...

Were handled by said publisher.

That was it!

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!

Yeah, the only thing magical about this scenario...

Is my thinking.

Promotion for an author’s book was always necessary...

Before the Internet, and Facebook, and Instagram, and Algorithms etc...

It was all done differently, but still done.

So, getting back to today’s question...

What I’m doing about my book launch?

I’m in the process of putting together a marketing plan... 

And having a more engaging social media presence.

And you?’

What do you do for a book launch?

Or have any ideas to share?

 

Always,

Em-Musing

I'm in the trenches again sending out queries...

And it's never ending. Not the amount of queries. The endless amount of little changes. Rethinking an adjective here or an em-dash there.                      

I’ve blogged about the never-ending editing process before.                         But if you haven’t seen it...                                                                         Here it is again:

Daughters:      Mom?

Nurse:             She’s been like this for a while.

Daughters:      What’s wrong with her? 

Nurse:             When she was brought in, she kept 

                       Mumbling “Gotta keep editing. 

                       Gotta keep editing.”

Daughters:      What do you mean? Edit what? 

Nurse:             What we got out of her is that she's written 

                        a book and wants to get an agent,

Daughters:       So what’s holding her back? 

                        It’s a condition some authors are afflicted 

                                                  with, especially unpublished authors.

                          Daughters:       What’s this condition called? 

                          Nurse:             Queryphobia.

                          Daughters:      Queryphobia?                                                                 

                          Nurse:             In layman’s terms—fear of rejection.                                   

                          Daughters:      Rejection from who? 

                          Nurse:             Every agent and publisher in the world.

                          Daughters:      Is there a cure?

                                                  Not that we know of, but every now and then 

                                                  when  we turn on the Hallmark channel she 

                                                 calms down.Their stories are sweet and 

                                                 always have happy endings, but only for an 

                                                 hour or two and then she’s back at it. 

                .         Daughters:      Maybe if you can get her to binge watch it enough it will distract her and we can convince to get the hell out of here.

                         Nurse:              It’s worth a try.

                         Daughters:       Is there hope she’ll be healed?  

                         Nurse:              Don’t know. She’s got a bad case of it. 

                         Daughters:       Does she need anything from us? 

                         Nurse:              Hugs, chocolate, and maybe a shot of tequila.

                         Daughters:       Poor mom. **sighs**                                                                                                                                                                                 

                         So? Have you ever suffered from Queryphobia?

                                                                                                                                   

SOMETHNG THIS WAY STINKETH

 

It’s the Monthly Blog Hop for the Insecure Writers Support Group founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. 

The first Wednesday of every month, an optional question is announced that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience, or even a story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with            something to say. 

                   Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG                                                 Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

February 4 posting of the IWSG are J Lenni Dorner, Victoria Marie Lees, and Sandra Cox!

February 4 question - Many writers have written about the experience of rereading their work years later. Have you reread any of your early works? What was that experience like for you/

I like just about all my writings…

The earlier ones though I can see the need for editing...

But for the most part, they’re OK...

UNTIL…

Someone wants to see something I’ve written...  

AND THEN…

I think it not worthy, stupid, why did I even write this junk?

OR 

It think it just plain stinks! 

But then I wonder

What would it stink like?

Old fish guts? 

Dirty feet or pits?

Public bathrooms?

Limburger cheese?

Thankfullly, my nostrils never had to endure what I’ve heard about that stinky queso.

What about you?

What do you think about something you’ve written a while ago?

Ever think it stinks?

And if so...

What would the stink smell like?

 

Always,

Em-Musing