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 post. Be sure to visit the Insecure Writer’s Support Group Website.

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

This month’s awesome co-hosts for September 2 posting of the IWSG are Kate Larkinsdale, SE  JS Pailly, Olga Godim, and Natalie Aguirre!  

 

September 2 question - Do you have a favorite character archetype you tend to gravitate toward in your writing?

Remember, the question is optional! 

Of course I know what an archetype is, 

But I never thought about defining my characters...  

Curious, I Goggled it and found this: 

The Twelve Character Archetypes: A Guide For Writers...

On the Jericho Writers site.

Interesting how many there are:

The Sage, the Innocent, The Explorer, The Rebel, The Hero,

The Magician or Wizard, The Jester, The Everyman, The Lover, 

The Caregiver.

And then I wondered about me.. What am I?

Turns out I am part Jester, part Lover.

So? do you have a favorite archetype for your characters?

And which archetype are you?

 

Also, I found an older post that I wrote years ago... 

And just for giggles, because I am part Jester...

I’m reposting it now.

Have a great holiday weekend!!

CAUTION: WRITER THINKING!

Writing can be dangerous!

Well, not the actual physical writing part…

But the thinking, envisioning, and fantasizing part…

Because you can do it anywhere ...

Like driving on the highway… 

Concocting a plot twist…

At 75 mph!

And then after about ten minutes…

You look around and go…

“Where the hell am I?

Caution: Writer Thinking!

Or like when you’re putting on mascara….

With a wand that has hundreds of hard bristles…

That could potentially blind you.

But deep in your brain cells…

Your envisioning which actor your hero looks like…

When—OW! 

You just poked your eyeball!

Caution: Writer Thinking!

And then there’re times when you’re at a party…

And all you want to do is find a corner… 

And think of a name for your heroine…

But instead, the most boring person in the world…

Has cornered you…

Telling you about one of their boring dreams…

When suddenly they ask you…

“So? “What do you think my dream means?”

Now you’re desperate…

And you realize you don’t have a clue…

But…

You have to say something 

So, you smile sincerely and say something stupid like…

“Well, I hope all your dreams come true.

He then glares at you and snarks back, I dreamed I died.  

Caution: Writer Thinking!

So, for all those who live with a writer…

Or heaven forbid, are driving with a writer…

Be on the lookout for that glazed and fixed stare…

Because...

Caution: Writer Thinking

 

Always, 

Em-Musing

 

 

 

LOST TIME

 

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 post. 

                  Be sure to visit the Insecure Writer’s Support Group Website.      Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

 The Awesome co-hosts today are:

                          Shannon Lawrence, Diedre Knight, Liza, and Pat Garcia!

August 5 question - As a writer/author what is something you regret? Or something that you wish you'd done differently in your writing process?

Remember, the question is optional! 

I regret not taking my writing seriously way back when... 

I had always been writing poems, short stories, and other ditties...

But I didn't see a career in writing.

Eventually,  I became a copywriter for radio, TV, video, & film...

But I regret the time it took for me to realize I had talent...

My insecurities held me back

And then when I began writing novels...

I regret it took me even more time to consider trying to get published

My insecurities held me back

Ah, well . . .  as the French say —c'est la vie. 

And speaking of the French...

I was in Paris some years ago staying in an Airbnb...

I had one day alone before my next round of family and friends arrived...

So I sat down at the desk that was there and thought I'd get inspiration to write something amazing—by mere osmosis!

I mean. . . I was in the  city where Hemingway, Fitzgerald,  Stein,

Joyce, Ezra Pound, Miller and countess other authors had created some of their most creative works... 

Something creative should have seeped into me.

But mais non...

Frustrated, I did a  French thing and let something else seep into me.

OK, there was only a few drops left in the bottle of champaign I had the night before and I thought just a few golden droplets would somehow rally my muse. 

Mais non. 

Ah well...

I should have remembered the only thing alcohol has ever given me... 

Was a headache the next morning.

Now, at this time of my life...

I don't want to waste anymore time being insecure.

What about you?

Do you have something you regret? 

Or something that you wish you'd done differently in your writing process?

Are you insecure?

Always,

Em-Musing

BIT BY BIT

 

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 post. Remember, the question optional. 

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

Today's posting  posting of the IWSG are Victoria Marie Lees, Sarah Foster, Natalie Aguirre, and Lee McKenzie!

June 3 question – Do most of your story ideas come from one place (the news, dreams, etc.) or do they hit from all over the place?

Call it inspiration...

Call it my Muse...

Call it what you will...

But ideas come to me at will...

Like a poem, a short story, or some other little ditty.

But once...

A bit of an idea came to me while I was in the shower and I dismissed it....

Then the next day more bits came to me in the shower...

Again, I dismissed them.

This happened for more than a few weeks...

And the bits turned into big bits... 

And I started to keep a notebook in the shower...

Well, not in the shower, but you know what I mean. 

Then often many bits would come so fast... 

I had to jump out soaking wet just to write them all down.

After almost a year...

I looked at my notes and thought, I think I have a book here. 

And that’s when I decided to write the novel. 

Then, after a year or so…

And having gone down many paths of research...

I finished it.

But more years would go by before I even thought to get it published.

Where my muse then? 

And...

What about you?

Where do your ideas come from?

 

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?