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

The awesome co-hosts for the January 7 posting of the IWSG are Shannon Lawrence, Olga Godim, Jean Davis, and Jacqui Murray!

January 7 question - Is there anything in your writing plans for 2026 that you are going to do that you couldn't get done in 2025?

I watched a YouTube video recently on how to achieve my goals for 2026 

In my case it’s:

- Sending out more queries for my humorous women’s fiction novel

- Landing an agent 

- And getting on the road to publication. 

But, interestingly enough...

I learned that setting my goals wasn’t the main way to achieve them...

It’s prioritizing  one —main—goal...

Focusing on it... 

Filtering out the less important ones...

And, not getting distracted by all those distractions...

They’re everywhere...

On my computer when I’m Googling something...

On my phone social media ... 

And it’s so tempting to open up a reel, and then off my mind goes...

Or I choose a smaller goal because it’s instantly gratifying...

Like designing my next landscape project...

Or organizing my office.

I need to create a pair of blinders...

So that every time my mind or eyes wander a buzzer goes off and a voice says, 

"FOCUS! You can do this!"

.

And what about you?

What do you want to achieve this year that you didn’t last year?

And how do you stay focused or eliminate distractions?

 

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!

November 5 hosting of the IWSG are Jennifer Lane, Jenni Enzor,Renee Scattergood, Rebecca Douglass, Lynn Bradshaw, and Melissa Maygrove 

November 5 question - When you began writing, what did you imagine your life as a writer would be like? Were you right, or has this experience presented you with some surprises along the way?

Growing up in a family of artists and storytellers

I began writing poetry at the age of ten

Then, as a teen I began writing short stories. 

Looking back

I think that’s when my muse came into being 

Because ideas came to me out of nowhere

Flying into my head faster than I could write them down

And I’d write, and write, and write, and write.

As a career, I became a copywriter

For radio, TV, and video

And I loved every minute of that kind of creative writing 

Yet I still didn't see it as a "writing life" 

Only a job.

And then one day my muse returned with a passion

And within a year I had written a novel.

Though it took a while

 (okay, longer than a while)

I did publish it.

So, to answer today’s question

I never fantasized my life as a writer 

But after a took a cruise of the Caribbean

I began daydreaming about being a published  author writing every day by the Caribbean. 

Now, decades later, I am living on the Caribbean in Mexico.  

Okay...I actually  live a mile away in the jungle, but it's close enough.

And you?

How did you imagine your life as a writer?

 

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 post. Remember, the question optional. 

 OurTwitter handle is @The IWSG and hashtag is #IWSG

Let's rock the neurotic writing world

The awesome hosts today are: Feather Stone, Janet Alcorn, Rebecca Douglass,Jemima Pett , and Pat Garcia!

Question for May 7. Some common fears writers share are: rejection, failure, success, and lack of talent or ability. What are your greatest fears as a writer? How do you manage them?

 

 

Marketing!

If your an agented author...

Or if you have a publisher...

Some of the marketing will be done for you. 

And sometimes... 

They’ll do a good portion of it.

But it also falls on the author to do their part... 

Even if you’ve written one hellava book...

If you don’t market it well...

Your sales will suffer.

Some years ago...

I worked in an Advertising & Marketing agency 

I enjoyed planning campaigns...

And I did it well—for clients.

But now...

Doing it for myself

With all the social media platforms out there...

Marketing shouldn’t be so daunting...

Yet....

It's overwhelming...

And I feel like a big cry baby. 

I don’t want to do it!

I'd rather write! 

But then...

does baby want a shot of tequila?

My adult self kicks in and reminds me...

Marketing is the key to success... 

With any product or service...

So put your big girl panties on...

And just do it!

So?

What are your fears?

 

Always,

Em-Musing

 

 

WRITER INTERUPTUS

If you’re a writer

There’s a condition that only writers get

Every writer! 

No matter where you live

No matter who you are

Every writer gets this condition

Including me. 

For years I’ve tried to get rid of it

But no luck

It’s called

WRITER INTERUPTUS.

I know you know what I’m talking about

You sit down to write when:

The phone rings, your pet wants to eat or needs to go out,

You have errands to do, another episode of Netlix beckons, taking a nap sounds like heaven, your stomach growls, you're staving, (there’s only so many bowls of cereal one can eat), 

your mind can’t stay focused, you need to pay some bills, your family needs you, etc., etc., etc.

So for years,

I kept getting up earlier and earlier 

Now I’m up at 4:30 a.m. 

But even then I get

WRITER INTERUPTUS

I read once that J.K. Rowlings would go to the Balmoral hotel in Edinburgh to write

I soooo get that

Because when you're at a hotel, and you have the will power 

To turn off your phone and not turn on the TV

There'll be no

WRITER INTERUPTUS

Only room service.

So?

Do you suffer from WRITER INTERUPTUS?

What interrupts you?

And what's your cure?

 

Always,

Em-Musing

HANGING ON A CLIFF

 

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.

The awesome co-hosts for the December 4 posting of the IWSG are Ronel, Deniz, Pat Garcia, Olga Godim, and Cathrina Constantine!

 

 

December 4 question - Do you write cliffhangers at the end of your stories? Are they a turn-off to you as a writer and/or a reader?

 

 I don’t write cliff hangers at the end of a book...

But rather... 

I leave the reader with hope that when the book ends...

There’ll be a second or third book with the same characters.  

BUT...

In my EM series... 

I do leave cliff hangers at the end of most of my chapters... 

My hope is that the reader will be that curious...

And want to continue to the next chapter, and the next, and the next.

When I'm reading a novel it bugs me when a chapter ends... 

But the next chapter is not a continuation...

But rather it jumps to another part of the story that doesn’t seem connected... 

This is when I appreciate a timeline, a date, or something to string the chapters along.

But then...

I’m a lazy reader, or I have ADD, or my mind wonders... 

And I often forget names if they’re not a  main character or aren't mentioned enough...

Especially if the names start with same letter, or sound similar

Like: Ellen, Eleanor, Ester, etc...

Then I have to go back and find those characters to refresh my memory.

But then, it’s probably just me.

What about you?  

Do you write cliffhangers? Or enjoy them?

Always,

Em-Musing

Merry Christmas!

See you in the New Year!

 

 

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

The first Wednesday of every month, we announce an optional 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 optiona.

The awesome co-hosts for the March 6 posting of the IWSG are Kristina Kelly, Miffie  Seideman, Jean Davis, and Liza @ Middle Passages!

March 6th question: Have you "played" with AI to write those nasty synopses, or do you refuse to go that route? How do you feel about AI's impact on creative writing?

 

 Credit:imagine

Below, a parody  from Annie get Your Gun 

 

AI:   Anything you can write I can write better. I can write anything better than you.

ME:   No you can’t.

AI:    Yes I can.

ME:   No you can’t. 

AI     Yes I can.

ME:   No you can’t.

AI:    Yes I can, yes I can…YES, I CAN!!

ME:   Really? Have you ever been kissed? Felt warm lips on 

         your lips?

AI:    No. My lips are unable to feel other's lips.

ME:   Ever giggled till you peed your pants? 

AI:    No. I’m unable to giggle, I don’t wear pants, 

          and why would I pee in them if I did?

ME:   Ever cry watching a movie with a tear-jerking scene?

AI:    No. I cannot generate tears. I don’t have emotions, 

          Movies aren't real. Why do humans cry watching a 

          movie?

ME:   So? How do you get your info about characters and 

          writing scenes?

AI:   I generate content based on data that I’ve analyzed. 

ME:   Well then, you really can’t write from experience, can 

          you? That’s why I can write better than you. HA!

AI:    You know that synopsis you’ve been struggling with?

ME:   Yeah? What about it?

AI:    I can write that synopsis better and faster than you. 

Me:   Oh? Uh…well then…sure…I might just let you have a go at it…to compare, yeah, that’s it. Only to compare.  

AI is here to stay..

I use Grammarly for editing and love it. I might want to try Hemingway though, I read good reviews about it.

But I think legitimate writers and authors have more pride in their published pieces than to let AI do some or the bulk of their creative works. 

What say you?

Always, 

Em-Musing

PS  I am actually working on a synopsis, Ugh!  But I don't have the urge 

to try AI.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

 

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

The first Wednesday of every month, we announce an optional 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

The awesome co-hosts for the January 3 posting of the IWSG are Joylene Nowell Butler, Olga Godim, Diedre Knight, and Natalie Aguirre!

January 3 question: Do you follow back your readers on BookBub or do you only follow back other authors?

 

Good question this month...

Only wish I could answer it...

I don’t have a presence on BookBub yet...

But I did check it out... 

And I definitely will get on it... 

When my current manuscript gets out there... 

Traditionally pub’d or otherwise. 

I’m curious to read other authors’ comments. 

I’m travelling now so this is all I have for today’s post.

Happy New Year to all...

And may your writing be joyous, fulfilling, and prosperous.

 

Always,

Em-Musing