This post is part of the monthly blog hop/therapy session known as the Insecure Writers Support Group founded by the one and only, Alex J. Cavanaugh. If you're a writer, insecure, or just supportive of writers—insecure or not—please join us. It happens the first Wednesday of each

month. It would be sweet of you to visit at least a dozen or so new blogs and leave a comment. Your words will be appreciated. Our Twitter handle is @The IWSG and hashtag is #IWSG

   Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!          

The awesome co-hosts for the March 3 posting of the IWSG are Sarah - The Faux Fountain Pen Jacqui Murray, Chemist Ken, Victoria Marie Lees, Natalie Aguirre, and JQ Rose!

March 3 question: Everyone has a favorite genre or genres to write. But what about your reading preferences? Do you read widely or only within the genre(s) you create stories for? What motivates your reading choice?

 

COMINGS & GOINGS

My writing always “comes” to me...

Sometimes it’s dark...

Sometimes it’s humorous like my current W.I.P...

Sometimes it’s poetry...

Which is odd...

Because I don’t even like reading poetry.

But when it comes to my reading choices...

I “go” to them...

Online. I buy books of my favorite authors, or recommendations from friends and fellow bloggers. 

In person, it’s to brick and mortar book stores I go...

And trust me... 

If you embarrass easily...

Never go with me into Barnes & Noble...

‘Cause I’m in heaven being surrounded by so many books...

And I just might breakout in dance down the aisles...

Hip-hopping to the Horror & Supernatural section...

Salsa stepping to Science Fiction & Fantasy...

Mambo moving to the Mysteries...

Twisting to the Thrillers...

Not to mention...

Doing a rumba towards the New Releases & Reduced racks.

So many genres!

So many choices!

My eyes dazzle with the artistry of all the cover art.

It’s one of the reasons why I don’t like eBooks...

(not a critisim of other readers’ choice, only my preference)

I can’t see me doing disco around a device.

And the garnish for all genres?

The whiff of coffee wafting in the air... 

Giving me a double expresso shot of bliss.

And you?

Do you read what you write?

 

Always,

Em-Musing

 

SIZE MATTERS

Downsizing can often  be a good thing...

But downsizing the size of words?

Either on paper or the Internet?

What’s the point?

Or should I say - what's the point size.

Seems this is a new trend... 

More and more websites and printed pieces that I see... 

(or cannot see well)

Are doing this...

And not only are the words smaller, but thinner.

Why? 

I feel like I'm being given an eye examination I didn't ask for.

Do they think tiny skinny words... 

Make them more creative?

Prove they have better eyesight?

Or...

It's a  conspiracy...

By BIG EYE companies...

To make people run eye doctors screaming. Help! I'm losing may eyesight!! I need glasses!

Or...

Make people keep buying more "readers"?

Or...

Those in the advertising world...

Have a not-so-funny sense of humor?

But to prove I am a trendy kinda girl...

Here's my new business card:

So?

What are your thoughts? 

if you cn even read this...

 Always,

Em-Musing

 

 

 

 

UN A BASHFULLY ME

 

This post is part of the monthly blog hop/therapy session known as the Insecure Writers Support Group founded by the one and only, Alex J. Cavanaugh. If you're a writer, insecure, or just supportive of writers—insecure or not—please join us. It happens the first Wednesday of each month. It would be sweet of you to visit at least a dozen or so new blogs and leave a comment. Your words will be appreciated. Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.   

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!  

 

The awesome co-hosts for the February 3 posting of the IWSG are Louise - Fundy Blue , Jennifer Lane, Mary Aalgaard, Patsy Collins at Womagwriter, and Nancy Gideon!

 

February 3 question: Blogging is often more than just sharing stories. 

It’s often the start of special friendships and relationships. 

Have you made any friends through the blogsphere?

Oooo...

That’s a scary question.

Why scary?

Well...

I belong to the IWSG because I…um…well…um...I’m insecure.

I don’t interact in the blogosphere...

Enough to make friends... 

But here on the IWSG blog...

I have “connected” with some amazing writers... 

I follow them & leave comments...

They follow me & leave comments...

LOVE THAT!

But that's as far as my insecurities will allow.

E.G...

When I released my book last year...

I wanted to shout it out to the world about it...

But all I did was…

Put up one single post of me showing my book. 

The thought of asking someone 

To help in any way to promote it?

Couldn’t do it.

But the ironic thing about my insecurity... 

I used to do on-camera work for video & TV. 

Yup! 

Me!

In front of a whole camera crew. 

And I loved it! 

But the difference was... 

I HAD A SCRIPT!

And if I flubbed?

CUT! Take 2, or 3...or whatever.

I do not have a script for my life.        

If I flub...

BAM! It's out there...

No do-overs. 

And that's why I love blogging...

I write stories with my slant on things... 

Hopefully entertaining and sometimes amusing ones...

And I can edit to my heart's content.

But me just being me out there?

Not at all comfy with that. 

I do however...

Love meeting new people... 

But it usually them reaching out to me first.

Ya know how people always ask:

"If you could change one thing about yourself...

What would it be?"

It'd be my insecurity. It doesn't really serve any purpose...

And I've missed opportunities along the way.

But to my own defense...

I'm waaaay better than I was years ago. 

Well... 

Now that I spilled my insecure guts out...

How about you?

Is it easy for you to make friends on the blogosphere?

And of you could change one thing about yourself...

What would it be?

 

Always,

Em-Musing

 

DONE GIRL

 

 

This post is part of the monthly blog hop/therapy session known as the Insecure Writers Support Group founded by the one and only, Alex J. Cavanaugh. If you're a writer, insecure, or just supportive of writers—insecure or not—please join us. It happens the first Wednesday of each month. It would be sweet of you to visit at least a dozen or so new blogs and leave a comment. Your words will be appreciated. Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.   

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

 

The awesome co-hosts for the January 6 posting of the IWSG are Ronel Janse van Vuuren , J Lenni Dorner, Gwen Gardner Sandra Cox, and Louise - Fundy Blue!

 January 6 question - Being a writer, when you’re reading someone else’s work, what stops you from finishing a book/throws you out of the story/frustrates you the most about other people’s books. 

First HAPPY NEW WRITING YEAR!

Now on to answer this month's question:

When reading someone else’s book...

And I’m talking only fiction...

I want to be entertained... 

Give me humor, romance, horror, murder mysteries, thrillers, historical, fantasy, sci-fi, or even dystopian... 

But please...

Don't give me boredom!

To be fair though...

I will give a book a few-chapters-chance...

But if the plot and characters continue to be boring...

DONE! 

 

Podiums and soapboxes have their place...

But not in fiction... 

If an author tries to sway me...

With their views on religion, politics, or a social issue...

DONE!

 

Repetitive, repetitive, repetitive words...

Break my reality... 

It’s like a car racing to the finish line...

Only to have to slow down to avoid hitting a squirrel...

And I’m not talking about any ordinary word... 

But a word that is quirky at best... 

Annoying at worst.  

One millionaire author, who I will not name...

Used the word “hitch” so many times in her famous book... 

My eyes hitched!

DONE!

 

Bad research might happen in junior high...

But shouldn’t be in a book...

Especially if it's by a well known author. 

Recently... 

I read a book set at the end of the eighteen hundreds ...

The author said a character took a transatlantic flight...

HUH?  

So I Googled it...

Oops! 

The author and editors got it wrong.

DONE!  

Well, Almost... 

The story was so good I finished the book.

And as authors...

Don’t we all love research?

But all of those facts don’t need to be included... 

If they don’t advance the story... 

Um...excuse me...

***personal break ***

OK I'm back and...

OMG! 

Do you believe in synchronicity? 

I do and now even more so...

Ya see...

During my “break” ...

I continued  reading CAMINO ISLAND by John Grisham...

. 

So while on my 'break'I was reading a chapter where the characters are writers and were talking about what they don't like about another author's writing. The main character gave his opinion.

Here's the excerpt:

 

Synchronicity right?

So?

What makes you put down a book?

And...

Do you believe in synchronicity?

Always,

Em-Musing

 

P.S. No matter how bad a book is, I could never throw it  away. Instead, I give it away. 

      

JUST SO, HO, HO, HO

I was researching the poem:      

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

I was unsure of one of the reindeer’s name—Donner... 

So I Googled it...

Actually, it's not Donner but either Dunder or Donder...

Hmm?

So, I dug a little further and discovered... 

That this classic poem...

Is a two-hundred-year-old great mystery. 

The poem first appeared anonymously... 

On December 23, 1823...

In the New York’s Troy Sentinel newspaper. 

Years later, one man claimed to be the author...

Ah ha! But was he? 

There's still quite a controversy...

Is the author Clement Clarke Moore?

His title is: The Night Before Christmas

Or Henry Livingston Jr.?

His title is: Twas The Night Before Christmas

If you like fun or interesting research...

Here are two links to sink your Christmas candy-coated teeth in: 

Clement Clarke Moore

 

Henry Livingston Jr.

What I found interesting was that... 

Both men’s writing styles have been forensically analyzed... 

Looking for certain rhythms to the men's writing...

And usages of certain words and phraseology. 

Hmm? 

And that got me wondering...

What if analysts were to forensically look at my writing...

What would they find?

And just so I won’t keep you guessing...

They’d find over usages of these two words: JUST & SO... 

 I just don't know why I like them so much.

And it may be OK to overuse them in my blog posts...

But not in a novel.

Which I've been guilty of...

And thank goodness for editors.

So?

What about you?

Do you have any rhythms, words or phraseology in your writing?

And who do you think real author is?  

Always,

Em-Musing