IWSG - March 2024

  

Click here to find out more and to see a list of other IWSG blogs.

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!

Co-hosts for the March 6th are

 Kristina Kelly, Miffie Seideman, Jean Davis, and Liza @ Middle Passages!

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?

The simple answer is Yes. If you've researched anything on Google or Bing, AI's participated in your search. If you use ProWritingAid (and I'm guessing Grammarly uses it too) to check for grammar or style corrections, you've used AI. Photoshop uses it too now, though they say they use only their own stock of owned pictures as sources. 

I love using ChatGPT for my blurbs. I'm kind of awful at writing them. While I put emotion in my books, I tend to be "dry" with the blurbs. And ChatGPT is sooo drama! I find it really over the top. But it uses words or phrases I sometimes can use (toned down).

What I really like is using AI to brainstorm with. Or to help with the description of a scene I'm fighting with. I may give it a section of text and tell it to rewrite it using all five senses. Then I can go through what it suggests and see if there's anything in the words it uses that I like. This isn't all that different from when I would use the website resources (from The Emotion Thesaurus gals) for this kind of thing.

The key is that it's a resource for me to strengthen my writing or make the research a little faster. When I was writing a scene in a book that released last year, I needed some kind of business for another character. I  could spend hours checking the types of businesses on online stores, but ChatGPT gave me a huge list of possibilities. Just like that.

I used to spend a week formatting my paperback books in Word once I had my ebook done. Now I have Vellum that does it with with a simple click. That tool has given me back a week of my life for every book I release.

And that's what AI is to me. A tool.

What about you? Do you agree or feel differently?

IWSG - November 2017

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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!

Last weekend I wrote THE END on the first draft of Against the Magic, my Victorian time travel book. Today, I'm starting NaNo and I'm writing the book that will be part of the Destination Love series. I needed these reminders:

Are you doing NaNo?

IWSG - March 1st

Click here to find out more and to see a list of other IWSG blogs.

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!

I'm teaching a class this weekend at a writing conference. My topic is about covers.

Oh, my, but there are some really awful ones out there. It kind of makes me tired. It also makes me worry mine aren't good enough.

But then I have to remind myself that I pay professionals to make my covers for a reason.

IWSG's question this month is: Have you ever pulled out a really old story and reworked it? Did it work out?

I haven't yet, but I have one I'll be doing that with. It's kind of scary, because my writing's grown so much.

The other thing up is that I'm participating in a promotion with Second Chances 101.where it's possible to win 30+ "contemporary seasoned romances." Nice way to describe stories with more mature main characters. The grand prize is a Kindle Fire. Not too shabby.


Thirty-seven-year-old Francie Davis is sure her luck has changed when she lands a job on campus that will pay her tuition. But when her handsome new boss yells at her on the first day of work, Francie learns that the last person you expect to fall in love with might be the one that’s the most perfect for you.

Click here for more details.

IWSG - December 2016

Click here to find out more and to see a list of other IWSG blogs.

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!

I'm feeling pretty good this month.

I beat NaNo in record time this year--11 days. 

I've used Dragon several times to dictate my first drafts. I love it for new words.

This year I used a dictation recorder and talked the book while I walked (something Kevin J. Anderson and Cindy M. Hogan do). I decided to give it a try.

I LOVED it!

I used to almost double my word count by using Dragon on my PC. BUT, and this is a big but, I found myself always caught up in the editing mode as the words appeared on my screen. A different--not creative--part of your brain handles editing. It really pulls you from your story creation.

By dictating it and letting Dragon transcribe it for me when I was done with the session, I was getting between 1,700 and 2,000 words in a 25 minute writing sprint.

Now, that is an ugly first draft. But all my first drafts are. At a retreat I went to in November, another author decided to give it a try. She got 2,000 words in her 30 minutes walk.

While in Hawaii babysitting three grandkids ...

We went to the beach

Saw a whole pig in Costco

Had Thanksgiving dinner with some of my daughter's friends
who are right next to one of the places they filmed the original Jurassic Park.

Went to the beach again

We also watched Fantastic Beasts 

and 

Moana

There's something so very fitting in watching Moana while in Hawaii. Loved both films!

Have you seen the movies? 

Did you try NaNo?

What are your plans for December?

IWSG - October 5, 2016

Click here to find out more and to see a list of other IWSG blogs.

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!

I've been spending a lot of time with consistent marketing, and it's discouraging. I see a big difference when I don't. I just wish I saw a bigger difference when I do. It makes me fear that I must be a really bad writer.

Do you ever feel that way?

IWSG - September 2016

Click here to find out more and to see a list of other IWSG blogs.

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!

I was out of IWSG during my summer break, but I'm back. At the moment, I'm not feeling particularly insecure.

I know. *gasp*

What I am trying to do is just enjoy the journey.

I love creating my stories, my characters. My worlds. I love surprising readers with an unexpected twist. So what if I'm not a New York Times bestseller. Or even an Amazon bestseller (well, I am but only on some of the side categories).

It really doesn't matter because that's not why I do what I do.

So, I'll leave you with a short segment of Neil Gaiman's fabulous 2012 commencement address.

Click here to hear the entire address--absolutely worth the 20 minute investment of your time.

Why do you write (or whatever art you make)?

IWSG - May 2016

Click here to find out more and to see a list of other IWSG blogs.

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!

I've had a lot of angst lately because my real life is so busy that it's interfering with my writing. Even when I have time to write, my head's just not in it. And I have two deadlines approaching. Panic!

What do you do to get yourself in the groove?

Don't forget ...

(US) Mother's Day is Sunday, and it's a fine time to be looking for ebooks for the ladies in your life. This year we have 17 authors participating with enough books that we've split it into genres on the webpage.

To sweeten the pie, we're having a giveaway with the prize being a $50 Amazon gift card.

Please stop buy and check out the books on sale and sign up! Click here

IWSG - March 2016

Click here to find out more and to see a list of other IWSG blogs.

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!

Cohosts today are Lauren Hennessy, Lisa Buie-Collard, Lidy,Christine Rains, and Mary Aalgaard!

I surrendered to something about myself last weekend.

I stopped trying to plot and just started writing. Now I feel like this:

Yes, editing can be messier, but--for me--
pantsing is where my creativity lies.
It is what it is.

What about you? Have you learned something about yourself that made you feel free?

February 2016 IWSG - Negative Self-Talk

Click here to find out more and to see a list of other IWSG blogs.

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!

The cohosts today are Allison Gammons, Tamara Narayan, Eva E. Solar, Rachel Pattison, and Ann V. Friend.

Ugh. Insecurity. 

A Savage Ghost released last week, as a solo. I added some scenes from the love interest's point of view and tweaked a few other things to make it a bit different. Even though it's been "out there" for months as part of an anthology it's still a little nerve-wracking launching a new baby out into the world. I do have it commissioned already as an audiobook.

What if my readers don't like the changes? 

What if it doesn't sell--because that must mean it's got poor writing or is executed poorly. 

What if it gets bad reviews?

What if it means I suck? 

What if it's just that time of year and I'm suffering from too little sunlight? lol

How do I quiet these negative "what if" questions? Hmm ... chocolate might work.

I think I like "what if" questions for my stories better than for myself. 

What do you do to quiet your negative self-talk?

IWSG - January 2016

Click here to find out more and to see a list of other IWSG blogs.

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!

Cohosts this month include L.G. Keltner, Denise Covey, Sheri Larsen, J.Q. Rose, Chemist Ken. and Michelle Wallace 

Okay, I kind of want to laugh at myself. A couple of months ago I posted here about how I attended a writing retreat where the prolific author Kevin J. Anderson was in attendance. He had great suggestions for increasing your productivity, etc. I was inspired. I wanted to emulate him. I wasn't dreaming of becoming as prolific as he is but simply increasing my output.

I had ten days off over the holidays. And I ran into creative roadblocks. It was time well used, but as I've been working through the story decisions, I realized something.

I'm never going to be a fast writer.

Oh, I can crank out a 50,000 word first draft in 17 days, but the finished product? Nothing fast about that process for me. When I try to force my brain to move faster, it resists. It's like that old mule the miner can't get to move for anything.

I'm relieved to admit this to myself. My creative brain is taking a little sigh as I write this. But I'm also disappointed. I keep asking, "When is this going to get easier?"

Do any of you have any secrets? Or do you struggle like I do?

IWSG - Productivity

Click here to find out more and to see a list of other IWSG blogs.

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!

I'm still on hiatus and editing like a crazy fiend. I'm making progress. In November I attended a writing retreat where author Kevin J. Anderson was the visiting writer. Very nice man and very inspirational. He's all about writing productivity. He's published 130 books.

Yeah, you read that right. Seriously, I'm so motivated to do more than I've been doing. Have you heard about his SuperStars Writing Conference? I would love to be able to afford to go. 

I worry though. I only have so much time. While I want to do better, produce more in a shorter time, what am I willing to sacrifice to do it?

So many things to consider.

IWSG and A New Library in Town: One Stop For Writers

Click here to find out more and to see a list of other IWSG blogs.

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!

Not only is it posting day for Insecure Writers Support Group (IWSG), it's launch day for a new writing aid called One Stop for Writers by the awesome ladies who brought us the Emotion Thesaurus (and others). I've been looking forward for, like, forever!

So, instead of being insecure, I'm doing a happy dance!

If there's one thing all writers agree on, it's that writing is TOUGH. The road to publication twists and dips as we learn the craft, hone our abilities, create stories we're passionate about, fight discouragement, educate ourselves about the industry...and then start the process all over again as we realize there's room to improve. But you know what? If you are like me, you wouldn't have it any other way.

Yet, sometimes it's nice to get a helping hand.

Finding a good writing book, a helpful blog, a mentor or critique partner to share the journey with...these things are gems along the writing path. And guess what? Maybe there's another resource waiting just up the road called One Stop For Writers. One Stop For Writers is not writing software, but rather a powerful online library that contains tools, unique description collections, helpful tutorials and much more, brought to you by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi, the authors of The Emotion Thesaurus and Lee Powell, the creator of Scrivener for Windows. Could One Stop For Writers be the writing partner you've been searching for?

Visit Writers Helping Writers this week and see, where Angela, Lee and Becca are celebrating their venture with prizes and some pay-it-forward fun.  

ISWG - September 2015

Click here to find out more and to see a list of other IWSG blogs.

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!

I'm heading to Hawaii for a quick family trip (I know, rough life), so I won't be posting next week.

My life has been such a flurry of responsibilities and things to think about that and plan for that the summer has just flown by. It's interesting that our brains can only juggle so much. All the extra political drama associated with the election (my day job) has made it worse.

In a way, that's not necessarily a bad thing because I think I'd have worried more about other things. It's kind of like having a larger pain take all your attention from a lesser one.

I hold onto one thought as I struggle through the hard things that are part of being a writer. Words have power. Power for good. I don't try to moralize when I write, but I always seek after the great nobility that is in each of us--and each of my characters.

What power do your words have to make a difference in someone's life? We often never know.

IWSG - August 2015

Click here to find out more and to see a list of other IWSG blogs.

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!

I've finally sent off A Savage Ghost to my editor. The anthology releases in September. I should be totally stressed. I'm not.

Now, I'm scared.

Do you tend to worry when things seems to be going a little too well? Or save it up so it slams you later?

IWSG July 2015

Click here to find out more and to see a list of other IWSG blogs.

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!

It feels like I've been gone forever!

FIRST, Authors Against Child Slavery campaign: 
This is where authors donated books to people donating to Operation Underground Railroad--we achieved our goal--with two days to spare. Well, with two days to spare, we met our goal! Thank you for everyone who contributed, whether by donating books, money, or helping to spread the word.

SECOND, Vacation
I'd like to say that my vacation to Hawaii to visit my daughter and the kids was a dream. Let's just say that the trip involved:
* a burning smell inside the plane on take off that which delayed our arrival
* calls from work that had me scrambling and turned the second half of my vacation into a working vacation
* charming grandkids who I just love being around
* MineCraft - yes, they taught me how to play

 THIRD but not last -- IWSG ... and grammar
Somehow, it seems fitting that after a long blogging break I should return on IWSG day. It will force me to keep it brief.

A grammar lesson from Game of Thrones:

How has your summer been going so far?
Have you taken your vacation yet or are you still making plans?

Insecure Writers Support Group

Click here to find out more and to see a list of other IWSG blogs.

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!

And look what I almost forgot. Yeah, it's been that kind of month and I'm working on a deadline to finish my ghost story so I can go on vacation next month.

Did you read that?

Kauai ...

Grandkids ...

Beaches ...

Leisure reading ...

Catamaran trip ...

But no pirates allowed.

Yeah, I'm so ready.

Then I'll come back to do some editing and more editing and probably even more editing.

What about you? Got plans for the summer? What kinds of breaks do you take from your writing?

How to Build a Strong Online Presence While Maintaining Privacy

I've got a very special guest today, the awesome Alex J. Cavanaugh. He's got a new book out (can I squeee?), I get to help spread the word.

If any of you follow Alex's blog, you know he's the king of authorly support and the father of ISWG (Insecure Writers Support Group). He's also a major player in the wildly popular A to Z phenomenon.

He's also done a rather amazing job at keeping his identity very low profile. Because of that, I asked him to write a post about how he's managed to have such a huge following and still be unknown.

So, take it away, Alex!

How to Build a Strong Online Presence While Maintaining Privacy

Thanks for having me today, Donna!

You asked if I would share some of my reasons for having such a broad social presence online while still maintaining some privacy–and mystery.

Writing was never my passion. There – I said it! Music has always come first for me. Writing was fun and enjoyable, but published author was never my goal.

And then it happened.

I made a promise to my wife – our life would never become a three-ring circus. I would not let the insanity of the publishing world spill over into our personal world. Since I have to devote so much time to social media, which takes away from our personal time, the only way I could adhere to that promise was to keep our personal lives out of the limelight. My personal life is just that – personal.

I never intended to be a man of mystery. That just sort of happened with the whole Ninja persona. And then Elise Fallson made Mini-Alex, and I had an avatar. It was easy to keep my promise to my wife.

How it all exploded into such a huge following? That still blows my mind.

Through all of the means, I have over 2700 blog followers. Add in Google+, and that’s another four thousand followers. (Plus almost fourteen million page views – whoa!) And I have about 3900 followers on Twitter. Plus there’s Goodreads. It just boggles my mind.

I think it all comes down to a willingness to share the joy of others. Not looking for something for us or compensation, but just a genuine desire to celebrate the accomplishments of others. If you possess that, then everything else will fall into place.

 And now the book ...

Dragon of the Stars

By Alex J. Cavanaugh

Science Fiction – Space Opera/Adventure/Military

Print ISBN 9781939844064 EBook ISBN 9781939844057

What Are the Kargrandes? Click here

The ship of legends…

The future is set for Lt. Commander Aden Pendar, son of a Hyrathian Duke. Poised to secure his own command and marriage to the queen’s daughter, he’ll stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

But when the Alliance denies Hyrath’s claim on the planet of Kavil and declares war on their world, Aden finds his plans in disarray. Entrenched in battle and told he won’t make captain, Aden’s world begins to collapse. How will he salvage his career and future during Hyrath’s darkest hour?

One chance remains–the Dragon. Lost many years prior, the legendary ship’s unique weapon is Hyrath’s only hope. Can Aden find the Dragon, save his people, and prove he’s capable of commanding his own ship?

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | KOBO | CHAPTERS | AMAZON UK | GOODREADS | 

iTUNES | AMAZON PRINT | OVERDRIVE

About the author 

Alex J. Cavanaugh has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and works in web design, graphics, and technical editing. A fan of all things science fiction, his interests range from books and movies to music and games. Online he is the Ninja Captain and founder of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. He’s the author of Amazon Best-Sellers CassaStar, CassaFire, and CassaStorm.

BLOG | ISWG | TWITTER

Have you read any of Alex's fun books? Hubby and I read them together. Well, I read them to him. :)

Do you follow Alex's blog or participate in ISWG or have done (or are in the throes at this very minute of) A to Z? 

Have you found it difficult to keep your public persona from taking over your private life?

IWSG and Lucky Literacy Night

Click here to find out more and to see a list of other IWSG blogs.

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!

Do we writers suffer from multiple personalities? I ask because sometimes I feel like there are two people living inside me.

Neither will leave me alone.

When I purposely try to take a break from writing, I get edgy. When I get the idea for a story that grabs me, I can't not write it. The characters scream to be made real, to be given life outside of my head.

Another voice is telling me all that time that I'm fooling myself to think I can do this, that I should just quit. It's not like there aren't plenty of other authors out there. No one would care.

I could just go quietly into the night and play lots of StarCraft and League of Legends. Trade one hobby for another.

All these voices in my head.

Fighting it out.

Am I nuts?

* * * * * * * * * *

On St. Paddy's Day, I'm part of a book signing event. Obviously, I was listening to one voice when I agreed to do it. Kind of excited to spend time with these peeps. They're a fun group. We're having a Rafflecopter giveaway for people who can't come.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Insecure Writers Support Group

Click here to find out more and to see a list of other IWSG blogs.

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!

Epic fail. I totally forgot today was the first Wednesday. That comes from juggling too much and then getting sick. So I'll leave you with this thought:

Failure is just success rounded down. 

~Matthew Chan

IWSG - January 2015

Click here to find out more and to see a list of other IWSG blogs.

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!

We're supposed to share a little about ourselves. In my day job, I'm a city recorder (municipal clerk). I work with my mayor and council, handle city records, and run elections, to name a few of my duties. This is going to play out a lot in the book I'm editing, Swing Vote. I'm a mother, grandmother, Army vet, karate black belt, and total Harry Potter geek. I love to read. I like to do videography, and I used to do crafts and crochet until I started writing. There's just not enough time now for everything.

A new year.

A new beginning.

Like starting a new story,

it's a chance to take a blank piece of paper

and create something totally unique. 

What I write on it is up to me.

Sometimes real life gets complicated.

How I handle those complications is up to me.

What do you hope for yourself in 2015?