The IWSG - One of the 101 Best Websites!

This post marks a major milestone for this site – the Insecure Writer’s Support Group made the Writer’s Digest 19th Annual 101 Best Websites for Writers!
 
This site was created to be a major source of information and support for writers everywhere. To make the list confirms that the efforts of those behind the scene who have worked so hard to make this site and the whole IWSG group and experience as awesome as possible.

Special thanks to all of you, the writers and authors who have supported the group and this site over the years. You are the reason for this site. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Submissions are open for The IWSG Guide to Writing for Profit. What are we looking for? Anything writing related – books, journalism, articles, whatever. What have you tried that was successful? What have you tried that didn’t result in sales or making money? We need to know what doesn’t work as well! Submissions are open to all IWSG members – monthly blog post members, Facebook, and Goodreads. Details here.

Thanks again for your continued support. We’ll see you July 5 for the next posting of the IWSG blog group.

Make Your List

Welcome to October's IWSG and thanks to Alex J. Cavanaugh for letting me co-host. Co-hosts this month are myself at Susan Says, Beverly Stowe McClure, Megan Morgan, Viola Fury, Madeline Mora-Summonte, and Angela Wooldridge.

You still have time to get those submissions in for the next IWSG anthology. Get those fantasy stories ready.  There is an adjustment in the details. Submissions can be between 3,000 and 6,000 words. There's still time to write that short story. Publication in a story anthology with the promotional power of IWSG behind you is a great career opportunity.
 Here are the details.

The question this month for IWSGers to use or not is:

When do you know if your story is ready?

As you visit all those blogs today, you'll gain insight into each writer's process and their methods. Everyone has a checklist, either one they've found or one they've created. If you take notes today, you can probably improve your checklist. But you'll also see things that don't work for your process. Read and learn, but do your own thing.

If you're looking for words from the pros, check out The CliffsNotes Checklist for Improving Your First Draft. It's pretty detailed and has a lot more items on it than what I look for in my first draft but everything is something that eventually needs to be done.

Writer's Digest has this Checklist for Your Final Draft. This list actually fits into what I shared on my own blog for the most part. I do these things much sooner than the final draft.

This list is called The Ultimate 15 Point Writing Checklist and is somewhere in the middle of the other two.

But the truth is, you must design your own checklist and do what works for you to make your story ready. Taking advice from professionals is a good place to start if you don't know when your story is ready. And be prepared to adjust if needed.

Are you making a list and checking it twice? Do you come up with it on your own or find it elsewhere?

Insecure Writer's Support Group and Anthology Contest!

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

Our awesome co-hosts today are TB Markinson, Tamara Narayan, Shannon Lawrence, Stephanie Faris, and Eva E. Solar!

Don’t forget the IWSG Anthology Contest is open until November 1! The theme is Alternate History/Parallel Universe and any member of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group is encouraged to enter – blogging (must post for the IWSG at least once in September or October) or Facebook member (must be a member as of today.)
Winners will be published in a royalty-paying anthology next year.

So, what are you waiting for? Enter your short story today!

Adding Flesh to our Characters' Bones & IWSG Anthology News

The stories we remember long after reading them are the ones with compelling characters. As writers, we should try to replicate this quality in our work. Plotlines are important, but along with conflict, characters' actions are necessary to drive stories to completion.

Character charts are useful for helping us to better understand our hero/heroine. Rounding them out makes them realistic enough for readers to want to spend time with them and while crafting, there are things we should remember.

Avoid Isolation - Apart from friends and relatives, a variety of people cross our paths in a day—at work, school and where we live. While we don't need to insert every interaction, little touches that advance our storylines and add colour to our characters' lives can also hold clues that tie plot lines together.

Character Traits - Relationships tell a lot about people. How does your main character treat the people in his/her life? Is he kind, impatient or self-absorbed? It is necessary to create situations that show the strength and individuality of the characters we want our readers to admire.

Hobbies If we're not careful, our characters can be consumed by their problems, which is unhealthy and unrealistic. By giving them things they like to do, we remind readers that despite challenges, life continues.

Mannerisms. We all have habits that identify us—twirling our hair, giving other people ‘the look’, or making snappy comebacks—and so should our characters. The more unique the habit, the better it defines the person and should remain with them until the story is complete, or they give up the habit.

Problem Solving Approach
Another thing that sets individuals apart is the way they handle problems. One person may whine and moan about the unfairness of life and do nothing. Another individual is resourceful and tackles problems head-on. The most memorable characters are those who take action despite discouragement, fear and opposition.

Now that you’ve read my list of must-haves, what are some of the things that make your characters more rounded?

Don’t forget that Wednesday, October 1, is IWSG post day. It’s also this website’s one year anniversary and the day to post your entry for the IWSG anthology. If it is over 300 words, you can email it to theIWSG@gmail.com

The purpose of the book is to assist other writers on the journey, so we are looking for tips and instructions in the areas of writing, publishing, and marketing. It can be inspirational in nature as long as you provide a solid benefit. We’ve already received a lot of great entries–mostly in the area of writing–so looking for some good tips on publishing and marketing. Be sure to state which category, add a one line by-line, and permission for us to use it in the book.

Once you have posted on October 1, go to this page at the IWSG site and enter your link - http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-guide-to-publishing-and-beyond.html The deadline for submissions is October 2.