February IWSG Day 2022

Hey Insecure Writers, 

Happy IWSG Day!  #IWSGPit, January 26, 2022, was a success.  Thanks to all you authors pitching your MS at our #IWSGPit. You made us a trending topic on Twitter in the UK--Twitter's top ten.  Check out the screen shot for that day.  #9 Woohoo!  

IWSG has been named, again, as the best writing contest by Reedsy for 2022.  The contest they are referring to is our yearly anthology contest.  Watch for the call for submissions for our new contest announcement for 2022 here.

FEBRUARY IWSG DAY 2022 

Sign Up And Become a Member
Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.
Every month, we announce a 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. 

IWSG CO-HOST FOR FEBRUARY 2ND:

 The awesome co-hosts for the February 2 posting of the IWSG are Joylene Nowell Butler, Jacqui Murray, Sandra Cox, and Lee Lowery!

FEBRUARY 2ND IWSG OPTIONAL QUESTION –

 Is there someone who supported or influenced you that perhaps isn't around anymore? Anyone you miss?

My Answer:

I have participated in online RPG's (role playing games) since 1999. It is where I honed my writing skills playing in Star Wars althernate universes, LOTR, regency romance, and various other RPG's online. 

I have a friend I played SW RPG up through 2014. We played for years with several people but in the last five years until we stopped just each other. We both have moved in different directions in our lives. I miss those days.  I miss the shared writing connection I had with my friend.  

We both became better writers in the way we played RPG, learned, and challenged each other to raise the storytelling bar.  I still repurpose those original characters I created back then to use in others stories that I write today.  Mainly, because I miss those characters almost as much as I miss my friend. 

IWSG GOODREADS BOOKCLUB
FEBRUARY 2022:
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT 

Discussion Day Thursday February 24th

.Poll, Check-in, and Discussions 

From Toi Thomas

In February we’ll feature books from authors in the 1-50position of the IWSG blogging list. Remember, if you are not currently on the IWSG blog hop list and don’t plan to join, the registry is the only way for your books to have a chance to be spotlighted by the book club. 

Please click this link to fill out the form to be added to the IWSG Book Club Spotlight Registry. 

If you are on the blog hop list, please don’t join the registry. We want to be fair and give everyone an opportunity to be featured, which mean some of us will have to wait our turns. As the book club administrator, I’m still eagerly waiting in anticipation for the day one of my books has a chance to be featured. 

 

Sign Up And Become a Member

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

The awesome co-hosts for the November 3 posting of the IWSG are Kim Lajevardi, Victoria Marie Lees, Joylene Nowell Butler, Erika Beebe, and Lee Lowery!

IWSG November 3rd

Greetings Fellow Insecure Writers, 

First off, just wanted to let you know:

The IWSG is looking for an IWSG Instagram admin. 
If you are an IWSG member, good with Instagram, and are interested:

CONTACT: Alex at alexjcavanaughATgmail.com OR at the IWSG adminATinsecurewriterssupportgroup.com. 

Every month, we announce a 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!

November 3 question - What's harder to do, coming up with your book title or writing the blurb?

I think they are both equally tricky. The blurb is probably my first pick as for me it is the hardest to figure out. The blurb's job is not to tell the story of your book. Its job is to hook the reader, intrigue with key elements of the story (not spoilers), and remove their resistance to clicking buy to sell the book.   

When posting the blurb on Amazon, your best bits and the hook are in the first paragraph, which is above the fold, meaning, it the first little bit that shows on the page when they go in to read the blurb.  To see more you have to click on read more. 

This is an example of a good blurb that made me buy from one of my favorite authors, Darydna Jones. The blurb that is visible when you first click on the book: 

The Betwixt Series:
A Paranormal Women's Fiction with a bit of class, and a lot of sass, for anyone who feels like age is just a number!

Divorced, desperate, and destitute, former restaurateur Defiance Dayne finds out she has been bequeathed a house by a complete stranger. She is surprised, to say the least, and her curiosity gets the better of her. She leaves her beloved Phoenix and heads to one of the most infamous towns in America: Salem, Massachusetts.

That first line has a keyword SEO word in it naturally, Paranormal Women's Fiction. Anyone searching for new reads in this genre will probably get this recommendation on their Google search page. So she is clearly targeting a certain reading audience.  

The blurb also appeals to women over a certain age, and then continues with tidbits about life that most of us have experienced in one form or another.  Then she adds in the location which is another hook, Salem, Massachusetts.  And if you love reading paranormal light hearted stories involving witches, well, it got me.  

So far, I have read every book in the series, and waiting for more.  The big thing about it is the heroine is relatable and dealing things we deal with, in a interesting place that promises adventure with lots of problems (conflict is implied).  And who wouldn't be interested in a house that was just given to them, and by family you didn't even know you had.   Yes, one I highly recommend.  

I posted this on my blog here as well. 

Support your fellow insecure writers. Our November IWSG Goodreads Book Club Member Reads are below—Discussion Day Nov. 25th.

 Broken Angel by Sylvia Ney: 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29790427-broken-angel

Lyon's Legacy: Catalyst Chronicles by Sandra Ulbrich  Almazan: 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13604740-lyon-s-legacy