IWSG Post Day, Upcoming Events, and Share a Link

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.

The awesome co-hosts today are Bob Milne, River Fairchild, Julie Dao, and Sarah Foster! Please be sure to thank them for their time and effort to make all IWSG members feel welcome.

Don’t forget we have an awesome Facebook Group as well and invite you to join. We have a regular schedule of Motivational Mondays, Wow it’s Wednesday, Fun Fridays, and introducing News and Promo Saturdays. It’s a great place to network and share with other writers.

Next Wednesday we are hosting our very first guest here – the awesome Elizabeth S. Craig! She’s co-founder of the Writer’s Knowledge Base and an amazing author, so you don’t want to miss it.

We continue to add to the database of websites here, listing those that can help writers every step of the journey. Please let us know if we’ve missed any sites – you can leave a comment on the Share a Link page. And if there’s an area that you’d like to see us expand upon, let us know. We are here to serve you!

By the Numbers

Last week on my blog, Susan Says, I mentioned some numbers about how many Twitter followers, blog views and newsletter subscribers you have that could title you as notable all the way up to impressive. I mentioned them as entertainment and the fun of comparing our numbers to others. I don't know why by I've been thinking about numbers a lot lately.

I read another article about how important titles of blog posts or magazine articles are in attracting attention and getting readers interested. In my quest to always improve my writing and share that with my wonderfully insecure fellows here, I researched some good articles that give us advice by the numbers.

Writer's Digest always has some great free articles to read on their site. You can sign up for their free newsletter on their site and get the free download of the 101 Best Websites for Writers. That's a deal.

This article, also in Writer's Digest, by Brian Klem, gives his opinion of the 5 Biggest Fiction Writing Mistakes (And How to Fix Them) is interesting reading. I like his first one about happy people in a happy land mistake.

Writing-World.Com has pages and pages of interesting reading for writers, but in keeping with their numbers I highlight this article by Sally Sigmond, The Top Ten Mistakes New Fiction Writers Make. It has a general list of things to watch for in your fiction.

Over at Holt Uncensored, Pat Holt, not only list ten mistakes, he give excellent examples on how to fix them. He writes about Ten Mistakes Writers Don't See. Two of his examples are my personal demons. Check it out and pick your own.

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is all about helping and encouraging each other. There is so much help out there from people you meet here and from advice you can find online. The numbers may be infinite.

Do you use numbers in blog titles or in articles? Does it attract attention? Any of the mistakes above sound like you?

Don't forget the first IWSG blog hop for 2014 is this Wednesday, January 8th. I'm looking forward to another year of learning from all of you. Are you ready?

Susan Gourley is published in epic fantasy as well as science fiction and romance which she writes as Susan Kelley.
Susan Says Blog
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How to Stay in Writing Mode During the Holidays

During the next two weeks, most of us will be in holiday mode - parties, dinners, family gatherings, etc. We’ll either freely abandon writing thoughts or feel guilty we aren’t writing as much as we’d like during this time. But there are a few things we can do to keep us in writing mode so we don’t start out the new year with the momentum of a slug.

1 - People watch
Watch how others interact. Observe their body language. Note appearances and characteristics you’d like to use in your next book.

2 - Interact with people
Talk to people. (You’ll be talking to them anyway!) Ask them questions. Find out about their pasts, hobbies, and experiences. Use it as research for your next character or story.

3 - Notice settings
Take a good look at Christmas decorations. You may be traveling - an excellent time to observe new surroundings. What details could you use in your manuscript?

4 - Embrace the change of pace
The holidays always disrupt our routine. That’s okay. Let the differences refresh you. Let it be a vacation, even if only in your mind.

5 - Take photos
Most of us take photos over the holidays anyway. Like writing, it’s another form of creativity that can get us going. Take pictures of anything and everything that strikes your fancy - whatever inspires you.

6 - Schedule writing time
Take advantage of short breaks to jot down ideas. Reread part of your manuscript. Go over plot points in your head. But be aware of distractions and don’t get down if you don’t get to write.

The holidays don’t have to slow you down as a writer. Plan ahead and be sure to enjoy life, too.

Congrats to our IWSG Contest winners:

N. America prize package - Terri Rochenski

International prize package - Phil V. Ariel


Remember that the next posting for the IWSG will be on Wednesday, January 8th. We are skipping the first Wednesday since it falls on New Year’s Day.

Happy holidays!