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| Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop |
| #IWSGbloghop |
Happy IWSG Blog Hop Day!
Happy June!
What is the Insecure Writer's Support Group?
Founded by author Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writer’s Support Group offers support for writers and authors alike. It provides an online database, articles and tips, a monthly blog posting, a Facebook and Instagram group, Twitter, and a monthly newsletter. To find out more, click this link: Insecure Writer’s Support Group
The purpose of the group is
* 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!
You're invited to become a member of this supportive group.
Click here to sign-up and/or to visit the bloggers this week.
Thank you to our awesome co-hosts for the June 1 posting of the IWSG--SE White, Cathrina Constantine, Natalie Aguire, Joylene Nowell Butler, and Jacqui Murray!
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June 1 question - When the going gets tough writing the story, how do you keep yourself writing to the end? If you have not started the writing yet, why do you think that is and what do you think could help you find your groove and start?
When I was penning my romantic suspense novel, Deadly Undertaking, I could not, absolutely could not, finish the story. I gave up but saved all I had written to a file and didn't look at it all summer. But, during that season, my thoughts questioned why I couldn't keep writing.
That summer, I wrote many short stories completely alien to what I usually write. Yes, some of them had really mean characters and dark tones, reflecting how I was feeling about my writing, I guess. Creating those stories loosened up my brain and allowed my imagination to grow. That's the only explanation I have for the uptick in writing so many short stories.
After so many months away from the novel, I opened the saved file and read the story. There was the answer to my difficulty. The background of the story which takes place in a funeral home was based on my real life when I was a kid. My dad was an undertaker and both of my brothers were funeral directors. I grew up in that business, so I thought I could use them as resources for the ins and outs (and underground) of the funeral business. Remember that old adage of "write what you know?"
I included tidbits from my life e.g. how I used to dust the caskets in the casket room, set up seating for the funerals, and hauled flowers to the cemetery in the story. The character was too much like the actual me. I could not put myself in the role the main character had to perform because I would never do what she had to experience. When I separated myself from the character, I continued writing and finished the story!!
So, this is a long-winded way of telling you to put away the project that is causing you angst and begin a new one. Work on that one or two or three, then return to the story to view it from your present perspective. I bet you'll figure out some workarounds to break through what stopped you from writing and finishing. If not, put those pages away, but save them. You have plenty of other stories swirling in your head. Then try later. You may discover part of the story can be used in an entirely new way in your next project.
If you have a similar experience with your writing, please leave a comment below or just say hi.
Thank you.
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| Deadly Undertaking by J.Q. Rose A handsome detective, a shadow man, and a murder victim kill Lauren’s plan for a simple life. Romantic suspense, paranormal |
Click here to download the paperback
16 comments:
It just took a little time and some distance and you figured it out.
Bet you have some wild stories about funeral homes...
Awesome how some time and perspective helped you figure out what wasn't working with your story.
Hi, Sometimes the best that we can do is let the manuscript go and take a break. Take care. Shalom aleichem
Oh yes, there is a certain kind of funeral home humor probably not understood by anyone not in the business!
Thanks, Natalie. So frustrating at the time, but I have learned the lesson of putting the story away for a while.
Letting go is the hard part. But I'm learning.
I've drawn from bits of my life experience when it's needed to make a scene better, but I'm not sure how I would handle writing a story so close to my past in so many ways. Glad you figured it out. Stepping away from a story and doing something mundane usually works for me.
Your response makes perfect sense, Janet. We aren't our protagonists, generally. I once took a break for one whole year. We do what we must do, I guess.
Thank you, Melissa. It was a new experience for me.
What a change from writing a fictional me and then writing a memoir which follows the rule of truth in everything. I wrote that in first person, but the mystery had to be in third person. Thank you for co-hosting!
I like the idea of separating yourself from the character that is too close to yourself. Since we often write what we know, there are lots of places in my stories that I get a bit too close to my real life. It can get very hard to write those scenes, unless I separate myself from it. It does let the creativity flow easier. Good luck with your stories.
I had a similar experience with my current WIP. It's set where I grew up and deals with more extreme versions of some of the issues in my family--and I drafted the first 2/3 or so right after my mother died. I put it aside, worked on a couple of other projects, and came back to it when I had a little more emotional distance. Now I'm enjoying the revision process (usually).
Thank you for this beautiful post :) I resonate with some of these. It's nice to know we aren't alone in this.
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Good advice. Taking a break usually works. Are you going to publish your short stories?
Hey, JQ. I've had a similar experience with my current WIP. I wanted to set the book on a lake, similar to where I live. What I found is I couldn't write the bad stuff set here. The really bad stuff happens at another location. Once I accepted that, things moved along. I so enjoyed Deadly Undertaking. :)
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