#IWSG – Five Objects * #NaNoWinner2018

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This  Insecure Writer’s Support Group monthly blog post is a few hours late as I’ve been dealing with the backlog from November, primarily from NaNoWriMo. But more about that at the end.

First, the IWSG post which got me thinking – in a lateral way.

December 5 question – What are five objects we’d find in your writing space?

Clutter – where do I start?

In fact, my space is organised clutter as I know where everything is when I need it – I just forget to take the pills sitting in front of me. There’s the usual computer-related paraphernalia, notebooks with writing projects and piles of books including – but not limited to – writing guides. Okay, there are my gaming notes as well.

However, my five are indicative of my writing life:

  1. Water jug – as keeping my body refreshed after my coffee fix is important. Water is the better fluid for this body although, the Brit part of me likes a cup of tea.
  2. Spiro-meter – as my MS health problems include breathing – and talking sense – and… Well, the hospital gave this to me, and I’m meant to use it every to keep my lungs active – or something. I don’t use it enough though.
  3. Union Jack dart – from the stepson that helps around the garden as it is a reminder of my nationality.
  4. Dog treats – as they need attention at key writing moments. Feed the muse, I say. (We now have two kittens as well – for the dogs to chase).
  5. Snowdon – or rather a blown-up photo of the view from our old house in Wales. The reminder of where my heart is, where my police procedural series is set, and where I need to go once this post is written.

Snowdon

Five – so, that’s all folks. Okay, one more: Method Acting for Writers by Lisa Hall-Wilson. My highly recommended writing guru/guide as I’m learning how to write Deep Point of View. Here’s the review I wrote recently.

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The awesome co-hosts for the December 5 posting of the IWSG are J.H. Moncrieff, Tonja Drecker , Patsy Collins, and Chrys Fey!

Purpose of IWSG: 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!

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.

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer – aim for a dozen new people each time – and return comments. This group is all about connecting! 

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG

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NaNoWriMo – #NaNoWinner2018. This was my fifth win since 2011, although I also forgot to validate another two years. So, just one year when I wrote nothing.

This year, I was aiming to get the first draft down for Fevered Few, a collection of shorts within a framing device. The ‘collection’ deals with the backstory for the main protagonist in the Snowdon Shadows series. Plotting in advance helped immensely, although trying to fit writing around screaming great-grand-kids was frustrating as my MS-ravaged brain doesn’t handle noise or interruptions.

However, I scraped past the 50k target by the end of November. But the draft was unfinished, so I’ve had to spend the last few days writing the closing chapters. And the ‘collection’ has evolved into a novel – the first book in the Snowdon Shadow series.

Now, I’ll leave it for about a month – to ‘marinade’ – then return to it in the New Year and tackle the daunting editing-revision phase. My insecurity phase.

NaNo-2018-Winner-Twitter-Header

41 thoughts on “#IWSG – Five Objects * #NaNoWinner2018”

    • I agree, Alex – great view. That’s why my wife and I have days when we long to be there. Sadly, as we get older and more prone to health issues, we need family and hers promised to be around for us – if we moved to Idaho = mixed blessing now we are hellion-sitting.

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    • Thanks, Tonja. I tried to look for things non-writer – except for Item 6 – that were still part of my life. The trouble with the dog treats is that there isn’t enough variety for them.

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  6. Congrats on NaNo. That’s a great accomplishment. I used to have organized chaos, too, until the flood in our basement made me pack up everything. Now, I get to unpack everything and put it in its place. Loved the pic of Snowdon. I can see why you want to go back. Best wishes for a great month.

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  7. Bravo for winning NaNoWriMo a 5th time, Roland! Truly a great accomplishment. Okay, so I’m a tea drinker, not a coffee drinker, but I like a fresh pot of tea in my writing space–and I mean loose tea here, specifically Prince of Wales, if possible. As long as you know where things are, it’s not truly cluttered. It is, in fact, organized. Except for those darn pills, unfortunately. Try taking them BEFORE you begin a writing session. Would that help? All best to you, sir!

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    • Thanks, Victoria Marie. Tea is my preference but my wife is a coffee addict so that has affected me. I love the smell of coffee, but my body doesn’t handle too much well. I have to take the pills three times a day and it’s the middle batch that sometimes gets forgotten in the midst of everything.

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  8. Thanks so much for stopping by my blog.
    Congrats on your NaNo win. 50k is nothing to take lightly, plus you continued writing after it was over, proving your dedication even more.
    Organized chaos is still organized. As long as you have what you need, your workspace can look any way you want.

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    • Thanks for the ‘woot’, Lori. As for the great-grand-kids, they all moved out mid-November – after three & a half months. However, my wife and I are kid sitting a few days every week when their mum is at work – like today. (My desk is covered in toys and drawings as I type in a moment of peace.)

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    • It is indeed, Shannon – and the angle works so well as that village underneath is called Portmerion and it has a mass of memories too.

      I can see why Pike’s Peak is your favourite – it’s impressive and 4 times the height of Snowdon. However, the UK mountains are far older so heavily eroded.

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  14. Lovely picture of Snowdon. I think my spiritual home is on Mull.
    Spirometer, eh? I had to do more deep breathing after I developed a silly cough some time after I’d cracked my ribs. I did well last year, but I seem to have forgotten over the summer, and the silly cough is back. Back to ten deep breaths in front of the window every day!

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  15. Congratulations on completing the “first” book in the Snowdon Shadow series (and completing all the other NaNoWriMo challenges). I assume it has become a prequel instead of the short stories book you had in mind? What a feat, all within one month. And, now the editing stage will start in January. Talk about productive! So, well done, you! Beautiful photo of your home land as well. That will provide inspiration, I’d say. 🙂

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    • Thanks, Liesbet. The short stories have become episodes/incidents that my protagonist remembers. She is suffering from amnesia after being assaulted, but triggering her past helps her recover and solve the crime behind her attack. Less of a prequel and more that start of her career with the police in Snowdonia.

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    • Sadly, we never got to go up even though a trip was planned – taking my wheelchair on the train.

      Hope the book is as recommended. I intend to apply it – a bit – to my WEP…if it’s the book I think. 🙂

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    • The dogs are beside me as I type this, Ellen. At first the kitties just ram, but they learnt to chase back. Now the dogs and kittens sleep on the same bed with my wife in a content heap. (I can’t sleep in a bed anymore, so use a recliner.)

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  18. Pingback: #IWSG – Questions, Questions and more Questions  | Writing Wings

  19. Hi Roland!
    Sorry I disappeared from this blog for so long. I see only now that this is about NaNo (already seems a year ago!)
    Congratulation on concluding it (I already knew you did) and on having the draft finished. You did better than I did (my draft still needs to be finished).

    Love to hear abotu your finve items above. It sounds lo much like YOU.

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    • Great to welcome you back, Sarah. NaNo seems an age away…especially when I read what I wrote – now doing the first revision/expansion/edit. Lots of holes and mistakes so the word ‘finished’ might be a red herring.

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  20. Pingback: #IWSG – Creative Outlets | Writing Wings

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