#IWSG – Writing Gems

July 3, 2024 by Roland Clarke

It’s time for yet another Insecure Writer’s Support Group post of 2024, and more adventures, these canines.

Moving house has been ruled out due to financial constraints, which feels crazy having owned a brick-and-mortar house with a three-car garage until two years ago. At least we bought my wife’s three sons’ homes before the money began drying up.

Fortunately, I can sometimes distract myself from our financial and health issues by attempting to focus on writing. My Ukraine saga, Freedom Flights, still helps the most. On Monday, July 1^st, I posted the 3^rd and last part of Episode 23, ‘Witches Troupe’, with a format change I hope is apparent… as I’ve made it a permanent change. Hopefully, it’s noticeable.

Freedom Flights: Episode 23 – Witches Troupe – Part 3

Slava Ukrayini

The greatest change in our house has been canine.

On June 17^th last year our special fur baby Quetzal passed away, and I struggled to come to terms with her loss for months. I wrote part 1 of her tribute but failed to write part 2… even though I still miss her.

In late March we acquired an Aussiedoodle puppy called Blondie… full name Windsong Blondelle Phoenix. She was adorable though too large to have her jumping on my bed, especially when she landed hard on my legs. Over time it became apparent that we couldn’t give a large one-year-old dog the right attention. Fortunately, Shaunna, one of our caregivers with the previous company, helped us with her, even having Blondie stay one of the nights Juanita was in the hospital.

Last Friday, Juanita bought me a cute 6-week old Beagalier puppy, who we’ve called Taika – Maori for ‘tiger’. He’s pure energy with sharp nails which my scratched arms and chest are evidence of. And he scrambles all over my desk, desperate to chew my water jug’s straw. Whether he’ll ever be as calm as Quetzal, remains to be seen.

And Blondie met him for a few hours before she moved to her new home with Shaunna, her large dogs – already friends – and her family.

Every month, IWSG announces a question that members can answer in their IWSG posts. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience, or a 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!

July 3 question – What are your favorite writing processing (e.g. Word, Scrivener, yWriter, Dabble), writing apps, software, and tools? Why do you recommend them? And which one is your all time favorite that you cannot live without and use daily or at least whenever you write?

When I started writing, I used Wordstar but over the course of time I changed to Word. Almost all of my recent fiction exists as Word files, even those created in Scrivener. From about 2016 when we moved from North Wales to Idaho, USA, until June 2022, I worked on a desktop PC creating draft novels in Scrivener.

I found Scrivener to be a better programme than Word for assembling and keeping track of my novels’ elements such as characters, and locations, with the ease of moving scenes and chapters around.

I’m especially aware of this now that I work without my desktop on a laptop with only Word. I am acutely aware of this as I write Freedom Flights with its multiple locations and characters, and set between 1944 and the present day. I suspect it would cost me money I don’t have to install the newest Scrivener on my laptop.

For editing, I used an excellent online programme called Fictionary, which allows you to move scenes and chapters around, and assess things like flow, repetition, openings and endings, pace, etc. I used Fictionary to edit Fevered Fuse and it was effective. However, I let my sub lapse, so I haven’t loaded my Ukraine project onto it yet.

I use other software like Grammarly and ProWriting Aid to improve my writing, although Word is my Number One writing gem, my all-time favourite.

Hope my format change works.

The awesome co-hosts for the July 3 posting of the IWSG are JS Pailly, Rebecca Douglass, Pat Garcia, Louise-Fundy Blue, and Natalie Aguirre!

Finally, don’t forget to visit more active writers via the IWSG site:

Insecure Writer’s Support Group

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

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

Purpose: 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!

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!

#IWSG – Service or Rebuild

June 5, 2024 by Roland Clarke

Time for another Insecure Writer’s Support Group post of 2024, and more struggles. Getting to this stage has been one obstacle after another, mainly from ongoing health issues for both of us, Juanita’s more troubling issues is her dependence on portable oxygen, plus incessant coughing for months. At least, she now has a nurse practitioner making regular home visits

One concern we have is our trailer home since we discovered it was a meths den before we bought it. Has the meth impregnated the wall so much that our health is suffering? We are desperate to move as soon as possible.

Fortunately, I can sometimes distract myself from my health issues by attempting to focus on writing. My Ukraine saga, Freedom Flights, has helped the most. I posted three times in May, Episodes 20-23, despite rebellious bowels, something akin to sciatica, and bouts of lethargy.

https://wallup.net/eurocopter-tiger-attack-helicopter-aircraft-42/#google_vignette

However, through more occurrences of writhing, I have also been writing what will be June’s Episode 23, ‘Witches Troupe’.

Later today, I must return to writing ‘Freedom Flights’ as time is against me as life gets shorter. Even if the just peace comes soon, I have a gap from 1951 to 2021 crying out to be written.

Slava Ukrayini

Remember, the question is optional!

June 5 question – In this constantly evolving industry, what kind of offering/service do you think the IWSG should consider offering to members?

Apologies if this is brief as I’m struggling for valid suggestions. I had a few thoughts from idea creation to audio-narrator & editor suggestions, but then through meticulous exploration of the IWSG site I found everything somewhere.

If I had located a search feature, my delving might have been faster. Please, can someone tell me where that search function is?

Sorry for posting late.

The awesome co-hosts for the June 5 posting of the IWSG are Liza at Middle Passages, Shannon Lawrence, Melissa Maygrove, and Olga Godim!

Finally, don’t forget to visit more active writers via the IWSG site:

Insecure Writer’s Support Group

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

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

#IWSG – Derailment

May 1, 2024 by Roland Clarke

This fourth Insecure Writer’s Support Group post of 2024 is living up to its title.

Getting to this stage has been one obstacle after another, from health issues to writing problems.

My Ukraine saga, Freedom Flights, has caused the most distractions. I managed to post Episode 19 almost on time, but Episode 20 missed the end of April self-imposed deadline. Blame a mix of uncooperative bowels, irrelevant change of conversations, and bouts of lethargy.

Read on for more occurrences of writhing and writing.

Slava Ukrayini

Remember, the question is optional!

May 1 question – How do you deal with distractions when you are writing? Do they derail you?

Apologies if this is brief as I’m struggling for vivid examples. So, I’m listing types of distractions, the worst being self-inflicted… like dozing off mid sentence/phrase/word/thought.

Pain that stops me from typing/thinking.

Random unusable idea.

Somebody changing the subject/interrupting.

Finding an interesting but useless rabbit

New ideas emerging as I’m being interrupted.

Auto-correction misleading the plot.

Fingers hitting the wrong key and changing intent,

Finally, writing rubbish to answer a simple question.

At this point, I fell asleep… and two hours later woke up and discovered two things:

When I type, I have to close one eye to not see keys double (= MS double vision), which wastes time but is not a distraction.
Falling asleep is a distraction, especially when the reason was pain kept me awake last night, because one leg slipped out of my hospital bed and got jammed somewhere and twisted for four hours until a carer rescued me.

Moving on from distractions, I do get derailed, sometimes to the point where I lose the plot until I force my struggling mind back on track. Other times, the derailment is total, at least until inspiration kicks back in… a few hours later, or next day.

As for dealing with distractions, it’s a matter of pushing through by being committed to the project. For instance, ‘Freedom Flights’ and its characters have grown close to me while writing more casual articles doesn’t hold my attention.

Sorry for posting late.

The awesome co-hosts for the May 1 posting of the IWSG are Victoria Marie Lees, Kim Lajevardi, Nancy Gideon, and Cathrina Constantine!

Finally, don’t forget to visit more active writers via the IWSG site:

Insecure Writer’s Support Group

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

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

#IWSG – Website Diagnosis

February 7, 2024 by Roland Clarke

This is the second Insecure Writer’s Support Group post of 2024, so, I’m conscious that I must avoid repeating last month’s gripes and usual writing failings… as everyone has to be bored by them after months of identical posts.

In brief, then, my health continues its steady decline. The revision of Fevered Fuse plods on, and Episode 17 of Freedom Flights is due out this week.

Slava Ukrayini

Unfortunately, my 2023 tax return was not submitted by January 31^st. Maybe later this week.

However, distressingly my poor wife Juanita was in the hospital for two nights with heart and lung failure. Fortunately, she is back home and on oxygen, so the whole family is praying for her full recovery.

Every month, IWSG announces 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!

February 7 question: What turns you off when visiting an author’s website/blog? Lack of information? A drone of negativity? Little mention of author’s books? Constant mention of books?

It depends on why I’m visiting their site. The key plus elements are being informative, not long-winded nor rambling, and if books are mentioned… just a few titles & blurbs or links if the author is prolific. Good site navigation like a clear menu is important too.

Plus, avoiding the errors I attempt to eliminate on Writing Wings.

So, please let me know where my website fails. Yes, I know a few links are dead ends, which must be irritating.

Sorry for my brevity.

The awesome co-hosts for the February 7 posting of the IWSG are Janet Alcorn, SE White, Victoria Marie Lees, and Cathrina Constantine!

Finally, don’t forget to visit more active writers via the IWSG site:

Insecure Writer’s Support Group

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

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

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!

#IWSG – Another Year

January 3, 2024 by Roland Clarke

This is the first Insecure Writer’s Support Group post of 2024 so, Happy New Year to everyone. May this year prove better than the one past, despite any gloomy predictions… forecasts which should be ignored as always.

2023 felt like a turbulent year from my health and my wife’s to writing and world events. I’m praying for positive developments in 2024, starting with everyone’s health… not just mine. As this is a writing blog, I wish you all a fruitful year, filled with inspiration.

I must prioritize completing the revision of Fevered Fuse and avoid distractions. Unfortunately, another urgent deadline is approaching fast… my 2023 tax return due January 31^st. However, I cannot ignore world events, from Red Sea piracy to primarily the war in Ukraine. Even with the final draft of my Welsh police procedural preying on my conscience, I still get diverted by nightmares… well, Night Witches.

The WEP/IWSG challenges may be over, but I intend to continue writing episodes of my saga about the Ukrainian Chayka family. Even over New Year’s Eve, I was updating my notes about my fictional squadron. In 2024 the war will enter its third costly year – the third year of my coverage. However, I pray that a just peace with reparations will soon be reached. Then, that will be a perfect conclusion to the Freedom Flights collection.

Slava Ukrayini

Finally, I am hoping this post is seen by friends whom I have lost touch with over the last few years. This occurred in part because I stopped checking my Facebook pages. If you are one of those who wondered where I disappeared to, comment below and I’ll attempt to rekindle our friendship.

Remember, the question is optional!

January 3 question: Do you follow back your readers on BookBub or do you only follow back other authors?

The easy answer is I’m not conscious of having any BookBub readers, nor if my single novel is on the site. To be honest, I haven’t read anything on BookBub… well, not that I remember.

Sorry.

The awesome co-hosts for the January 3 posting of the IWSG are Joylene Nowell Butler, Olga Godim, Diedre Knight, and Natalie Aguirre!

Finally, don’t forget to visit more active writers via the IWSG site:

Insecure Writer’s Support Group

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

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

#IWSG – Book Review

December 6, 2023 by Roland Clarke

This month’s piece for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group post is again a challenge because of the problems arising from my bedridden state, especially my injured leg… although it is healing.

Meanwhile, during November, I first managed to write my next present-day Ukraine story, titled Embedded, which I will post before the WEP/IWSG flash due by December 15^th.

I also took part in NaNoWriMo, writing Embedded, and some more Ukraine historical stories to fill part of the period between 1944 and 2022. The proposed Freedom Flights collection will open with my 1944 World War II story Feathered Fire, which introduced the two Ukrainian Chayka sisters and appeared in the 2020 IWSG Anthology (No. 5), Voyagers: The Third Ghost.

I managed to write three stories showing how the Chayka sisters reached the West, settled in Canada, and then helped found the aviation business, which will lead two of their granddaughters to fight for their motherland from 24^th February 2022 onwards.

My December flash will be my final 2022-23 WEP/IWSG Challenge, as sadly there will be no more Challenges. Many thanks, WEP team for all the writing inspiration over the years I have taken part in your Challenges.

However, I intend to continue writing episodes until, I pray, a just peace with reparations has been reached. Then, that will be a perfect conclusion to the Freedom Flights collection.

Congratulations to everyone else who rose to the NaNoWriMo Challenge in November 2023.

Slava Ukrayini

Remember, the question is optional!

December 6 question: Book reviews are for the readers. When you leave a book review do you review for the Reader or the Author? Is it about what you liked and enjoyed about your reading experience, or do you critique the author?

The short answer is my reviews tend to be for the reader and refer to my reading experience.

However, I also give each book a star rating: E.G:- Story – five stars; Setting/World-building – five stars; Characters – five stars; Authenticity – five stars; Structure – five stars; Readability – five stars; Editing – five stars. This gives me more flexibility in the body of the review to explore different elements, including critiquing the author, constructively.

I lean toward guiding the reader as to choosing good reads, although making it clear I have genre preferences. Therefore, my reviews tend to be reader-centric, with additional comments that could help the author.