The Insecure Writer’s Support Group ~ No#19
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. Everyone is encouraged to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.
The IMSG congregated for the monthly get-together.
The Head Speaker started the proceedings. "First on the programme, is the welcome of new members."
All heads swivelled to the side, where the group of newbies whispered amongst themselves.
The welcome was a brief affair, then an assistant handed out a copy of the Muse's Pledge to each new member.
"Would members please seperate into your assigned groups." Regular members split into various groups which represented different categories of creatures.
The assistant addressed the newbies seperately. "I'm going to read out a list of different types of creatures. There are various groups around the room. Check the board in front of each group. Please join the group that represents the creature which is featured in your master's current WIP."
As the list was read, the new members dwindled as each joined the appropriate group.
There was one member left.
The assistant was baffled. "Why haven't you joined any of the groups?"
"Well, none of those creatures sound familiar to me."
"Is your master busy with a WIP?"
Newbie nodded.
"Does it have monsters or demons of any kind?"
Newbie shook her head.
"Werewolves, shapeshifters or vampires?"
Head shake.
"Zombies or dragons?"
Head shake.
"Fairies, pixies, elves, goblins, dwarves, gnomes, trolls, leprechauns, gremlins, mummies, genies…?"
The newbie looked quite distressed.
"Witches, wizards, banshees, mermaids, sirens, centaurs, selkies…?" The assistant sounded equally distressed.
"Cyborgs or androids or- or- or…. any other-worldly entities? AT ALL?"
The newbies eyes opened wider. "Do 'regular flesh-and-blood' characters count?"
Loved the innovative post for #IWSG. I need to send my muse to your meeting, she's been fickle lately and very hard to work with. Sigh….
Just crack the whip Donna! Show her who's boss!
🙂
Yep.
I totally get this.
Kewl bananas Molly B. Thanks for the visit. 🙂
Ha! Great post! And I would be a newbie shaking her head. No creatures in my WIP. Should I be worried *eek*. 🙂 Funny that a human is considered an oddity LOL.
Meredith
<a href="http://meredithraemusings.blogspot.com/2013/07/insecure-writers-support-group.html/" rel="nofollow">Meredith’s Musings</a>
Should you be worried? Mmm. Nah… I suppose not. 🙂 although certain creatures (of the non-human variety) are very popular in fiction these days…
Thanks for visiting my blog. This is cute, I like how it turned out that the story just had us regular humans. 🙂
We also belong… don't we…? 🙂
Hahaha! Daring to be different, I like that. Who thought humans could be such a rare topic to write about…loved this!
Question: are "regular humans within the fictional context" a dying breed? Just wondering… (ignore me, I'm simply being paranoid…)
Hehe! They do count! Perhaps they could be classified as the undead undead or pre-zombified. 🙂
I like that – undead undead or pre-zombified… It could be a whole new avenue of speculative fiction. I bet you'd do well writing this stuff 🙂
The regular flesh and blood guys do count … in MHO at least. They just are slower to move off the shelf these days. The pendulum will swing. It always does. Hang in there.
Thanks for the encouragement. I'll just hang in there.
Okay, got to admit I feel this way sometimes. So many of my blog friends do fantasy, sci fi, etc. and I write mystery. All I have are (gasp!) people. Usually at least one of them is dead. But just dead. Not even undead. I feel so alone…
Love the "gasp". Too funny. Well, you are not alone. Welcome to the club LD!
I'm guilty of the fantastical. It's so much fun. 😀 I love reading nothing but people books, too. One day I may write one… maybe.
It IS fun Mary. And you do it so well. I love your fantastical stories. 🙂
I'd almost fit that category, but I guess technically my characters are aliens. Very funny, Michelle!
Aliens? Ha! That's funny too Alex!
mine are of the regular flesh and blood vareity as well. Welcome to the club 🙂
That's good to know! 🙂
LOL! Too funny! I'm glad you're taking care of the real people so I can write the mythical ones 😉
Somebody has to write the mythical ones. Better you than me. 🙂
Nope! Regular flesh and blood characters don't count! Up with genre writers! LOL Such a fun post, Michelle. I really enjoyed it! 🙂
Glad you enjoyed it Lexa! 🙂
So fun! And yes, a good point- the books i've been connecting with most recently feature regular old humans- there's still a lot of damned good fiction to be had from them.
Thanks Michelle!
I think there's damn good fiction all round… from the "regular old humans" to the other-worldly types… and I've actually been enjoying some of the stuff involving the "non-human variety"…
That would've been me. I've only written real-life characters.
Me too. I wouldn't know how to write any other types. Well, I haven't tried it…
Oh, cute! There are so many who write creatures, isn't there? Nuthin' wrong with good old flesh and blood characters and a good story. I love reading and writing those as well.
http://<a href="http://www.siamckye.blogspot.com">Sia McKye OVER COFFEE</a>
Yep, I have to agree with you. A good story is a good story, irrespective of the type of 'creatures'…
Humans are creatures too! It's all good!
Funny post.
Heather
You are right too! Humans are creatures! Thanks Heather.
Ha, too funny! Sometimes I think about writing a story with plain ole humans in it, but my crazy side always takes over and that idea goes out the window! 😀
You gotta go where the 'crazy side' leads you… 🙂
lol, so funny! I can relate.
Yep. I know you can. I've read Birthright. It's a great story.
How funny! I wonder if the newbie will return next month?
She has to. Unless there's another group she can join…?
This was so fun and creative Michelle. And I totally get this. But you know what, a great story doesn't need crazy monsters. And sometimes I feel the most scary of all monsters is the human being. They are capable of some pretty scary stuff. (:
You're so right. And I didn't think of it in that way, but the human monster is scary! And there are plenty of those psycho monsters lurking… waiting to be transferred onto the page…
This post is so about me!!!!! 🙂
Don't worry, I know the feeling. 🙂
How funny!
🙂
I think my characters fit that category as they are all humans, and I would fit the dragon category even though I'm the writer. Too funny.
Like a switcharoo!!
Oh! and I do accept your offer of dressing in 70's outfit and leading the disco party for the dragon! We always need people who can dance. 😉
That's settled then. Think "Saturday-night-fever-styled-performances"… he!he!
That is a very novel way to question whether our writings will suit anyone else's likings. But, yes, flesh and blood characters to me are the best!
I suppose all types of characters have their place in the world of fiction. We have to remain open-minded. Different strokes for different folks.
It took me a while to realize that flesh and blood creatures were fine, too. Now they're the only ones I write.
I don't think that I'll be able to write anything but 'regular' flesh and blood characters. And yes, there's nothing wrong with them.
I love the fresh and innovative approach to the IWSG. Awesome job!
Thanks Ciara! 🙂
This was great Michelle! May I join you at your table?!
You are more than welcome. After all, there are plenty of spaces to be filled at our table…
Hi Michelle – what a great post – and just so .. let's remember the writing humans … and I agree with Julie – I think I'd like to join your table … not sure I can do elvin talk, or were-wolf growl for too long .. and I do like a good conversation ..
Cheers and happy Fourth of July – Hilary
Hilary, I had a good chuckle at the mention of "elvin talk" and "werewolf growl"… 🙂
I'm not a newbie, and yet most days I feel like one. I guess I should stop and smell the roses and acknowledge that I have learned a lot along the way. Thanks for this wonderful post, Michelle!
You are a veteran, with a wealth of knowledge to offer!
Hey, contemporary all-human is HOT right now, so no need to feel insecure. I honestly coudn't have had worse market timing for the release of my angel romance….but his only means new opportunity for the three-year-old college romance. 😉 Don't worry about market trends – everything circles back around at some point.
Contemporary all-human is HOT right now? When it comes to market trends, I don't know too much… there's not enough time to be concentrating on that… however, your angel romance has been the talk of the town… 🙂 Yes, another blogger also mentioned that the pendulum swings…
Hi, Michelle,
I LOVED THIS! Such a great ending, I burst out laughing. WELL DONE. And as Nicki said All human contemporary is HOT… My second novel and the one I am currently querying is Y/A edgy contemporary. SO don't worry about it. LOL.
It's all about the writing not the subject matter. That's what REALLY counts.
It's a bit of a relief, knowing that all human contemporary is HOT. But I wonder for how long…? I've decided that I'm going to concentrate my energies on the writing, because that's what counts (as you reminded me… thanks)
This was a cute and clever post.
Hugs and chocolate,
Shelly
(((Hugs))) back at ya… 🙂
I love the presentation of your post. The ending was perfect.
Thanks Golden Eagle. 🙂
Loved it! And, yeah. Regular flesh and blood works just fine.
Your story is a good example of that, Donna!
Love it! I love those felsh & blood creatures best of all too 🙂
It's nice to have company so I'm not alone in this "regular flesh-and-blood characters" category. 🙂
Great post! Often we forget flesh and blood characters are real characters. I use character doubles from a parallel universe that mirror my original characters from our world in my upcoming book. So that's a bit of a twist with character development.
Character doubles? Sounds like a clever and fascinating spin on the 'regular flesh-and-blood' characters… parallel universe sounds very intriguing!
I was sure I commented here, but don't see it. I love this post because sometimes I feel like I'm the only person out here that doesn't write some kind of paranormal fiction.
Me too. It feels kinda lonely.
'Regular, flesh-and-blood characters?' You rebel! 🙂
Ha! Rebel? I didn't think of it in that way… my brain isn't wired to include any other types of characters… *sighs* I'm character-challenged 🙂
Of course they count. 🙂
Thanks you Medeia. 🙂
Nice! And of course they do — as long as they have some sort of glittery, fangy, paranormal ability lying dormant just beneath the surface… =]
Do they have to have some sort of paranormal ability just waiting to rear its head…?
A fun post, Michelle! I enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Nas. 🙂
Fun presentation for IWSG! I get it. My first book was women's fiction, and it was a harder marketing job. Book 2 is YA with a paranormal twist, and there have been so many more places to promote, etc. Funny thing, I saw both as a way to explore female emotions, choices, fears, etc. It was still about the characters.
<a href="http://depressioncookies.blogspot.com/2013/07/search-for-pulse-iwsg-row80-updates.html">My IWSG Post</a>
Interesting. That's two opposites. Women's fiction and paranormal, but it sounds like the first book involves 'regular' women and the second one involves 'regular' female(s) who turn out to be 'not-so-regular-after-all'? Something like that?
i love your humor! always leave here with a smile, no matter how i came in!
Thank you for the wonderful comment. It brightened my day!
Well, your finely crafted " regular human" characters can come on over a play with mine:) I would love for you to join my merry band of brilliant writers in the Audiomachine collaboration, beginning next week! More details on my site:)
Cheers!
Sam
http://writerlysam.wordpress.com/2013/07/03/tree-of-life-imagination-collaboration/
Ha, loved this since all my characters are regular flesh-and-blood-with-no-magical-powers creatures, too.