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?"

93 Comments

  1. Donna B. McNicol on July 3, 2013 at 4:12 pm

    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….

  2. Molly B on July 3, 2013 at 5:26 pm

    Yep.

    I totally get this.

    • Michelle Wallace on July 4, 2013 at 11:38 am

      Kewl bananas Molly B. Thanks for the visit. 🙂

  3. Meredith on July 3, 2013 at 5:30 pm

    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>

    • Michelle Wallace on July 4, 2013 at 11:39 am

      Should you be worried? Mmm. Nah… I suppose not. 🙂 although certain creatures (of the non-human variety) are very popular in fiction these days…

  4. Kimberly on July 3, 2013 at 5:36 pm

    Thanks for visiting my blog.  This is cute, I like how it turned out that the story just had us regular humans. 🙂

  5. Murees Dupé on July 3, 2013 at 6:48 pm

    Hahaha! Daring to be different, I like that. Who thought humans could be such a rare topic to write about…loved this!

    • Michelle Wallace on July 4, 2013 at 11:42 am

      Question: are "regular humans within the fictional context" a dying breed? Just wondering… (ignore me, I'm simply being paranoid…)

  6. Cherie Reich on July 3, 2013 at 6:48 pm

    Hehe! They do count! Perhaps they could be classified as the undead undead or pre-zombified. 🙂

    • Michelle Wallace on July 4, 2013 at 11:44 am

      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  🙂

  7. C. Lee McKenzie on July 3, 2013 at 7:43 pm

    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.

    • Michelle Wallace on July 4, 2013 at 11:45 am

      Thanks for the encouragement. I'll just hang in there.

  8. LD Masterson on July 3, 2013 at 7:48 pm

    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…

    • Michelle Wallace on July 4, 2013 at 11:46 am

      Love the "gasp". Too funny. Well, you are not alone. Welcome to the club LD!

  9. Mary on July 3, 2013 at 8:10 pm

    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.

    • Michelle Wallace on July 4, 2013 at 11:48 am

      It IS fun Mary. And you do it so well. I love your fantastical stories. 🙂

  10. Alex J. Cavanaugh on July 3, 2013 at 8:41 pm

    I'd almost fit that category, but I guess technically my characters are aliens. Very funny, Michelle!

  11. J. A. Bennett on July 3, 2013 at 9:18 pm

    mine are of the regular flesh and blood vareity as well. Welcome to the club 🙂

  12. Morgan Shamy on July 3, 2013 at 9:31 pm

    LOL! Too funny! I'm glad you're taking care of the real people so I can write the mythical ones 😉 

    • Michelle Wallace on July 4, 2013 at 12:30 pm

      Somebody has to write the mythical ones. Better you than me. 🙂

  13. Lexa Cain on July 3, 2013 at 10:23 pm

    Nope! Regular flesh and blood characters don't count! Up with genre writers! LOL  Such a fun post, Michelle. I really enjoyed it! 🙂

     

  14. Beverly on July 3, 2013 at 10:49 pm

    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!

    • Michelle Wallace on July 4, 2013 at 12:34 pm

      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"…

  15. L. Diane Wolfe on July 3, 2013 at 11:27 pm

    That would've been me. I've only written real-life characters.

    • Michelle Wallace on July 4, 2013 at 12:36 pm

      Me too. I wouldn't know how to write any other types. Well, I haven't tried it…

  16. Sia McKye on July 4, 2013 at 2:03 am

    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>

    • Michelle Wallace on July 4, 2013 at 12:38 pm

      Yep, I have to agree with you. A good story is a good story, irrespective of the type of 'creatures'…

  17. Heather M. Gardner on July 4, 2013 at 3:04 am

    Humans are creatures too! It's all good!

    Funny post.

    Heather

    • Michelle Wallace on July 4, 2013 at 12:39 pm

      You are right too! Humans are creatures!  Thanks Heather.

  18. Celeste Holloway on July 4, 2013 at 3:49 am

    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! 😀

    • Michelle Wallace on July 4, 2013 at 12:40 pm

      You gotta go where the 'crazy side' leads you…  🙂

  19. Lynda R Young on July 4, 2013 at 4:58 am

    lol, so funny! I can relate.

    • Michelle Wallace on July 4, 2013 at 12:42 pm

      Yep. I know you can. I've read Birthright. It's a great story.

  20. Carolyn Brown on July 4, 2013 at 8:44 am

    How funny! I wonder if the newbie will return next month?

    • Michelle Wallace on July 4, 2013 at 12:43 pm

      She has to. Unless there's another group she can join…?

  21. Elise Fallson on July 4, 2013 at 9:18 am

    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. (:  

    • Michelle Wallace on July 4, 2013 at 12:51 pm

      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…

  22. DL Hammons on July 4, 2013 at 1:03 pm

    This post is so about me!!!!!  🙂

  23. Sherry Ellis on July 4, 2013 at 2:41 pm

    How funny!

  24. Al Diaz on July 4, 2013 at 4:15 pm

    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.

  25. Al Diaz on July 4, 2013 at 4:16 pm

    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. 😉

    • Michelle Wallace on July 5, 2013 at 8:27 am

      That's settled then. Think "Saturday-night-fever-styled-performances"… he!he!

  26. Nancy LaRonda Johnson on July 4, 2013 at 5:13 pm

    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!

    • Michelle Wallace on July 5, 2013 at 8:32 am

      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.

  27. Stina Lindenblatt on July 4, 2013 at 5:50 pm

    It took me a while to realize that flesh and blood creatures were fine, too. Now they're the only ones I write.

    • Michelle Wallace on July 5, 2013 at 8:36 am

      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.

  28. Ciara Knight on July 4, 2013 at 10:53 pm

    I love the fresh and innovative approach to the IWSG. Awesome job!

  29. Julie on July 5, 2013 at 8:35 am

    This was great Michelle! May I join you at your table?!

    • Michelle Wallace on July 5, 2013 at 8:45 am

      You are more than welcome. After all, there are plenty of spaces to be filled at our table…

  30. Hilary on July 5, 2013 at 10:05 am

    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

    • Michelle Wallace on July 6, 2013 at 2:17 pm

      Hilary, I had a good chuckle at the mention of "elvin talk" and "werewolf growl"… 🙂

  31. joylene on July 5, 2013 at 3:22 pm

    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!

    • Michelle Wallace on July 6, 2013 at 2:18 pm

      You are a veteran, with a wealth of knowledge to offer!

  32. Nicki Elson on July 5, 2013 at 7:09 pm

    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.

    • Michelle Wallace on July 6, 2013 at 2:22 pm

      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…

  33. Michael Di Gesu on July 5, 2013 at 7:21 pm

    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.

    • Michelle Wallace on July 6, 2013 at 2:26 pm

      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)

  34. Shelly on July 5, 2013 at 11:11 pm

    This was a cute and clever post.

    Hugs and chocolate,

    Shelly

  35. The Golden Eagle on July 5, 2013 at 11:51 pm

    I love the presentation of your post. The ending was perfect. 

  36. Donna K. Weaver on July 6, 2013 at 1:17 pm

    Loved it! And, yeah. Regular flesh and blood works just fine.

  37. Jemi Fraser on July 6, 2013 at 1:39 pm

    Love it! I love those felsh & blood creatures best of all too 🙂

    • Michelle Wallace on July 6, 2013 at 2:29 pm

      It's nice to have company so I'm not alone in this "regular flesh-and-blood characters" category. 🙂

  38. Stephen Tremp on July 6, 2013 at 2:40 pm

    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.

    • Michelle Wallace on July 8, 2013 at 4:37 pm

      Character doubles? Sounds like a clever and fascinating spin on the 'regular flesh-and-blood' characters… parallel universe sounds very intriguing!

  39. Carol Kilgore on July 6, 2013 at 8:27 pm

    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. 

  40. Lara Lacombe on July 7, 2013 at 2:25 am

    'Regular, flesh-and-blood characters?'  You rebel! 🙂

    • Michelle Wallace on July 8, 2013 at 4:40 pm

      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 🙂

  41. Medeia Sharif on July 7, 2013 at 1:48 pm

    Of course they count. 🙂

  42. Milo James Fowler on July 7, 2013 at 6:59 pm

    Nice! And of course they do — as long as they have some sort of glittery, fangy, paranormal ability lying dormant just beneath the surface… =]

    • Michelle Wallace on July 8, 2013 at 4:44 pm

      Do they have to have some sort of paranormal ability just waiting to rear its head…?

  43. Nas on July 7, 2013 at 9:16 pm

    A fun post, Michelle!  I enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing!

  44. Tia Bach on July 8, 2013 at 2:37 am

    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>

    • Michelle Wallace on July 8, 2013 at 4:53 pm

      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?

  45. tara tyler on July 8, 2013 at 2:22 pm

    i love your humor! always leave here with a smile, no matter how i came in!

  46. Michelle Wallace on July 8, 2013 at 5:07 pm

    Thank you for the wonderful comment. It brightened my day!

  47. Sam on July 9, 2013 at 5:11 pm

    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/

  48. Jocelyn Rish on July 9, 2013 at 9:12 pm

    Ha, loved this since all my characters are regular flesh-and-blood-with-no-magical-powers creatures, too.  

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