The Insecure Writer’s Support Group ~ No#78
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.
The awesome co-hosts for the June posting of the IWSG are: Beverly Stowe McClure, Tyrean Martinson, Tonja Drecker, and Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor!
Don’t forget to visit them and thank them for co-hosting!
Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.
The IWSG anthology contest opens September 5th.
The genre – Young Adult romance.
The theme will be announced on September 5th, so don’t miss it.
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.
Remember, the question is optional!
JUNE 06th QUESTION: What’s harder for you to come up with, book titles or character names?
I struggle with character names. My characters remain Mrs. B, Mr. X and Miss Y for a very long time.
I haven’t done much writing over the past month. I’ve been really busy with setting exam papers; and now that we’re in full exam mode, there’s the marking and moderation of scripts taking up loads of my time.
Our mid-year school break is coming up end of the month and and then I’ll use the time to get back into the swing of writing. Maybe I’ll start another 100words100days challenge.
Reminder! The next IWSG Twitter pitch event, #IWSGPit, is July 19! See that page for details. Some great success stories have come from the first two – it could be you.
NOTE: The July IWSG post day will be on Tuesday, July 3rd instead of Wednesday, July 4th. (Fourth of July national holiday in the United States.)
Names are usually the easier part for me, but I have a story where the characters were just called The Doctor, The Banker’s Wife, The Eldest Son, and etc through about half of the outlining process. 🙂 They have names now, but that was actually pretty fun.
I can’t wait to see who wins the next anthology contest!
Hey, Michelle,
I hope you get back into the swing of things during the holidays.
Here’s hoping for you! When I went back to school, I remember how exhausting it was mentally. There wasn’t much left for writing. =)
Busy time for you. Good luck if you decide to undertake the challenge again!
Your character tagging looks a lot like mine. We get it done and that’s what counts. 🙂
Anna from elements of emaginette
You’re doing better than me, I don’t usually even have letters, just question marks. As a pantser I guess I don’t always know who will be there before I start and it breaks the flow to stop and come up with names.
Exciting times ahead for the IWSG!
Hope you do well on your exams!
I’ve got to attend an #IWSGPit sounds like a great idea I just need to remember it.
From one teacher to another, I hear you. I, too, am in the thick of exam season. It really does shut down everything else in life, doesn’t it? I like the 100words100days idea. Might borrow that from you. Thanks for the post and happy examing!! 😉
I haven’t done much writing in the last several weeks, partly due to helping my daughter with her calculus class. Now that she’s graduated high school, I think I may have some time for writing again.
Good luck with all of the exam papers.
At least you give your characters some kind of name. I leave it blank. Makes it interesting when there are multiple unnamed characters.
I haven’t gotten much writing done this month either. My mom lives in independent living here and takes up a lot of my time. Sometimes we just have to go through those challenging times.
I have trouble with characters’ names too. Good luck getting some time to write soon!
Names are tougher for me too.Have fun with the exams. ?
I hope your July is really productive then.
Names are easier for me, but I think it’s mostly because I can google ideas and find a slew to choose from.
I use place names too. I’m always afraid I’m going to miss one though when I do a search and replace once I settle on a name. Hehe. Ah well.
Here’s to getting a lot done when exams are over!
I also write X, Y and Z for placeholders. 😀
Best of luck with exams and so on!
I’m the opposite – names aren’t too bad (most of the time) but titles are SO HARD!!! 🙂
Good luck with the exams. I’ve recently started teaching adult students, and it’s so rewarding, but I can’t get over how draining it is. I feel like I have nothing left after a class. I just collapse.
I honestly have no idea how teachers get anything else accomplished. Hopefully one gets “used” to it?
Names are tough and I also use generic placeholders. Sometimes it takes me awhile to get to know the character well enough to know his/her name. I envy writers whose characters come to them fully formed. The 100words/100days challenge is an excellent way to get back into the groove once the exam cram winds down.
Thanks for the note about the day change next month. The 100words challenge sounds like a super achievable goal. Go for it! 🙂
You did so well with that 100 days/word challenge. Maybe doing it again would be a good idea. I can only imagine how hectic things are during exam time. I bet you’re looking forward to a break
I love your goal of 100 words a day. I started doing just that and it helped immensely. But, life get in the way and it went south. But hoping to get back in the swing of writing again during summer vacation. I hope you will too!
Mrs. B, Mr. X. and Miss Y. That reminds me of a cat I had named Miss B. When we got her, we called her “Baby.” But when she got older, we shortened it to Miss B for some sophistication. lol
Hi Michelle – good to see you posting … but I know school life is one busy time – always something to do. Good luck with the writing when you get a chance – cheers Hilary
There is no busier time for a teacher or anybody related to education than at the end of the school year. No surprise you haven’t been writing. But, wait until that summer break arrives! 🙂 The difficult thing about that – for me anyway – is that summer is my favorite season and I want to be out and about, enjoying the weather. Happy writing, Michelle!
As far as the next Twitter party, I hope I will finally be ready to pitch something. And, open a Twitter account first…
Sounds like a great idea to do another challenge! You totally rocked that last one. I hope the exams go smoothly and then you can enjoy your break.
Writing and creating something other than school work can be extremely difficult, Michelle. When I attended college, I didn’t have time for anything other than papers and studying. More power to you. 100 words in 100 days? What a challenge. All the luck to you.
Sorry it’s taken me so long to visit. My mom’s been ill.
Sometimes those placeholder names will just have to do for a while!!
Thanks for the new anthology info!
Thank you so much for stopping by my blog. I don’t struggle with character names the way I do with book titles. I wish there was a formula for finding the right book or series title.
100words100days challenge sounds like a great idea!
and i wish i was ready to submit to the “pit”!
have a great break and a smooth dive back into writing!
Yep, I’m the same way re: character names. Sometimes a character wants a certain name, though. Like one of mine: Honey Wilson. I can’t think of her by any other name!