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.)

34 Comments

  1. Krystal Jane on June 6, 2018 at 3:35 pm

    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!

  2. Joy Campbell on June 6, 2018 at 5:41 pm

    Hey, Michelle,

    I hope you get back into the swing of things during the holidays.

  3. Crystal Collier on June 6, 2018 at 5:46 pm

    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. =)

  4. Carol Kilgore on June 6, 2018 at 6:59 pm

    Busy time for you. Good luck if you decide to undertake the challenge again!

  5. Anna on June 6, 2018 at 8:13 pm

    Your character tagging looks a lot like mine. We get it done and that’s what counts. 🙂

    Anna from elements of emaginette

  6. Nick Wilford on June 6, 2018 at 9:01 pm

    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!

  7. Loni Townsend on June 6, 2018 at 9:41 pm

    Hope you do well on your exams!

  8. Stephen Tremp on June 7, 2018 at 12:46 am

    I’ve got to attend an #IWSGPit sounds like a great idea I just need to remember it.

  9. Kathy Karch on June 7, 2018 at 12:48 am

    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!! 😉

  10. ChemistKen on June 7, 2018 at 1:51 am

    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.

  11. Alex J. Cavanaugh on June 7, 2018 at 10:33 am

    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.

  12. Natalie Aguirre on June 7, 2018 at 10:57 am

    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.

  13. Cherie Reich on June 7, 2018 at 12:36 pm

    I have trouble with characters’ names too. Good luck getting some time to write soon!

  14. H.R. Sinclair on June 7, 2018 at 3:22 pm

    Names are tougher for me too.Have fun with the exams. ?

  15. L. Diane Wolfe on June 7, 2018 at 5:14 pm

    I hope your July is really productive then.

  16. Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine on June 8, 2018 at 7:29 pm

    Names are easier for me, but I think it’s mostly because I can google ideas and find a slew to choose from.

  17. Gwen Gardner on June 8, 2018 at 7:59 pm

    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!

  18. Misha on June 9, 2018 at 8:18 am

    I also write X, Y and Z for placeholders. 😀

    Best of luck with exams and so on!

  19. Jemi Fraser on June 9, 2018 at 11:59 am

    I’m the opposite – names aren’t too bad (most of the time) but titles are SO HARD!!! 🙂

  20. J.H. Moncrieff on June 9, 2018 at 3:13 pm

    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?

  21. Lee Lowery on June 9, 2018 at 7:07 pm

    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.

  22. Raimey Gallant on June 10, 2018 at 10:42 am

    Thanks for the note about the day change next month. The 100words challenge sounds like a super achievable goal. Go for it! 🙂

  23. Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor on June 10, 2018 at 2:08 pm

    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

  24. Cathrina on June 10, 2018 at 4:23 pm

    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!

  25. Chrys Fey on June 11, 2018 at 4:31 pm

    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

  26. Hilary Melton-Butcher on June 11, 2018 at 6:08 pm

    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

  27. Liesbet on June 12, 2018 at 3:15 am

    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…

  28. Julie Flanders on June 12, 2018 at 2:24 pm

    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.

  29. Victoria Marie Lees on June 12, 2018 at 3:22 pm

    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.

  30. Lynda R Young on June 12, 2018 at 11:14 pm

    Sometimes those placeholder names will just have to do for a while!!

  31. Yvonne V on June 13, 2018 at 1:30 pm

    Thanks for the new anthology info!

  32. Toi Thomas on June 13, 2018 at 10:47 pm

    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.

  33. tara tyler on June 14, 2018 at 2:44 am

    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!

  34. JEN Garrett on July 2, 2018 at 11:51 pm

    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!

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