Wednesday, November 7, 2018

IWSG - It's the Little Things & Links

Happy November! My second favorite month after October. It's the first Wednesday, which means it's time for the Insecure Writer's Support Group, created by Alex J. Cavanaugh.


Alex created the IWSG to lend support to fellow writers. Anyone can join. Simply click HERE and sign up via your blog (or participate on Facebook!). Post your insecurities and inspirations, and visit your fellow bloggers to lend support and advice.

Our co-hosts this month are  Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor, Ann V. Friend, JQ Rose, and Elizabeth Seckman! Be sure to stop by and tell them thanks for co-hosting.

Our optional question of the month is: How has your creativity in life evolved sine you started writing?

Since I started writing, I've expanded my horizons and trying things I hadn't attempted before. I've gotten involved in writer's groups, and everything those led to. I've worked on cool projects like writing fantasy pieces inspired by music, and had writing published in different genres, such as YA, horror, mystery, humor, memoir, and fantasy. The more I stretch the muscles, the more ideas I have, and the more I want to try out new things and dabble in other art forms.

My insecurity this month really just has to do with not having gotten much writing done recently. Too busy! I'm trying to fix that with ShaNoShoStoWriEdSubMo and having some write-ins with friends since November is a much calmer month than October. October was stifling, both time-wise and creativity-wise, but it's time to get back to work!




We're running a contest for the February WEP theme, and there are only a few days remaining to enter!

Rules: Submit your idea for a WEP February theme by November 12 to admin@insecurewriterssupportgroup.com. Nothing so U.S. culturally bound. Should have wide appeal.

Prize: Feature in the December newsletter for the winner. And, of course, the winning theme will be the official February WEP theme!

Deadline: November 12. Winner announced in the November newsletter on November 28.  


And the December theme is as follows:





Each month I post my submission stats for the previous month on my IWSG post to keep myself accountable.

In October:

5 submissions
1 rejection
0 acceptances
12 pieces currently on submission



Now for some links. Bear in mind I'm not endorsing these, merely passing them along. Always do your own due diligence before submitting.

Accepting Submissions:

Narratively is seeking personal essays/memoir that delves deeper than the usual. 2000 to 3000 words. Pays $300.

Perihelion is seeking science fiction. 2500 to 7000 words. Pays $.01/word.

Rivet is seeking poetry, nonfiction, and literary short works. 15 to 15,000 words. Pays $25.

Automata Review is seeking short works that explore new spaces. 1000 to 6000 words. Pays $25.

The Sea Letter is seeking short fiction, poetry, and photography. Up to 7500 words (1000 for poetry). Pays $25.

Craft is seeking short fiction, flash fiction, craft essays, interviews, and book reviews. Up to 7000 words (1000 for flash fiction--other types of submissions have different limits). Pays $100 to $200, depending upon submission type.

Crimson Streets is seeking pulp of various genres. 800 to 6000 words. Pays $.01/word.

Daily Science Fiction is seeking short science fiction. 100 to 1500 words. Pays $.08/word.

Unshattering is seeking science fiction and fantasy that show the way back to a livable future. Also seeking poetry, memoir, and art. Up to 4500 words. Pays $.10/word.

Aotearotica is seeking erotica. Poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Up to 3000 words. Pays NZD$50.

What are your insecurities? Have you sent in an entry for the WEP theme? How has your creativity changed since you started writing? Did you submit a story for the anthology? Are any of these links of interest? Anything to share? How were your submissions this month?

May you find your Muse.




22 comments:

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

Keep stretching those creative muscles! Good luck with your version of NaNo! :)

Roland D. Yeomans said...

At least you are writing and trying new things. I did my own version of NaNo last month when I wrote my New Orleans Christmas Ghost Story set in 1946. I learned so much about the city I thought I knew! Great luck in your own NaNo!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I guess I need to stretch my muscles more often. I did attempt poetry for my WEP entry though!

The Cynical Sailor said...

I love that you've written and published across genres. I should try to stretch myself and try genres that are unfamiliar.

Chrys Fey said...

I hope you get words down this month. And good luck with all of your current submissions. :)

L. Diane Wolfe said...

My October was chaos, so I understand where you're coming from.

cleemckenzie said...

I like the idea of trying new things and expanding horizons.

Tyrean Martinson said...

My October was a mess and November is threatening to be that way, but I won't let it stop me from writing (raising a defiant fist in the air). :)
Keep on expanding those new horizons!

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

November is always the most chaotic month for me so I'm trying to get a lot done this week and next. Once Thanksgiving nears, my time is not my own.

Olga Godim said...

Yes, writing definitely expands horizons and pushes you to explore the new highways for your creativity.

Anonymous said...

Writing seems to snowball for a lot of people. I know it did for me. I just started for fun and it was like a river slowly grew from a trickle.

J.L. Campbell said...

Shannon, here's hoping your productivity improves and you catch up on your writing.

Diane Burton said...

Good luck with ShaNo. I'd never heard of it. I think I figured it out, though. :) Your energy and the things you try inspire me.

Rebecca M. Douglass said...

Hang in there! 11 days of migraine sounds like hell, and I hope that used up your suffering for a long time!

I'm with you--used almost the same words, about the creativity muscle :) Use it and it gets stronger. When I have to let it slip, it takes time to get it back in shape.

Roland Clarke said...

I admire your creativity and determination. ShaNo seems like a great evolution of NaNoWriMo. The new black? I seem to end up doing NaNo every year and getting bogged down - at the moment with life, emails and word counts. Bring on the paper-plow.

John Wiswell said...

Way to go on your five subs!

And a warning on Unshattering as a market. They haven't talked to anybody since 2017. It currently looks like that project might be abandoned.

emaginette said...

One of my most favorite things about being human is the imagination I can get lost in. Creativity is definitely a gift. :-)

CV Grehan said...

What a great idea, Shannon, to post your submission stats. Talk about accountability! I just might consider doing this too ...

Elizabeth said...

I understand how busyness can get in the way, so I hope you can get a lot of writing in this month! It is amazing how creative pursuits build upon each other :)

Ryan Carty said...

I'm impressed with your ability to not only try new genres, but to write well in them. I envy that, really. I entered a flash contest where they gave a genre and location and 100 words. I was absolutely awful at it. Ha! Romantic comedy was the hardest thing I'd ever tried to write.

Christine Rains said...

Oh yes, I know how being busy takes away writing time. Thanks for the links! I got an acceptance to Flash Fiction Magazine with a sci-fi holiday story. I have been consistently short-listed with Daily Science Fiction. I'll keep on sending them in and hopefully one day I'll get an acceptance!

Michelle Wallace said...

Hope the ShaNoShoStoWriEdSubMo is going smoothly!

Ribbons and Candles is a theme that lends itself to so many interpretations. It will be interesting to see the various takes on the theme.