Wednesday, November 6, 2019

IWSG - Picking Up Steam

It's the first Wednesday of November, which means it's time for the Insecure Writer's Support Group, helmed by Alex J. Cavanaugh!


Our co-hosts this month are:
Sadira Stone, Patricia Josephine, Lisa Buie-Collard, Erika Beebe, and C. Lee McKenzie! Be sure to stop by as thanks for hosting!

The last couple IWSGs I've really been struggling. My writing wasn't going well, submissions weren't being picked up, and it was taking me a long time to turn stories back around after rejections. It felt like I'd never get back to writing again.

Then suddenly, the words and ideas and enthusiasm were back! I've been getting much more done, and am feeling closer to my old self. So this month I'm just celebrating that! The insecurities are still there, but I'm so happy to be able to write again. And to care about it instead of looking at it like it's a job I'm failing, but have to do.

The optional question this week is: what's the strangest thing you've ever googled while researching a story? 

Wellll...I write horror. I've researched things like the effects of poisons, deadly flora and fauna, Christmas songs, how long certain injuries would take to heal, what damage tools might do to various body parts, laws in different states, what it feels like to drown, serial killers, acids and bases, odd phobias, the symptoms of the "date rape drug," etc.

I can't update my stats tonight, because I'm switching everything to a new computer, and I'm working off that computer right now, but I haven't moved over my spreadsheet yet, and it's late! So next month I'll have to do this month's stats and next month's. (I took last month off from doing it since I was in the doldrums.) I will give you a sneak preview: I got a couple acceptances and one story has been short listed. Yay!

Coming up this weekend, I'll be doing a reading in Denver!


Links will have to wait, too. I just got back from a trip at 9 PM tonight, cleaned a week's worth of cat boxes, caught up on some day job work, and I really, really want to go take a hot bath and go to bed. I hope to post some photos next week from my beach vacation! As well as some foibles that accompanied the trip.

How have you pulled yourself out of the doldrums in the past? How is your writing going? Are you submitting? Any news? What's the strangest thing you've ever researched?

May you find your Muse.

23 comments:

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

Yeh for feeling like your old self again!

And congrats on the acceptances and making the short list!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

That's cool about the reading and that you're on a roll again. (So I am - let's rock it.)
Christmas songs seemed a bit out of place on that list!

Tamara Narayan said...

After a summer hiatus I did finish a first draft and am pondering how to tackle the 2nd.

Good luck with the new computer and congrats on the acceptance!

Chrys Fey said...

I'm glad you're feeling like your old self again. ***HUGS***

Sadira Stone said...

I'm glad you've got your writing mojo back. Here's to lots of literary mayhem in November! That's quite a scary list of research topics.

Computer Tutor said...

What a list of topics. "damage tools might do to various body parts"--oh my.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Congrats on the acceptances and the words. I switched computers last year and it's stressful getting everything moved over.

lostinimaginaryworlds.blogspot.com said...

Well done with the acceptances, and keep going 🤗

cleemckenzie said...

Enthusiasm comes in waves. Mine seems to return about every quarter unless I manage to walk on the beach. A beach walk always restores enthusiasm right away.

Olga Godim said...

Nobody can beat a horror writer for odd research, I think. You'd win almost by definition. ;)

Rebecca M. Douglass said...

You definitely have researched weirder things than I have.

Your other question, about getting out of the doldrums... flash fiction. I have to write in order to get back in the habit of writing. Flash fiction allows me to do that even when my attention span is limited.

Liza said...

I'm so glad you are (happily)writing again. I am so enjoying finding out what other writers are researching. The mystery and horror writers are giving me the shivers!

Anne Higa said...

Shannon, congrats and good luck with the reading. Your honesty was like a breath of fresh air when you say you've been struggling with IWSG posts. It can be hard sometimes, but I think you made a good one here! So much juggling and so little time. Definitely been there. And yet, we write.
Thanks for visiting and commenting on my blog!

Anne from annehiga.com

Carrie Ann said...

I can relate. There have been times when I am unable to write anything. Heck, I couldn't even daydream! Life can be so tough and distracting at times which make it nearly impossible for a writer to be well, a writer. And as a writer, I love to daydream and dwell in imaginary worlds but there are times when these are not possible. Anyhoo, what usually works for me is having my own space when I have the house to myself and allow my imagination to run free in whatever direction it wanted. Play music in the background helps me too. :)

Yvonne Ventresca said...

Have a great reading this weekend!

emaginette said...

Congrats on the turn around. One step closer to success. :-)

Diane Burton said...

Glad to hear you're out of the doldrums. Doldrums is what this summer felt like to me, too. I think I'm out of them. Good luck on the writing front.

Lidy said...

I was the same, the last several months I couldn’t write much at all. It was like my creative well dried up. Still don’t know how I managed not to miss a blog hop. But then a short story that’d been swelling inside head demanded out and I started writing again. And I’m still writing, even doing NaNoWriMo. The short was like the shot of writerly adrenaline I needed and was missing before.
Good luck to your reading in Denver! :-D

Juneta key said...

Glad you feel like your old self again. Hurray! Happy Belated IWSG

Damyanti Biswas said...

Oh I can empathize with you on that one. Glad that you feel like yourself again.

dolorah said...

If "big brother" is watching my story research, they are confused about my master plan, lol.

Glad you are back to writing, and enjoying the creativity. I lost the joy in writing a year or so ago, and haven not totally got back into it. I blame the day job :(

mshatch said...

I've researched many of the things you have. I don't write horror, but bad things happen to people of all genres...Currently letting a completed manuscript sit before revisions and working on round 5 of revisions of a previously completed manuscript and trying to write the query for it. As for those doldrums, I often just give in after a while and either read or binge watch tv.

Andrew Leon said...

I don't have doldrums; I have chaos.