IWSG - June and July 2015

Well, it seems I missed Insecure Writer's Support Group day. On the up side, I've been busy writing and preparing for what I hope will be a totally awesome novel writing conference.

When I attempted to get to this page to write this apologetic post, Blogger threw literally a dozen errors at me. Is Blogger not working well any more? I suppose it's time to move to something that's actually being supported. Any recommendations?

As for the insecurity, I'm actually feeling pretty good now that I've regained my momentum on my novel and have figured out the sequence of scenes for the middle of the novel. I will be at my writer's conference for the next IWSG day, so please take this as my post for July as well. Last year, I was so insecure, I could not have gone to this intense of a conference. Now, today, I'm ready for it - and I'm ready to get done with this one so I can get rolling with the next.

Did I tell you all that I received a grant from my university to do research for my next novel? I'll be doing that research in October (probably) and will be visiting the gravesite of my mother's great grandmother. She was Cherokee and was a dead end on the family tree. I've uncovered some evidence that she was a child apprentice (basically an indentured servant) at a boarding house in Tennessee. I'm not sure if she will literally be the main character or if she will simply inspire the story. I'm really excited for this project and to finally finish the one I'm on now.

Have a lovely summer. My apologies for being absent. I may sneak in here or there, but this may be it until August.

Tonja

IWSG - May 2015

For this Insecure Writer's Support Group day, I just want to say what I've said for most of my other IWSG posts this year: I need to get it together and have a consistent schedule for writing. I'm letting the chaos of life keep me from finishing my novel.

IWSG - March 2015

It's incredible to me that another month has come and gone. This post is part of Insecure Writer's Support Group, hosted by Alex J. Cavanaugh and a crew of others. On the off chance you haven't heard of it, visit the IWSG site.

I've had waves of insecurity lately, but it all washes away the moment I sit down to write. My problem with that is I haven't had a lot of time to write over the last few months. We moved to a new house (which is always more difficult that expected) and then I spent a month painting and fixing up the old house so we could list it. Just about the time I got that done, my classes started, and I completely lost my momentum.

What's really helped is setting goals for myself and having someone else share in those goals. My critique partner and I decided to sign up for a summer writing conference, which is a little pricey. We both entered the conference's short story competition in hopes of getting a scholarship. Both of us write novels, but the act of writing and polishing a (very short) short story all in one day made me feel like I really just need to set aside time to focus.

I've loved the idea of participating in Write1Sub1, the challenge to write and submit a short story once a week or once a month Ray Bradbury style, and have signed up more than once, but never have actually followed through on it. Now I feel like I can do it (monthly, not weekly).

What's your insecurity? Are you participating in Write1Sub1? What do you do when you have lost your momentum with your writing?

IWSG - February 2015

This post is part of Insecure Writer's Support Group. Sorry I'm late. Sorry I'm missing the requisite link and button and everything. I desperately need a time travel apparatus so I can add 4 more hours to my day every day. My little boy said he'd build it for me and sit next to it, watching the control panel's flashing lights, so I don't get lost in time. He will be the mad scientist that builds this contraption for his mother some day. That I am sure of.

* * *

Lately, and by that I mean for the last full year, I've struggled to find words or stories I want to share here. I've been writing a lot - fiction and nonfiction - but privately. So I guess that's my insecurity with writing this month and this past year - finding content for this space.

Those of you who know me know my mid-life crisis has taken the form of me as a graduate student in creative writing, the thing I always wanted to do when I was younger - the thing I didn't do because my first husband didn't like the idea of it or the cost of it or the parenting he would need to do while I was gone.

This semester, I'm taking an independent study class. I designed it myself. It's on Appalachian novels - my current genre. I committed to reading at least the first 75 words of each of six Appalachian novels and writing about them here for my grade.

Whenever I've written about literature in the past - in my undergraduate days so very long ago - I looked at it differently - looked at themes, at bigger messages, yadayadayada. Now I'm looking at technique. I think my first piece will be about openings - and what to do with the dialect and the scenario where the POV character is not particularly well-educated.

I hate dialect done Huckleberry Finn style. It hurts me as a reader. And it seems condescending to me.

My professor for my novel writing class last semester objected to my avoidance of it in my novel. So the first thing I will examine in all of these books is writing well and respecting the characters (and the people of a time and place) while also conveying their speech or thought in a realistic way.

I think I will read only the first chapters of all six first.

This examination of technique is obviously for me. My question for you is if that's something you want to read? (I will be writing it anyway because something deep inside of me needs an A the way a heroine addict needs another fix.)

I miss you all and hope to reconnect soon.

Tonja