IWSG: Inspiring Feedback

 

Welcome to another Insecure Writer's Support Group blog post, where we connect with other writers. Learn more about the IWSG on their website and Facebook page.

 

Our hosts for this month are Jenni Enzor, Jemima Pett, Jamie of Uniquely Maladjusted but Fun, and Kim Lajevardi.

 

Here's our question for the month: What was the most inspiring feedback you received from readers, including agents, editors, and beta readers?

 

Without going into too much detail, one reader's comment on a work-in-progress led me to develop a backstory for a side character that not only worked well for character development but helped advance the main plot. They were very engaged with my story, at least up to the climax. (I'm not sure if they ever read the ending.) It's the engagement with other writers and readers that keeps me motivated to write.

 

What kind of feedback inspires you? Feel free to share in the comments.

IWSG: Music to Write By

 No fooling, the Insecure Writer's Group is sharing blog posts today. Learn more about them on their website or Facebook page. 

Our hosts this month are Melissa Maygrove, Catherina Constantine, Kate Larkinsdale, and Rebecca Douglass.

 Here's our question for April: If you have a playlist (or could put one together) that either gets you in the groove to write or fits with one of your books, what is it? What type of music or what songs?

I'm probably among the minority of writers, but I'm not a playlist kind of person. There are songs that remind me of certain characters or situations, but I don't have enough free time to match up songs to an entire novel. I do listen to music when I write. Often I'll just search for whatever song I'm in the mood for on YouTube, but if I feel lyrics will be too distracting, I'll listen to classical or harp music instead.

If you make playlists, how do you do it? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.  

IWSG--Book Launch Advice

 Welcome to March! I'm looking forward to spring, even though in the Midwest we can still get snow in April.

 

I assume almost everyone reading this is already a member of the Insecure Writer's Support Group, where we offer encouragement and support to other writers. You can learn more about them on their website or Facebook page.

 

Our hosts this month are PJ Colando, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, and Natalie Aguirre. 

Our question this month is about book launches: What elements do you include in your book launch? Or, what do you have in mind for your future book launch? Or, what advice do you have to offer to others planning to launch a book?

It's been a couple of years since I published something commercially. If/when I ever do resume my cozy mystery series or return to the fantasy world of my Season Avatars, I would probably focus on marketing the first book in each series with sales and ads, hoping that will lead readers to discover the rest of the series. I'm not sure if my newsletter is still active, but I would also send out announcements that way. I wouldn't recommend doing a blog tour, if that's even a thing anymore. The only one I did seemed to attract people more interested in giveaways than my book. I would also suggest to other authors to line up pre-orders and book reviews by readers (not sure if it's still kosher to offer free copies in exchange for honest reviews). I'd also advise other authors to celebrate the milestone but (at least for indie authors) not to worry too much about initial sales. It can take time for a book to find its audience.

What do you include as part of your book launches? Feel free to share in the comments. 
 

Edited to add: Let me clarify what I was giving away as part of the blog tour. It wasn't my book, but items related to the book. This was over a decade ago, so I don't remember everything that was in the prize pack. I do distinctly recall two mugs with Shakespeare quotes, since my book featured an aspiring actor who loved Hamlet. No one wanted the mugs; they just wanted the gift cards. I still own and use the mugs.

IWSG: Second Time Around

We're halfway through winter, so keep slogging on, everyone! Hopefully these posts for the Insecure Writer's Support Group will help make the time pass faster. You can learn more about the IWSG on their website and Facebook pages.

 Our hosts for February are J Lenni Dorner, Victoria Marie Lees, and Sandra Cox. (Yay, another Sandra!)

 Here's our question this month: Many writers have written about the experience of rereading their work years later. Have you reread any of your early works? What was that experience like for you?

I'm one of those people who never stops critiquing her work. Whether I published something yesterday or ten years ago, it's inevitable I'll find something I'd like to change. That said, there have been times  when I've reread a story or part of a story and been pleased with how well it held up, at least in my mind. 

At some point, I would like to return to my fantasy Season Avatars universe, as I have further ideas I'd like to develop there (and two of my characters need an opportunity to get together). I'll definitely have to reread those books at that point to refresh my memory of the setting and the characters. Hopefully I won't cringe so much I abandon the project!

Feel free to share your thoughts about rereading your work in the comments. 

 

IWSG: Writing Plans for 2026

 Happy 2026! I hope it's a good one for you. If you're not already familiar with the Insecure Writer's Support Group, you can learn more about them on their website or Facebook page.

 

Our hosts this month are Shannon Lawrence, Olga Godim, Jean Davis, and Jacqui Murray.

 

Here's our question for January: Is there anything in your writing plans for 2026 that you are going to do that you couldn't get done in 2025?

 

A lot of my goals for 2026 are reading goals, not writing goals. They include reading at least one hour of a paper book each week (I read a lot of eBooks, but by reading more paper, I hope to get some books off my To Be Read pile), reading at least ten books in Terry Prachett's Discworld series, and reading at least one diversity read each month. However, I also have several works I'd like to finish, including my next cozy mystery, a short story anthology in my Season Avatar series, and the first novel in a Season Avatar spinoff series. These works have all been languishing for a couple of years, honestly. I wrote a lot of short fiction last year, but I still have a story involving a harpist and a composer that I'd like to finish.

 

What are your plans for this year? Feel free to share them in the comments. 

 

 

IWSG: Gifts for Writers

My apologies for missing last month; I was so busy the weekend before post day that by the time I remembered the IWSG, it was too late to write anything. I guess I should resolve to do better in 2026! 

Anyway, welcome to my December 2025 blog post for the Insecure Writer's Support Group. You can learn more about them on their website and Facebook page.

 Our hosts this month are Tara Tyler, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Pat Garcia, Liza, and Natalie Aguirre.

Here's our question for the month: As a writer, what was one of the coolest/best gifts you ever received?

 Well, the answer will definitely show my age, but what came to mind was a typewriter. And yes, this was before personal home computers became as ubiquitous as they are today. I think I was in eighth grade at the time, so I mostly used it for schoolwork like reports, but I remember also typing clean copies of my poetry on it. (I think at the time I would write my poetry by hand first.) By the time I attended college, my parents were able to give me a computer with a built-in thermal printer that they found on the Home Shopping Network. It was a pain finding the right printer paper and toner for it, and the memory/processor could only handle short papers, around five pages. Nevertheless, it was a step forward. Writing/publishing is so much easier with the technology we have today!

What are your favorite writer gifts to give or receive? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. 

IWSG: My Favorite Work

I hope everyone had a good September! My husband and I were able to take a week-long vacation in Boston. We enjoyed the perfect weather and saw a lot of interesting places and things. It's hard to believe how quickly a month seems to pass when you're busy.

Anyway, it's time for another Insecure Writer's Support Group post. Learn more about the IWSG on their website and Facebook.

Our hosts this month are Beth Camp, Crystal Collier, and Catherina Constantine. 

Our question this month is a difficult one: What is the most favorite thing you have written, published or not? Why?

 It's very difficult to pick a favorite story. I was very pleased with how I developed themes and symbols in Lyon's Legacy and Twinned Universes. I'm very fond of my four Season Avatars, but how could I choose a single book from my five-book series? So I'm going to choose something completely different, a story called The War of the Hs, which I've published on Archive of Their Own. This is a Good Omens fanfic I wrote about a quest Crowley (demon) and Aziraphale (angel) must complete to free Crowley from Hell. I particularly like some of the original characters I created for this story, plus this is one of those stories where I just had fun with it and threw in all sorts of crazy but fun bits. For example, here's a bit about angels trying to figure out silly string:

A nearby angel who’s been studying his can removes the green cap and presses something on the top. With a hiss of air, something snakelike shoots out. All the other angels scream and dodge. A couple of them bump into Michael and send them into the path of the material. Green matter clumps onto their chest and arms. Some of it even gets into their hair. Michael tries to miracle it out, but nothing happens. The material is so soft it spreads as Michael tries to brush it away.

 What's your favorite story? Feel free to tell me about it in the contents. 

IWSG: Anti-AI

 

 Well, we made it to September and another post for the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Learn more about them on their website and Facebook page. 

Our hosts for this month are Kim Lajevardi, Natalie Aguirre, Nancy Gideon, and Diedre Knight. 

Here's our question for this month: What are your thoughts on using AI, such as ChatGPT, Raptor, and others with your writing? Would you use it for research, storybible, or creating outlines/beats?

We've discussed AI for the IWSG before (according to my blog, in October 2023 and March 2024), though I'm sure not only the membership may have changed but also people's attitudes towards AI. My attitude hasn't changed; I'm still irate that Google used this blog to train its AI without my knowledge, consent, and certainly without compensation. See the third line in the photo below:

 

 

 

I have another screenshot showing some of my books were at one point listed in a pirated books site that may have been used to train other AI models. (They might not still be there, which is why I'm not posting the screenshot.) 

 

While I acknowledge AI has been useful for scientific research, I don't think it should be used for creative work. It's a water and energy hog, it takes support from creative humans, and it returns predictive (or predictable) results by design. Earlier this year, I read a cozy mystery that I think was written by AI. (Unfortunately, I can't find the title or supposed author at the moment, as it doesn't look like I added it to Goodreads.) It was very repetitive, and the scenes were out of order. I don't think I would have finished it if I hadn't been on an airplane. I'm a pantser, not a plotter, but even if I did write out my story bible and outlines, I would do it without AI. I hate how it's being shoehorned into sites and software where it's difficult or impossible to turn off. Will I change my mind about AI in a few years? Unlikely, but you never know.

 

Feel free to leave your thoughts about AI in the comments--if you're human! 

 

IWSG: The Perils of Publishing

 

New months just keep on happening, don't they? Welcome to August and another Insecure Writer's Support Group post. You can learn more about the IWSG on their website and Facebook page.

 

Our hosts this month are Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Natalie Aguirre, Sarah Foster, and Olga Godim.

 

Our question for August is an interesting one: What is the most unethical practice in the publishing industry? 

 

I've never published anything with one of the major publishing houses; it's been either zines or small presses/anthologies. It's also been a couple of years since I've had a short story published in an anthology. Nevertheless, from what I remember from the days when I was more involved with indie publishing and publishing blogs, the contracts always struck me as one of the worst parts of dealing with publishing. The rights grab that covers technologies that don't even exist yet seems over-the-top to me. My understanding is also that advances haven't, well, advanced much, if any, in the last couple of decades, so you're handing over more potential income streams for less compensation. That's why I prefer to indie-publish my longer works.

 

How do you feel about the publishing industry? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IWSG: A New Genre?

Where did the first half of 2025 go? Time just seems to pass faster and faster as I get older, especially since I have so many projects to juggle. I'm pleased to report that I'm over halfway to my Goodreads reading goal for this year (100 books, which may sound like a lot, but I've read 200 in previous years). I may wait until December to discuss what I've read, though.

 Anyway, this post is for the Insecure Writer's Support Group, where we support other writers. Learn more about the IWSG on their website and Facebook page.

 Our hosts this month are Rebecca Douglass, Natalie Aguirre, Cathrina Constantine, and Louise Barbour. 

Here's our question for July: Is there a genre you haven't tried writing in yet that you really want to try? If so, do you plan on trying it?

I've switched genres quite a bit for a writer: my work includes fantasy, science fiction, solarpunk (which should probably be considered a subgenre of science fiction), and paranormal cozy mystery. All of these genres have a speculative element, which is what most strongly appeals to me. However, the top genre for readers is romance. This genre doesn't resonate with me so much because I'm demisexual. (I don't experience primary sexual attraction; I like to think of it as falling in love with someone from the inside out. For me, many romances focus mostly on the hero's physical qualities but don't give him the intelligence and humor that personally appeal to me.) Of course I have characters who fall in love with each other, and their relationships are often part of a secondary plot. But I've never tried to write a pure romance story before....

Until this year. 

One of my projects is a Good Omens alternate universe fanfic which imagines the characters as middle-aged women. One's a harper, the other's a singer, and they meet when they're asked to accompany each other at a wedding. It's coming along slowly because I'm switching among multiple projects, not all of which are writing. I have a book about how to write romance that outlines the story beats readers expect so I can figure out plot points. This story is only a few thousands words along so far, so I'm still getting to know the characters and figuring out what happens to them after the wedding. There's still a lot I have to consider for this story, and I may have someone else beta read it when I finally finish the draft. Please wish me luck, because I'm sure I'll need it!

 Have you experimented with new genres before? If so, please feel free to share how it went in the comments.

IWSG: The Books that Influenced Me

We've already reached the halfway point of the year! It feels like the first half passed quite quickly, and I'm sure it'll be the same for the second half.

 Anyway, welcome to the Insecure Writer's Support Group blog post for June 2025. You can learn more about the IWSG on their website or Facebook group.

Our hosts this month are PJ Colando, Pat Garcia, Kim Lajevardi,  Melissa Maygrove, and Jean Davis.

Here's our question for the month: What were some books that impacted you as a child or a young adult?

 I could go on for hours about all the books I remember from my childhood through young adulthood, but let me just list a few (in no particular order) that had long-term impacts:

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: I read this in high school; I think it was sophomore year. It was challenging, but many of its ideas resonated with me. Given its focus on Quality, it's appropriate that my current job is in Quality Assurance, isn't it?

The Land of Oz series: While probably not the first fantasy books I read, they probably helped cement my interest in speculative fiction.

Gossamer Axe: The first book I remember reading about a lesbian character that made me more empathetic to the LBGTQIA community. 

 The Tao of Pooh: This sparked my interest in Taoism.

What were some of the books that influenced you? Feel free to share in the comments.

 

 

 

 

IWSG: Greatest Writing Fear

This May doesn't bring just flowers, but also my son's high school graduation and his 18th birthday. It's going to be a busy one, which will tie in later to the theme of this blog post. This post, of course, is dedicated to the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Learn more about them on their website and Facebook page. 

Our hosts this month are Feather Stone, Janet Alcorn, Rebecca Douglass, Jemima Pett, and Pat Garcia.

 Here's our question for this month: Some common fears writers share are rejection, failure, success, and lack of talent or ability. What are your greatest fears as a writer? How do you manage them?

At this point in my career, my greatest writing fear is that I won't finish everything I want to write before I die or am no longer able to write. My son may be almost grown, but the demands on my time continue to increase. Work and household chores haven't changed, but it seems like my civic duties have increased. Plus, I have other hobbies I like to work on, such as crochet and learning to play the harp (I just started a month ago and tell my friends it's my mid-life crisis.) This leaves me with little time to write, but the ideas keep coming. The main way I manage this is to carve out at least some time every day to write, even if I only get a few sentences down.

 What are your writing fears? Feel free to share them in the comments.

 

IWSG: Favorite Character Hangout

Welcome to the April 2025 post for the Insecure Writer's Support Group. You can learn more about them on their website or Facebook page.

 

Our hosts this month are Jennifer Lane, L. Diane Wolfe, Jenni Enzor, and Natalie Aguirre. 

 

We have an interesting question for us this month: What fantasy character would you like to fight, go on a quest with, or share a glass of beer/wine with?

 

My favorite characters don't exist in isolation, so I'm going to name groups of characters. To go with a more well-known pair of characters, I'd choose to have tea with Crowley and Aziraphale from Good Omens. It would be fascinating to see their perspective on human history and hopefully learn about forgotten people and events. I'm not interested in fighting anyone, but I'd love to join my quartet of Season Avatars as they deal with Chaos Season (a magical weather storm that mixes up the seasons), or better yet, go with them as they attempt to end Chaos Season permanently in

Summon the Seasons. What better way to get to know your character better than to experience their story with them?

 

Which fantasy character would you like to hang out with? Feel free to share in the comments (or let me know if you blogged about them).

 

 

 

 

IWSG: If I Could Be...

The year has marched into March, which means it's time for another Insecure Writer's Support Group post. Learn more about the IWSG on their website or Facebook.

Our hosts this month are Ronel Janse Van Vuuren, Pat Garcia, and Liza Carens Salerno. 

Our question for this month is an interesting one: If for one day you could be anyone or anything in the world, what would it be? Describe, tell why, and any themes, values, or goals they/it inspire in you.

I'd like to be a bird--perhaps a crow, since they're particularly playful and intelligent. I think you could learn a lot from experiencing such a different way of interacting with the world, especially since I'm currently writing a story that features a raven shifter. I think being able to fly would feel very freeing.

Here's a link to a bonus video inspired by the question: the Thompson Twins playing "King for a Day."

What would you like to be for a day? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.

Insecure Writer's Support Group: Changing Stories

 

Welcome back to the Insecure Writer's Support Group! You can learn more about them on their website or Facebook page.

Our hosts this month are Joylene Nowell Butler, Louise Barbour, and Tyrean Martinson!

Here's the question for February: Is there a story or book you've written you want to/wish you could go back and change?

I have to admit I'm my own worst critic. While I did the best I could for each book (keeping in mind I self-edit), I'm sure I could find lots of things I'd like to change if I reread my stories, especially the older ones. However, as an indie author, it's probably much easier for me to revise my work if I feel it's necessary. I'm actually in the middle of preparing a paperback version of a story previously published online. I've written several stories in this particular universe and know the characters better now, so I want to revise some sections while keeping the original plot. In particular, I want to provide more backstory in a scene where one of the main characters meets his long-lost siblings. I also want to change some details for consistency with other works in this series. I still haven't decided if I'll revise the online version to match the paper copy.

If you have the option to change one of your published works, would you do it? Why or why not? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.

IWSG: Writing Plans for 2025

Happy 2025, everyone! This will be a significant year for our family, as my son turns eighteen and will start college in the fall. (We're already empty nesters with him spending his senior year of high school at a boarding school, but the dynamic will be different.) It will also be our twentieth wedding anniversary in September. Here's hoping that the new year brings something good for all of us.

Anyway, this is the first Wednesday of January, so it's time for another Insecure Writer's Support Group post. Learn more about them on their website and Facebook page.

Our hosts this month are Rebecca Douglass, Beth Camp, Liza at Middle Passages, and Natalie at Literary Rambles.

I'm going to skip the optional question this month and instead talk briefly about my writing plans for this year. A lot of them involve revisiting half-finished projects and trying to finish them. There are three short stories set in the current world I'm working in (one is actually in progress at the moment, while the other two are still on the back burner), along with two partially written novels (one fantasy, one a cozy mystery). As if that's not enough, I also want to write a novella or novel in a genre I haven't written before (romantic fantasy). I have a feeling I would learn a lot from that one. I still need to prioritize these projects, but even if I only finish two or three of them, it'll be a good feeling to get them off of my plate.

What are your writing plans for the year? Feel free to share them in the comments.
 

IWSG: Story Cliffhangers

I can't believe I almost forgot to post today! I meant to write this earlier this week, but I was busy with holiday prep. (I do have my laptop back, BTW.) Anyway, welcome to the last post for The Insecure Writer's Support Group for 2024. Learn more about them on their website or Facebook page. 

Our hosts this month are Ronel,  Deniz, Pat Garcia, Olga Godim, and Cathrina Constantine!

Here's our question for the month: Do you write cliffhangers at the end of your stories? Are they a turn-off to you as a writer and/or a reader?

Cliffhangers are great for chapter endings, but not story endings. It's perfectly reasonable for a reader to expect the story questions to be answered by the end of the story. The possible exception might be for a series. The overall story line won't be complete until the final book. That said, each tale in a series has to stand on its own. In my Season Avatars series, each book is told through a different point of view. Although the Avatars experienced a dramatic reversal of fortune in the penultimate book, Fifth Season, Ysabel finished her part of the story before handing it over to Kay in Summon the Seasons.

How do you feel about cliffhangers? Feel free to share in the comments.