Tuesday, October 2, 2018

Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop: Writing Through My Life, Contests



IWSG Badge
IWSG Blog Hop---the first Wednesday of every Month.

Hello and welcome to the Insecure Writer's Support Group Blog Hop!


What is the Insecure Writer's Support Group?


Founded by author Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writer’s Support Group offers support for writers and authors alike. It provides an online database, articles and tips, a monthly blog posting, a Facebook and Instagram group, Twitter, and a monthly newsletter. To find out more, click this link: 
 Insecure Writer’s Support Group



The purpose of the group is 
* 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! 

You're invited to become a member of this supportive group. Click here to sign-up to join.




October 3 questions
 How do major life events affect your writing? 
A writer wears many hats. Dreaming up an idea for an intriguing mystery or constructing complex plots is not the only hat we wear. I classify my writing in several segments--fiction, non-fiction, marketing/promotional, blogging, editing-- to name some of them. When going through difficult times in my life such as the loss of my brother in December or family problems, I handled the promotional writing and blogging. But my creative writing hat fell off completely. The desire to begin a story drained out of me like cooked noodles in a colander leaving me about as limp and colorless as the noodles too. I have worked my way through the stages of grief, but it takes time to recover. Time is helping to restore my focus on creative writing.
Has writing ever helped you through something?
My WIP is a memoir from 1975-76 when we moved from a small town in Central Illinois to start a flower business in West Michigan. We had no family or friends in the area. Placing myself back in that time and remembering what a difficult relationship we had with the previous owners gave me a new perspective on their situation. 
We felt the same way as the previous owners when we sold that business in 1995 to some young whipper-snappers who didn't want to listen to our advice. And yes, that young couple would have been us in 1975 when we opened our business. But in 1995 we were the sellers. Experiencing the giving up of our life's work was a traumatic time. Looking through the lens of time helped me to understand and appreciate the emotions searing through a person in such a life-changing experience. 
I finally forgave the couple who sold us the business for their harsh treatment of us and can now smile when I think about the rocky relationship we had with the couple who bought our business. Now I see how much we were like them, ready to take on the world and be our own boss. Lots of energy and enthusiasm and determined to do things our way, the new way. Writing the memoir has lessened the pain and disappointment I have carried about the couples we dealt with in each situation.
Have you written or tried writing stories from your life? Do you have family stories you remember whenever your gang gets together? How does re-telling those times help you? Please leave a comment below. Thank you.
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Upcoming Events



Dr. Bob Rich--Free Edit Contest--Deadline is October 15

Win a free edit of your book by submitting a synopsis and a 1000 words of the book. Click here for details. Good luck! 
Click here to visit his informative and thought-provoking blog, Bobbing Around.




The 5 W's in Story Guest Authors on Pinterest Board

All of the authors who shared the 5 W's in their stories since March 2018 are on the board I created at my Pinterest site. 
You can also be featured on the board by being my guest for the 5 W's Event. 
Click here to see the board
Contact me at jqrose02 at gmail dot com if you would like to participate this winter. Thank you!
October 31--Author Sandy Carlson shares the 5 W's in her ghost story. Perfect for a Halloween guest post!

BWL Publishing
Holiday Contest
Click here to enter for a chance to win!!
Amazon Giveaway--Celebrating this scary Halloween holiday, I am going to offer my first Amazon Giveaway--a paranormal suspense novel, Terror on Sunshine Boulevard. A mix of fright and humor in a senior retirement community. I'll announce the giveaway on the blog and on Facebook the week it starts. Have you done an amazon giveaway? Any advice? Thanks.
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The IWSG members blog the first Wednesday of every month The list of bloggers is always available so you can hop around to the author blogs filled with humor, advice, and thought-provoking topics on writing and publishing. 
Find the list of participants at Alex's IWSG page
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27 comments:

Jacqui Murray--Writer-Teacher said...

I know what you mean about difficulty beginning a story (and I like how you said it). Luckily, I have about 6 stories started but I don't know what I'll do after that.

Helena Fairfax said...

Hi JQ, it's interesting that writing your memoirs has helped you get closure on those difficult times. Writing does help me put things in perspective. It seems like you are outside your own life and telling it as a story to entertain others. You are less involved. I hope the memoirs are progressing well.

Ronel Janse van Vuuren said...

I hear you about not being able to be creative when going through grieving. At least we have a lot of non-fiction duties to perform as authors. Happy IWSG day!

Ronel visiting on Insecure Writer's Support Group day: Course Correction

J.Q. Rose said...

Hi Jacqui, I bet once you get some of those stories finished, you'll have another batch of stories swirling through your brain. Good luck with figuring out all those endings! LOL

J.Q. Rose said...

Yes, Helena. I do feel like I'm sitting in a movie theater watching the action in my own life. I like free writing. I uncover feelings and sort out "stuff" when I do that.

J.Q. Rose said...

Yes, those non fiction duties kept me busy too! Thanks.

cleemckenzie said...

Grief has the upper hand, that's for sure. The cooked noodles is a perfect analogy.

Crystal Collier said...

Isn't it awesome how we develop into compassionate beings with each life experience? Perspective is everything, eh?

emaginette said...

I recently had a similar moment of enlightenment. Funny how times lets things shift into another perspective. :-)

Anna from elements of emaginette

A. B. Keuser said...

Writing can be such good therapy, but it definitely takes time to get there too.

Juneta key said...

Life does have some tough moments. I need distance usually a lot of time before I can even try to write about stuff. Glad that help you get perspective that is important. Happy IWSG Day.

J.Q. Rose said...

Thanks, Lee.

J.Q. Rose said...

Awesome describes it to the T. Perspective is like trying on different glasses. You can easily see much more or much less with each pair. Thanks for stopping in, Cystal.

J.Q. Rose said...

I kind of get a different meaning for the old adage, "time will tell."

J.Q. Rose said...

That's the truth, A. B.

J.Q. Rose said...

I think those tough moments kind of shock the system and numb all the sadness so we can accept reality. Time heals the shock.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Maybe they took some of your advice after all. If not, they will be selling it soon. I'm sure it's therapeutic to write about that time now.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Writing it now is like seeing yourselves before and after. You can relate better.

Beverly Stowe McClure said...

I believe writing can help us deal with a situation, when it's time. At least it has helped me.

Diane Burton said...

They say you never know a person until you walk in their shoes. I remember being so young and know-it-all and groan. Enjoy writing your WIP.

Sandra Cox said...

Janet, I had no idea your brother passed in Dec. Belated hugs and condolences.

J.Q. Rose said...

Thanks, Diane.

J.Q. Rose said...

Good point, Alex.

J.Q. Rose said...

Writing does help to soothe me and let my feelings come to the surface. Thank you, Beverly.

J.Q. Rose said...

Thanks. I am enjoying writing this--more than I thought possible.

J.Q. Rose said...

Thank you, Sandra.

Michelle Wallace said...

I've never tried writing stories from my life. My mother is the eldest of 14 children, so there are plenty of family stories. Something to think about.

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