Wednesday, February 7, 2018

IWSG: Updates and Writing Genre Fiction

Purpose: 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!


Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting! Be sure to link to the IWSG page and display the badge in your post. And please be sure your avatar links back to your blog! If it links to Google+, be sure your blog is listed there. Otherwise, when you leave a comment, people can't find you to comment back.


Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!


Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG


This month's question: What do you love about the genre you write in most?


Before I get to the question of the month, time for a bit of an update. It's been exciting this last month as the IWSG anthology, Tick Tock: A Stitch in Crime moves forward and we work on publicity. We have a lovely cover: 

And a blog--check it for an IWSG post today: https://ticktockmysteries.blogspot.co.uk/
We have some  nice banners to tweet (if you want to tweet, we are using #ticktockmystery):
That one just happens to feature the teaser for my story :)

Okay, enough adverts (though really I am also just being very excited about this, because hey, it's exciting!). On the writing front, I have finished yet another round of edits/revisions of Death By Adverb, and have some hope that I will make my release day, March 19. The cover is ready, so I'm going to share it right here and now. Isn't it cool?
If you would like to help out with a post on release day, let me know in the comments!

What I haven't done this month (and I vow to do it in Feb) is submit any more stories--and that even though I have one ready to go. To be honest, I kind of dropped everything (except Tick Tock) in my struggle with DBA. I have a couple of possibilities, so I really will follow through this month.

Okay, now for the question.
First I had to decided what genre I write in most. Since lately it's been mysteries, I guess I'll go with that (I also write fantasy and children's fiction, and a range of genres show up in my flash fiction).

But mysteries. What is it that makes those so much fun to write? Of course, since I love to read them, that's part of it. But I also have to admit right off the top that writing genre fiction takes care of a problem that I often have when I try to write "serious" fiction: in a mystery, you never have to ask yourself what the point is. Nor does it have to have any great import. I can just kick back, enjoy playing with my characters, and let my sense of humor lead the way. What's not to love about that?

How about you? What kind of writing do you love best? Or what do you love to read, and why?

©Rebecca M. Douglass, 2018
As always, please ask permission to use any photos or text. Link-backs appreciated!


 

17 comments:

  1. Oh WOW! What a cover!!
    As soon as you know release day, let me know so I can set up a post :)

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    1. Just a thought - your author name should be more prominent.

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    2. Release day is March 19, the good lord willing and the creek don't rise.

      You may have a point about my name, though I'm never assuming anyone's looking for that :) I'll see if Dani can increase the contrast a little.

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  2. Congrats on your awesome cover. I love reading mysteries, but don't write in that genre. I love and write fantasy. Do you want me to shout out about your book in follower news? Send me an e-mail and I can tell you what I need.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks--I will.

      I also love and write fantasy :), though I'm a little on the non-traditional side with that, using a lot of humor. But I admit I haven't read a lot of more recent fantasy, except for children.

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  3. The cover looks great! Happy to help with your book release. Let me know what you need. Cheers - Ellen

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  4. Great cover, (I never would have thought about your author name, but it's a good point - maybe a more contrasting colour? Not that I'm any kind of expert, in fact I'm colour-blind too, so probably best not to ask for my advice! ;) )
    Anyway, best of luck with meeting your launch date :) and here's to genre fiction and mysteries! hurrah!

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    1. Thanks! And I suspect your color-blindness makes the lack of contrast worse, so maybe that's a good perspective to have.

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  5. Congratulations on the upcoming release!

    When we enjoy our writing, our stories, our genre, that comes across to our readers, and we all want that. :)

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    1. Yes. And, frankly, given how little I make from my writing, if I'm not enjoying at least most of the process, there's not a lot of point in going on.

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  6. I like the cover and would be glad to help you out on release day.

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  7. I love that title, and the cover is brilliant. On the 19th I had another post scheduled for a hop and the rules the owner set out for it is that there can't be any promo added to it... :(

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    1. I'd be happy to have you mention it on another nearby day if you have a space :)

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  8. Good thing you didn't drop it for Tick Tock.
    Congratulations on your upcoming release!

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