IWSG JULY 3RD, 2018

 INSECURE WRITER’S SUPPORT GROUP

 FOUNDED BY 

Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh 

Writer’s supporting, encouraging and learning from each other.   Post on your own blog about your struggles, your triumphs, and your successes.  Talk about your works in progress the good, the bad and the ugly or some other writing relating topic on your mind.   Read others, interact, comment, and grow within this wonderful author community.   Every month there is an optional question for those who may need help figuring out what to post about.

Join The Community

Check the IWSG Home Blog

          I have written stories for fun since I was a kid.  When yahoo forums were the big thang and the role play group games new to online.   I started writing Star Wars fan fiction in RPG, as well as, Lord of the Rings RPG, Historical Romance RPG, and a Pern like RPG. 

          These games morphed and changed over time.  The Yahoo forums changed and my game pals  drifted away, as we tend to do in life.  My roommate and I continued to play until about 2015.  Good times.  

          I still write fan fiction to visit with my characters and develop new ones.

          In the mid 90’s, I had three poems place in poetry contests to earn publication in anthologies.  One came in second place.  Another was requested for use a second time in a millennial anthology and set to music for a library.

          During these years, I was also studying the writing craft.  I took courses from places like The Children’s Writer’s Institute, Writer’s Digest when they were snail-mail courses cause the internet was not what it is today.  

          I also bought tons of writing craft books.  I continue this practice even today. Writer’s Digest – Writer’s Digest Magazine – Writer’s Digest Shop – Writer’s Market

         My list of courses and craft books is very extensive, especially now it includes Kindle books plus the tons of online writing craft courses so readily available today.

         In 2011, I found Holly Lisle writing courses.  I enrolled in the course How To Think Sideways: Career Survival School for Writer’s.   This course made me start to believe I could write for hire and start a new career doing something I loved.  Holly Lisle changed my writing, my mindset, and the way I viewed writing in general.     

          Writing had always been part of me.  I even shared it to a certain degree with others, but now I had started to believe I could write and sell stories too.  Why?  For the Money? NO! 

          Yes, I would like to make money writing, BUT, to see my stories in print and know that others are willing to pay to read them; there is something creatively satisfying about that. 

         There is a sort of validation in knowing that what I love is valuable, not only to me, but others.

          Since 2011, I have built my website, along with several remakes of said website.  I have expanded my craft book collection and writing courses, joined several writing communities, written flash fiction and short stories while working on four to five series projects. 

          I have had a lot of ups and downs but I have continued to move forward and improve to some degree in my writing journey.  

          In 2017, I joined the Ninja Writer’s Club founder Shaunta Grimes, and started taking her course A Novel Idea.  Her course is focused around my favorite writing craft book by Christopher Vogler, The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writer’s 3rd Edition. 

          In 2018, Shaunta created the NWL course; NWL stands for Ninja Write Along.   Shaunta is writing her 2nd book in a MG series she sold to a publisher last year. 

         She briefly offered the NWL course to the public inviting others to join her and write along from June to January following her process.  She includes her courses The Plotting Workshop and A Novel Idea.   Since I was already a member of the Ninja Writing Club she invited us also as NWC members as a club bonus to join her. 

         The Ninja Writer’s started writing in June, or should I say plotting which has several phases.  We are working on scenes for each act and creating our storyboard using a tri-fold board for a visual layout of our stories. 

         The tri-fold is a new tool for me.  

          The writing of the story will start soon, so I have signed up for July Camp NaNoWriMo for added encouragement and inspirations. I am part of my local NaNo regional group cabin, Lake Writers, this year.

          Shaunta has a Facebook group for NWL writers where we share our progress, ask question and so forth.  It has been quite exciting and motivating to see and learn what others are learning, doing, and having troubles with. 

          We also have regular Zoom meetings every Monday until NWL course ends.  This has been an awesome experience so far and fun journey.

NOTE: I told you guys last month IWSG that I was doing Story Cartel through The Write Practice, but I realized within the first week it was not the right fit for me now. 

          The Write Practice Becoming Writer is a great community and interactive.  Reluctantly, I decided to opt-out of the course which included the community as part of the course.   However, things worked out for the best, as the NWL opportunity presented itself, shortly afterwards.   I had been a member of Ninja Writer’s Club for a year already and it was offered as a one time bonus for current members.

THE KEY: 

          Do something, anything no matter how small or unimportant it may appear or feel.  You have done something and it will add up over time.

          Even if it just learning and building your skill set.  You are gonna need it as a writer, whether hobbyist or career minded.  No step is too small or big–check out Micro Goals.

          Create a chain reaction effect by creating Micro Goals!

           Break down the big goal into small goals and then break the smaller goals down again and repeat until they are very tiny.

           Small persistent steps forward.  Daily if you can. One of mine: Write 10 Minutes A Day & Plan next day TO DOS the night before.

          Set big goals, but IF you don’t make them, LOOK at all the small steps you accomplished trying to get there.  

          Every little thing you do COUNTS.  Every small action lays a piece of the foundation toward the LONG TERM.  

         Be the turtle not the hare because the turtle ultimately won the race.   Steady Persistence toward the goal line.

         There is real wisdom in that metaphorical story for those of us that feel like we are working hard to get there but never arriving. 

         WHAT?  Look at what I have accomplished since 2011 (7 years) feeling like I’ve done nothing of real merit. Most of it happen while I was playing around in intermittent steps.

            Small Steps Count!  Now on to the bigger goals for 2018.

A Side Note: The NWC I talked about above: 

Shaunta included for NWL participates, a Anti-blogging flagship course as it is created, teaching us how to use Medium as a blogging platform (possibly in place of a website if you don’t already have one) and making money on the Medium platform through their partnership program.

         She has done very well with Medium and she shares the real $$$ facts with us about her own experience since April 2018.  This class will be available next year for the public if I understand her plans correctly. 

          Medium has a built in audience.  According to several sources Medium tends to attract educated, tech-savvy people that value storytelling and quality content. 

Medium audience demographics according to Alexa.  According to Quora.   According to Storytelling a learning and exploring platform.  Storytelling had the best overall explanation about Medium.

JUNE SPOTLIGHTS

The Astonishing Maybe By Shaunta Grimes

Born In A Treacherous Time Author Jacqui Murray

Write With FEY: 10 Sparks to Guide You from Idea to Publication!

Please follow and like us: