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IWSG: How I Keep Writing Even Through the Rough Stages

Logo of the Insecure Writer's Support Group with a lighthouse in the background.


It's the first Wednesday of the month and so it’s time for another Insecure Writer’s Support Group (IWSG) post! In an IWSG post, we writers bring our writing challenges and problems out into the open to share with each other and try to offer solutions. 

We’re getting into summer and that means hot weather for many of us but it also means hot books to read and hot movies to watch in a nice AC’d movie theatre. So, I’m planning to come up with my own reading list for the summer here at the Fantastic Site soon, but I already have a summer movie list up. So feel free to take a look at it. But let me forewarn you, since my blog emphasises science fiction and fantasy reading, writing and viewing, this list mostly covers movies in those genres. But even if you’re not a speculative fiction fan, you might find on the list that rare film that works for all audiences regardless of a person’s genre preference. Now let’s move on to the IWSG question of the month!


IWSG Question of the Month

The IWSG question of the month, is: When the going gets tough writing the story, how do you keep yourself writing to the end? If have not started the writing yet, why do you think that is and what do you think could help you find your groove and start? If things get tough while I'm writing a story, I keep myself writing in several different ways depending on what level of the work I’m on. If I’m on the first or rough draft level, then I'll stop and work on another story. Or I'll brainstorm for a solution to the problem or whatever's causing my writers' block. I was kind of in that situation last week. The story didn't seem to be going anywhere and so I put it aside for a few days and worked on another story. Then when I went back to it, I discovered the problem may have been with the supporting character. So, I decided to switch that character with a more minor female character and make her serve the supporting role. So far I've only developed her character in a character profile and so haven't worked her into the story as the supporting character yet, but I'm hoping it will develop the story better and lead the protagonist to resolve the conflict in a way that’s satisfying to the reader. 

If I’m at the revision stage of writing a story when I come to a difficult point, then I may work on another task within the story. I'll either put it aside and work on another story or some other writing project. or I'll brainstorm for a solution. I may even do something else such as research certain elements of the story that I may not be presenting convincingly. For example, if I’m writing a horror story that involves a corpse that’s been lying in a cellar for several weeks, in order to make its description convincing I’ll research the length of time it takes for it to rot in such an environment. Then, eventually, I'll go back to the problem I was stuck on, usually a day or more later, and try to work through it again. But whatever I do I make sure I either keep writing or work in something related to the writing. 

Current Writing Status, Guest Bloggers Wanted

It's been a long week. So, I've been behind in some writing projects. I'm especially running behind with my author newsletter. I'll admit, I haven't started anything yet, except maybe some brainstorming for ideas on what to put in the newsletter. If you haven't signed up for my author newsletter then you can do so for free here! I’m also still looking for guest bloggers, so if you’re into speculative fiction whether writing, reading or watching, let me know in the comments box or email me at SArellanoRose@gmail.com and we can decide on a day for you to post.  


So, how do you handle those rough moments in your writing? Today’s IWSG is brought to you by these super co-hosts:  SE White, Cathrina Constantine, Natalie Aguire, Joylene Nowell Butler, and Jacqui Murray! IWSG was founded by awesome author Alex Cavanaugh, writer of the Cassa Series of novels! 

Until next time . . . 

Comments

  1. I rarely have another story going, but I can pause a bit and the answer will usually come.
    If you're open to movie discussions or reviews, be happy to do a guest post. Have you ever done a book to movie on The Relic? I'd love to tear into that one.

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    Replies
    1. I've heard a lot about The Relic movie but haven't seen it. I didn't know it was a book originally. I'll have to read and watch that one sometime. Yes, I'd like to do a book to movie review as a guest blogger sometime! Any special days or times of year you prefer guests to post?

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  2. Hi, Stephen! Science fiction is my favorite genre, followed by fantasy. But I read a lot of genres. Horror probably less so, because my imagination is pretty vivid. I can handle a horror book better than a horror movie. It's hard to believe that I can go back to a movie theatre again. I haven't been to one since the beginning of the pandemic. I can't wait for the latest Jurassic Park movie and Downton Abbey. Beyond that I haven't thought ~ Probably Top Gun. Thanks for visiting my blog for IWSG Day! Happy writing in June!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Fundy Blue! I heard Top Gun is good. It's not my preference of movie, but a co-worker of mine said she saw it and liked it. Yes, it was hard to believe that movie theatres were open again when they opened back up in my area a year ago. But I'm so glad they're open now and I hope no plague (or anything of the sort) will cause them to close again. I was glad to visit your blog. Thanks for visiting mine too!

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  3. That's great that you have an author newsletter. I'm still trying to figure out how to do that. haha!

    Thank you for visiting my blog!

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    Replies
    1. No problem. Thank you for visiting mine! Mailchimp has a free option where it offers templates and sources for email marketing and it may have some material on how to make a newsletter. I use Mailchimp and it's not bad. There's a few things you have to figure out for yourself but it's manageable.

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    2. Mailchimp sounds easy! Thank you for suggesting it. :)

      I'm interested in being a guest blog! You're welcome to get back with me: elizabeth.mueller.author(at)gmail
      ♥.•*¨Elizabeth Mueller¨*•.♥

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    3. That's really awesome! I'll email you soon. Thanks!

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