IWSG Blog Hop for Sept

IWSG Blog Hop for Sept and Helpful Links

9/6/2017

Happy September! Here are a few helpful links to start the month.

Productivity article: "Forget About Setting Goals. Focus on This Instead"

Writing contest: YARN's Halloween fiction contest (open to teens and adults who write YA)

Parenting: "Getting Your Legal House In Order Before Your Adult Child Leaves for College"

IWSG Blog Hop

Every month, the Insecure Writers Support Group poses an optional question that members can answer in their blog posts. Special thanks to Alex Cavanaugh for founding IWSG, and to this month’s blog hop co-hosts: Tyrean Martinson, Tara Tyler, Raimey Gallant, and Beverly Stowe McClure. Be sure to visit their blogs and say hello! This month’s question:

Have you ever surprised yourself with your writing? For example, by trying a new genre you didn't think you'd be comfortable in?

Yes, it was a surprise to realize how much I enjoy writing short stories. I find it satisfying to complete a project over a shorter time frame, because novels take so looonnnnggg.

My first published short story, “Escape to Orange Blossom,” appeared in the integrated dystopian anthology, Prep for Doom. Next, “The Art of Remaining Bitter” was selected for inclusion in IWSG’s anthology, Hero Lost: Mysteries of Death and Life. Later in the fall, I have a short story featuring my first adult protagonist. “Justice for Jaynie” will appear in a new Sisters in Crime anthology, Thirty Shades of Dead. Details to follow in a later post.

In other good news:

I love autumn! What's your favorite thing about this season?

Marie Andreas link

9/6/2017 08:56:31 am

I admire short story writers! I have a few but they were not easy for me at all. To be able to make a story with impact in a short space is a great skill. Happy IWSG day!

Yvonne V link

9/6/2017 08:19:44 pm

It's definitely a different skill set than long fiction. Thanks for stopping by!

Anna link

9/6/2017 10:10:08 am

Congrats on all your success.

<a href="http://emaginette.wordpress.com"> Anna from elements of emaginette</a>

9/6/2017 08:20:08 pm

Thank you, Anna!

Elsie link

9/6/2017 11:39:28 am

You are rockin' and rollin'! Good for you, Yvonne. Ah, yes, tis the season for pumpkin everything. I'm not a big fan of cold so my season is sadly coming to an end. Although I love sweatpants and football so there is that.

Enjoy the rest of your week!
<a href="https://helpingpartnersofsexaddictsheal.org/">Elsie </a>

9/6/2017 08:20:40 pm

Sweatpants! :)

Julie Flanders link

9/6/2017 12:22:59 pm

Wow, how awesome you have had such success with your short stories. Congrats!
And I love autumn too. My favorite time of year by far.

9/6/2017 08:21:02 pm

I love the crispness, Julie. :)

Bobbi

9/6/2017 02:10:12 pm

Congratulations on publishing your short stories!! Short stories are a unique, demanding art form. Well done! And, I love the memes!!

9/6/2017 08:21:25 pm

Thanks! And I love a good meme. :)

Juneta link

9/6/2017 09:47:53 pm

Wow, congrats on the short stories. Love the meme.
<a href="https://www.junetakey.com/"> Juneta @ Writer's Gambit </a>

9/7/2017 07:39:39 am

Thank you, Juneta!

Liz A. link

9/6/2017 10:15:39 pm

Love the first meme. I read someplace today that complaining about pumpkin spice everything is now considered "basic". As in, they way teenagers use basic today. Which is not good. Not bad, exactly...

9/7/2017 07:40:38 am

Hmmm. Still not a fan of pumpkin, though! ;)

Karen link

9/6/2017 11:56:21 pm

Helpful links! Having one in college and one not far behind, the parenting tip was especially helpful and something I hadn't even considered.

9/7/2017 07:41:20 am

Glad you found it useful!

Krystal Jane link

9/7/2017 12:40:05 am

I like reading anthologies because they make me feel like I'm reading faster than I am. ^_^

My short story skills are so rusty. Congratulations on all the publications! That's awesome.

I like the cooler weather that fall brings. Comfortable enough to go outside without melting or freezing. Plus less bugs than springtime. Perfection.

9/7/2017 07:42:07 am

So true about reading anthologies!

Michelle Wallace link

9/7/2017 08:11:42 am

Congrats on the short story publications.
“The Art of Remaining Bitter” is a wonderful story!

Well it's spring my end of the globe...and the days are much warmer. Well, they're mostly warm where I live, anyway...
Since the warm current runs along our coast, we enjoy a subtropical climate and don't experience the winter weather that grips other parts of the country. During winter, everybody flocks this side of the country.

9/7/2017 11:17:12 am

Michelle, thanks for your kind words about "The Art of Remaining Bitter." I am a bit jealous about your weather!

Loni Townsend link

9/7/2017 09:37:18 am

Woot for finding success where you didn't think you'd venture. I'm glad the short story writing worked out well for you. :)

9/7/2017 11:17:39 am

Thanks, Loni. A pleasant surprise.

Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine link

9/7/2017 07:45:31 pm

I tend to write on the shorter side, and can see where you're coming from.

9/7/2017 08:04:47 pm

Yes, you do flash fiction sometimes, right? Long can be good but it's nice to proofread something in a single sitting!

Tyrean Martinson link

9/8/2017 01:47:08 am

Congrats on all of your writing success!
Although I usually love summer, I'm in the "on fire" zone where I live with ash falling from the sky and I was extremely glad when we had 15 minutes of rain today. I know that our region had four months of nearly straight rain, but it was followed by four months of nearly no rain. I'm ready for a good week of rain followed by two days of sun, and then more rain. My native Washingtonian is coming out and I'm really ready for fall this year.

9/8/2017 08:21:57 am

I hope the weather cooperates for you!

Alex J. Cavanaugh link

9/8/2017 01:42:38 pm

You've found your short story groove!

Yvonne Ventresca link

9/9/2017 08:47:57 am

IWSG helped, Alex!

Marcia Strykowski link

9/8/2017 06:38:16 pm

Those links DO look helpful, thanks. Although I haven't tried any in years, I like short stories (and picture books) for the same reason. It's nice to be able to go through an entire revision in one sitting. Happy fall, Yvonne!

9/9/2017 08:47:04 am

Thanks for stopping by, Marcia.

Comments are closed.