Wednesday, September 2, 2020

#WriterSupport #writingcommunity #IWSG @TheIWSG

Join Alex J. Cavanaugh and a multitude of writer's in this monthly hop to help support one another!

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 

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

 

Guidelines and rules:

Word count: 4500-6000

Genre: Science Fiction

Theme: Dark Matter

Submissions accepted: May 6 - September 2, 2020

How to enter: Send your polished, formatted (double-spaced, no footers or headers), previously unpublished story to admin @ insecurewriterssupportgroup.com before the deadline passes. Please include your full contact details, your social links, and if you are part of the Blogging, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter IWSG group. 




































September 2 question - If you could choose one author, living or dead, to be your beta partner, who would it be and why?

This is a difficult question because I've worked with a few awesome beta partners. For example, Nana Prah, Chrys Fey, Catherine Stoval, and more...I can't choose a living or dead author because in my weird mind, I'd like to get to know the person. (Besides, there are too many famous authors, and I can't choose just one...LOL)

I feel there needs to be a connection with your beta. There has to be complete transparency and honesty when it comes to critiquing my writing or their writing. Sometimes the critiquing comments can be harsh, which can make me feel like a terrible writer. I've learned to roll with the punches, but come away with bruises. I can only believe even authors that have made the New York Times Best Selling Lists have also struggled. 

Time and time again, I've said this, and I've heard this repeated by many authors: "Writer's need a suit of armor." 








10 comments:

  1. Yes, so true that we need a suit of armor. I've learned to accept the hard things my critique partners tell me and follow their advice more. And it's working!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'd take one of those!
    The critique partners I've had have rocked.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm still working on that suit of armour! I like knowing my people as well!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yeah, getting feedback can be rough, especially when it's a two way street. I'm glad you have great betas!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks for mentioning me! Although I was hired to be your editor (although you had another after me, bonus!). Feedback and be tough to swallow, even when it's given with care. We do need that suit of armor.

    ReplyDelete
  6. A writer invests so much into their writing and characters that it is hard to hear 'bad' things said about those 'children'. Note the ' 's. I think you have to have a good relationship with that person.

    ReplyDelete
  7. True, true.
    It helps to find someone who likes the type of book you're writing. If a beta doesn't like sci-fi, and you have a sci-fi, the odds are already stacked against you. But if you have a sci-fi and your beta is fluent in Klingon and Shyriiwook, and is an authority on the Dune discussion panel, then yeah, that's a beta reader who is going to have real insight to offer.

    ReplyDelete
  8. You're so right. A suit of metaphorical armor would be very useful to any writer.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Picking one author was challenging for me, Cathrina, because there are so many authors I admire. I settled on Stephen King. I'm working on my suit of armor. Happy writing in September!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Chrys is DLP's editor - she will find what's wrong with any manuscript!

    ReplyDelete