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Wednesday, December 1, 2021

#IWSG: Writing--Stress or Delight?

 


Happy Insecure Writer's Support Group Day. IWSG is the brainchild of Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh.

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! Thanks, Alex, for starting this group and keeping it going. We are rockin' the neurotic writing world!

The awesome co-hosts for the December 1 posting of the IWSG are PJ Colando, Louise – Fundy Blue, Natalie Aguirre, and Jacqui Murray! Oh, yeah. And me.

Each month, our admins throw out a question for us. We don't have to use it, but I love being given a topic. After all these years, I'm running out of ideas. ðŸ˜Š 

December 1 question - In your writing, what stresses you the most? What delights you?

I've had enough stresses both in my writing and in my family life. I'd rather talk about what delights me. It's the feeling when the ideas are flowing and "thrusters on full" (Star Trek). The words are rolling off my fingertips. I'm in the zone and loving it. That doesn't happen often, but when it does...wow! I'm on a roller coaster ride.

Did you ever see the movie Romancing the Stone? At the beginning, Joan Wilder (author) is finishing a manuscript and bawling her eyes out. I think she says something like "damn, that's good." I had that moment once. It was when a mother recognized her lost son. Tears started leaking then flowing. Yeah, that good. Notice, I said it happened once. But, wow, what a delight.

I hope you have many delightful moments in your writing. 

Click here to find others on the Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop. Or go to IWSG on Facebook to see who’s blogging today.

I hope to get around to visiting many of you over the next month. Happy Writing!

Also, Happy Holidays, however you celebrate. 







59 comments:

  1. Oh the delight of writing something that moves you to tears. I have one chapter I could hardly edit because I ended up crying every time. Admittedly someone I loved died, but that's what happens in books, sometimes.
    Thanks for co-hosting today :)
    Jemima

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  2. Yes, those moments when we know we've really done a good job in writing a scene or chapter are great. Thanks for co-hosting with me.

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    1. They don't come so often that we get complacent. Thanks for cohosting, Natalie.

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  3. I remember that scene! I can't say I've really cried over anything I've written, but I did get tears in my eyes when I had to kill off a character.

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    1. We invest so much in our characters it's no wonder we tear up when something awful happens to them.

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  4. Happy holidays Diane and thanks for co-hosting this month. I loved you referencing that scene. When your own writing moves you then you know you've got the emotions right.

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    1. Thanks, Kalpana. It isn't often we get those emotions right. And when we do...wow.

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  5. I've had some wonderful moments too. Hi Diane. It's been a while. I'm glad you're happy and healthy.

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  6. When they are rolling, it's good. I do remember the beginning of Jewel of the Nile when she was frustrated and threw the typewriter overboard!
    Merry Christmas!

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    1. LOL I've had that feeling, too, Alex. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

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  7. That moment when you reread a scene and go "Yes!" Better than peanut butter . . . almost. Thanks for co-hosting this month, Di!

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  8. I hear that bit about writing like you own those words, really! What delight! Thank you for co-hosting.

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  9. I'm with you on looking for things that delight me. I loved Romancing the Stone because it made me laugh, and I always have to find things that help me do just that!

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    1. We need things (movies/books) that make us laugh. Life is full of too much misery, violence, sorrow. Finding delight in our writing is such a plus.

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    2. Life does seem to have a few sucker punches for us. I forgot to thank you for co-hosting today. Loved your post, so a second visit was in order anyway!

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  10. Hi,
    I haven't seen Romancing the Stone, but I have had that experience when I knew within my heart that what I wrote was good and I could only say, Wow, this is a good story.
    Thank you for co-hosting.
    Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a safe crossover into 2022.

    Shalom aleichem,
    Pat G @ EverythingMustChange

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    1. Thanks so much for your good wishes, Pat. The same to you. Romancing the Stone is a feel-good movie. Laugh out loud funny at times. High adventure. Sort of cheesy ending, but cute. Obviously, I loved it.

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  11. Oh so true! "The words are rolling off my fingertips. I'm in the zone and loving it. That doesn't happen often, but when it does...wow! I'm on a roller coaster ride." The only thing that matches that feeling is solving an impossible techie geeky problem. What a rush!

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    1. A rush. That's the feeling when everything falls into place. I get your reference. I felt darn good when I replaced the keyboard because of sticky keys. I found the directions online, ordered a new keyboard thru Amazon, and did it. Wow. A terrific feeling of accomplishment.

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  12. Yeah, those moments of flow make the struggle worthwhile. Thanks for co-hosting this month, and happy writing in December!

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    1. If we didn't have the lows, we wouldn't appreciate the highs. Best wishes to you, too.

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  13. I loved Romancing the Stone, and I remember that part. Being a writer, those are precious moments!

    Thank you for co-hosting and Merry Christmas!

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  14. Thank you for reminding us the power of storytelling. I also appreciate displaying symbols of three major holidays. I know "thrusters on full" is yours for years to come. Thanks for co-hosting.
    Lynn La Vita @ http://la-vita.us/write/

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  15. Romancing the Stone. Iconoclastic. "The Doobie Brothers broke up!" lol. I'd rather focus on delight as well. "Thrusters on full." Thanks for co-hosting!

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  16. When my story has me crying, I know the scene is good. I also love those times when my typing fingers can't keep up with my brain. Thanks for co-hosting.

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  17. I love Romancing the Stone. Wouldn't it be great if writers could just finish a first draft, love it, and take it to their publishers? Gosh! If only...

    You loved one of your stories? Bravo! I "love" some of my stories. But sometimes the publishing world says no. Without giving a reason. Poop! I'll keep trying. Happy Holidays to you too, Diane!

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  18. Hi Diane, a good writing day is a huge source of delight.

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  19. I'm so glad for the delight of writing! Happy writing, and Happy Holidays, Diane!

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  20. Applause for your delight in writing, Diane! Positivity wins, beating stress every time.
    Happy holiday delights with you and yours, too

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  21. Those moments of delight are so great, aren't they? I'm with you, I like to focus on the positive. It seems to make the negative stuff easier to face & deal with. Thanks so much for co-hosting.

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  22. Love it when the words are flowing! Thanks for co-hosting.

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  23. Yes, I have made myself cry writing a scene before. More than once.

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  24. Thanks for co-hosting. I've got one book stuck 'in the middle' because I know I'm going to kill off a character I love and I just can't do it. I don't know if it will ever be written. I guess the characters aren't just words on paper.

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  25. I love when I get excited about my own writing! I love when other books make me cry or laugh or both.

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  26. Occasionally I will have my delights when writing. Sometimes those are the only things keeping me going when the rough times hit.

    Thanks for co-hosting IWSG this month!

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  27. Hi Diane,

    Wow. That scene you described (recognizing her lost son) was powerful! I just realized my tissue box is empty. Wishing you as many delightful writing experiences as you can handle ;-) Thank you for co-hosting and have a very merry Christmas!

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  28. Being moved by a scene you've written is definitely a good sign!

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  29. I had a crying moment when I was writing in a coffee shop once. Wonderful, but I wished it had happened at home. Hope you have an amazing holiday.

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  30. Yeah, the moment when you love your own story - there is nothing better.

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  31. Hi, Diane! Thanks for co-hosting today. I hope that you have been having fun visiting around! Yes let's focus on delight! I've had too many stresses myself lately. Being in the zone is the most exhilarating feeling. Rollercoasters terrify me, so I can't think of that feeling as a rollercoaster ride ~ maybe riding a wave on Waikiki. Happy holidays to you ~ May they fill you with peace, joy, and love!

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  32. Thanks for co-hosting this month.
    I too enjoy those "damn, that's good" moments.
    Happy Holidays!

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  33. I remember Romancing the Stone! It was kind of an Indiana Jones knock off but it was good. And I do remember that scene at the beginning with the author weeping over how good her story was. It's a feeling that keeps any of us writers want to keep writing.

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  34. I remember giggling after writing a passage. Glad I was at home, otherwise people around me would think I was bonkers. Whew...Thanks for co-hosting. We are on a road trip and I forgot to click publish yesterday!

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    1. This is Janet Glaser writing as JQ Rose here. Different laptop!

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  35. Oh yeah, Romancing The Stone, one of my favorites. When we saw it I thought we'd stepped into the wrong theater because it opened with the Western scene. Heh.

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  36. Excellent points! There's nothing like being in that zone. If only it happened more often.

    Thank you for hosting this month!

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  37. Yes! I love finding myself in that special writing zone. Doesn't happen often, but it's awesome when it does happen.

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  38. Love that Star Trek feeling!
    ooh, now I feel like watching Romancing the Stone again :-)

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  39. I've that WOW feeling once. I had put away a manuscript for over a year. When I took it out again and read it, there were parts that were - not to brag - amazing. Happy Holidays and wishing you a joyous and healthy new year!

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  40. Thank you for co-hosting the blog hop this month!

    As Robert Frost said: No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.
    A toast to more of those delightful writing moments in 2022!
    Happy Holidays!

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  41. I had moment or two of that with this year's NaNo novel. It is a delight when that happens! Yes, I'm once again way behind on commenting. :)

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  42. Hugs for the hard times.

    When that flow gets going, it's awesome. I think that scene in the movie is what made me think I could be a writer when I was a young girl. She was such a train wreck. I thought- I'm a train wreck too. Maybe writers don't have to be geniuses. LOL

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  43. Wow, I'd forgotten all about Romancing the Stone! I should watch that again.

    I also love those moments when the words flow, and the emotion swells off the page. They help make up for the (more numerous) moments when I'm banging my head on the keyboard, trying to knock the words out.

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