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Wednesday, August 3, 2022

#IWSG: August


 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 August 3 posting of the IWSG are Tara Tyler, Lisa Buie Collard, Loni Townsend, and Lee Lowery!

OMG, I forgot today is the 1st Wednesday. I saw a couple of notices from people I follow and thought, Wow, they are really jumping the gun, a whole week early. LOL Just goes to show how unawake I am this morning. Hubs, get me another cup of coffee! Please!

July was a pretty good month. I wrote almost 4k words. The best part of July is I read about the coolest way to outline a story. Well, many cool ways. I'm not an outliner. Tried it once and thought, "I told the story, don't need to write it now." Outlining the whole story doesn't work for me. I always have a beginning, and I know the end. I might have an idea for a twist but that's it.

Back to the outline that struck me. The flashlight method. I've also heard it described as the headlights method. Write the points to the story only as far as the light shows. Does that make sense?

I tried it. I thought of three key things that need to happen next in my WIP (The Case of the Wedding Wrecker). Once I've added those points, I shine the flashlight again for the next however many points that need to happen. I'll let you know next month if it works.

August 3 question - When you set out to write a story, do you try to be more original or do you try to give readers what they want?

That is a tough question. I write what I want to write. I take into consideration what readers expect from the genre, whether it's a cozy mystery, romantic suspense, or a sci-fi adventure/romance. Every genre has certain tropes. Readers know when they pick up a romantic suspense they'll find two people who either dislike each other or don't know each other or are best friends. They'll have to put their feelings toward the other aside to solve a major problem. Readers expect the story to end with the problem solved and the two with a happy-ever-after or a happy-for-now. I know that's rather simplistic. 

Whew. It's 9:09. I got this post done in record time. Have a great month.


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.


31 comments:

  1. BTW, I didn't get that cup of coffee. Hubs???

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    1. What do you have to do to get good service around there? 😆

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  2. I don't outline either. I've never enjoyed it, not even way back when I was in school. I'd never heard the term "flashlight method" but in a way that's sort of what I do. I am a hardcore pantser, but sometimes I do have some ideas/plot points I want to add in the story. I typically just make a list and then cross them out after I've fit them in to the right place. Congrats on the 4k last month and best wishes getting more words in August.

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    1. Thanks, Meka. I'm a pantser, too. The list sounds like it works for you. Great.

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  3. Hi Diane, I too write what I want to write :)

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    1. LOL, Rachna. Eventually, I work my story to meet reader expectations.

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  4. That's a lot of words for July, so congrats on that. And also on making the First Wednesday Post!

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  5. That's clever--the headlight approach. I wonder if it works. Hmm...

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  6. I like that flashlight/headlight method — the fog in the middle is always tough to see into =D
    There really is nothing new, so putting our own spin on a “simplistic” base is what makes it uniquely ours. Nice post!

    Tara Tyler Talks

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    1. Thanks, Tara. Ah, yes, the fog. Hopefully, we can work through that.

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  7. Hi,
    Your word count in July was fabulous. Congrats! Having read three of your books, I would describe you as a heart writer that is very capable of building suspense and romance in your books. That's why your books are so convincing. I enjoy reading stories that offer hope and promise and your stories do just that.
    Shalom aleichem,
    Pat G @ EverythingMustChange

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    1. Pat, thank you so much. Your words about my books made my day! Support like yours helps when the writing gets hard.

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  8. Some plots are simplistic, but that's where we can bring our originality.

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  9. I've never been a fan of outlining for the same reason. The flashlight method sounds like a workable alternative. I've been leaning on a one page summary for the last few novels and that seems to work well.

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  10. This month's posting due date came up on me pretty fast, too!! Usually, I'm writing my blog a week ahead of time. Only had 2 days notice this time! Yikes! Thank goodness for the questions. Great blog, Diane.

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    1. Thanks, Diana. I couldn't believe I didn't see the date coming.

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  11. I struggle with outlines, but I do like super short ones that give me room for running sideways now and then. I guess that's like writing what I love and meeting reader expectations, too. I think we have an outline of expectations and then go from there.

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    1. I like "running sideways". Accurately describes how I sometimes go off the rails. LOL

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  12. You've wrapped this up most succinctly, Diane! As a writer, I write what I want to write. If I want other people to read it, I need to think like a reader.

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    1. Absolutely, Lee. I'm a reader, too. So writing what I like to read works for me.

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  13. I like your flashlight method. Seems similar to what I do.

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  14. I only use own outline for when I write the second draft, never the rough draft. If I use it for a rough draft it will stall my creativity making the story come out stilted.

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  15. Good job getting it done! I've done that before. Once I missed an entire month. I have no idea where it went. I should look in my sock draw...

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  16. Great post for doing it so quickly. That must have been good coffee. I'm going to be thinking about that outlining method today.

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  17. I think writing what you want to write is the most important thing. I thought about trying to become a ghostwriter for a company that wants something like 2500 words a day from their ghost writers. I realized that doing this would destroy my ability to work on my own projects, so I opted against it.

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