#IWSG August 2023: Conflicted

The Insecure Writer's Support Group in alternating white and orange words

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! Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting! Let’s rock the neurotic writing world! Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

The awesome co-hosts for the August 2 posting of the IWSG are Kate Larkindale, Diane Burton, Janet Alcorn, and Shannon Lawrence!

The following link will allow you to peruse everyone in the Blog Hop.

Link | IWSG Blog Hop Participants

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August 2 question: Have you ever written something that afterward you felt conflicted about? If so, did you let it stay how it was, take it out, or rewrite it?

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Hello, friends!

I can't believe it's August. How is this even possible?

Last time we were here on the first Wednesday of the month for IWSG, I told you about the kitty cats that we trapped from the barn! I'm happy to report that everyone got fixed two weeks ago. They did really great, for the most part. And the two tabby babies went to their forever home (together) last Saturday!

One of the other kittens will be leaving

us in a couple weeks, and it looks like we may be keeping the last kitten and momma. I knew we wouldn't make it out of this without adding a cat to the fold. So, send us good vibes, because it's going to be a long road to get them peacefully integrated with our current clan.

Just look at these precious babies. They've come so far in the six to eight weeks since we trapped them. Spicy Mommas has calmed down quite a bit, but she still has some moments where she's not sure whether she trusts us or not.

Ghostwriting

If you read my May IWSG and June IWSG and July IWSG posts, then you've been hearing about the ghostwriting journey I've been going on.

Tonight, I finished up the first draft of this contemporary romance novel for my client. I am super excited to hear what she has to say about the last 10k I sent. Her feedback has been overwhelmingly positive so far and it's been a real confidence booster for me.

I really love this story, and one of the cons of ghostwriting is that no one will ever know that I wrote it. It's fine. I'm not in this for the fame and glory (okay, maybe the tiniest bit), but I am attached to this story and these characters. It's almost like I've birthed it and now I've got to give it up for adoption and have zero claim to it.

I'll do a whole post about ghostwriting in the near future, once life calms down a little bit.

I'm still thinking about doing an LLC for the ghostwriting stuff, if I make some more money off of it or start taking more clients. If you know anything about LLCs I'd love to hear about it! I'm not sure what the pros/cons are for making an LLC or not, versus operating under my SSN as my tax ID for my "business."

The biggest thing for this month is just

HOLY CRAP I FINISHED ANOTHER NOVEL THIS YEAR!!

Like, for real. I wrote "The End" on my holiday romance first draft in April. And I just wrote "The End" on this approximately 55k word draft of this novel for my ghostwriting client, in August.

Just, wow. I haven't written this much in one year, maybe ever. I really can't believe it.

And it also tells me that hey, I can do this. I can make this happen. I can do the writer thing on a regular basis. This is huge.

IWSG Monthly Question

The question this month asks have you ever written something that afterward you felt conflicted about? If so, did you let it stay how it was, take it out, or rewrite it?

I most definitely have. My most vivid memory of this happening, though, is when I killed off a character at the end of my first completely manuscript in 2012. It was a spy thriller novel, so of course people died, and a needed my MC to think this character died. She needed to see it happen right in front of her to be a catalyst for what she did next.

So I wrote it, and I hated it. I was so sad. So then I decided that I could just make it bad enough that she thinks he's dead, but he's not actually dead, just wounded badly enough he ends up in a coma in the hospital. So almost dead.

That's the first example that popped into my head when I saw this question. But I'm sure there are other times I've felt conflicted about something I wrote. And I'm sure sometimes they got to stay, and sometimes they got yeeted and deleted (or at least modified).

What about you? Have you written something you've been conflicted about? Tell me in the comments!

Twitch Writing Sprints Reminder!

Purple background with a couple hearts. Text: Writing & Productivity Sprints on Twitch, Wednesdays 8-11pm Easter, Fridays 1-4pm Eastern, twitch.tv/RoseEvenstar21

Shameless plug!

I'm still having a blast doing Writing & Productivity/Coworking sprints

on Twitch every week! Come join me to hang out, have fun, and get shit done!

Wednesdays at 8 pm EDT and

Fridays at 1 pm EDT

on Twitch!

Having an accountability group is so wonderful!

Thanks for stopping by and let me know in the comments your thoughts about the August question or tell me about your general writing goals for the month or what's happening in your writer life (or life in general).

Be sure to see my links down below for other places to keep up with me online and other related blog posts!

For now,

Rosie J.