insecure writers support group, writing

Balancing Your Writing #IWSG

Jennifer Lane
Thank you to Alex Cavanaugh for starting the Insecure Writers Support Group.

Time for another monthly meeting across the blogoverse for all writers who second-guess themselves. *raises hand*

Thank you so much to this month’s co-hosts: Liza at Middle Passages, Shannon Lawrence, Melissa Maygrove, and Olga Godim!

I’m excited that I finally have some momentum on my new novel, Low Water. I’ve written about 10,000 words (out of a probable 80-90K), and I’m hoping that the upcoming therapy scenes in my story will flow more easily since my day job immerses me in psychotherapy.

After falling in love with a trauma treatment I learned called cognitive processing therapy for PTSD, I wanted to write a story about a swim coach not only healing from a horrific event in his life, but also experiencing post-traumatic growth. It’s not a psychological thriller, though. More like a mental health drama, but that’s not really a thing. Have you ever written a story that doesn’t fit easily into existing genres?

Balance is on my mind while writing this story. Cognitive processing therapy utilizes cognitive-behavioral therapy, an approach that helps you balance your thinking so that you feel better. Trauma survivors sometimes get stuck in the past when their thoughts are full of self-blame, self-doubt, and/or self-directed anger.

Speaking of writing therapy scenes, I want to balance the five elements of writing (mentioned in this insightful Writers Helping Writers post) and avoid too much dialogue. I hope to portray evenly the elements of setting, action, reaction, and inner thoughts/feelings along with the dialogue. How well do you achieve a balance in your writing?

Image by Dimitris Vetsikas from Pixabay

(Have you ever tried to paddle board? That’s one area where my balance is HORRIBLE! I spend way more time in the water than on the board, but it does elicit plenty of laughs.)

Unknown's avatar

Published by Jennifer Lane

I write sports romance and suspense with a psychological twist.

14 thoughts on “Balancing Your Writing #IWSG”

  1. That’s great that you’re making good progress on your current manuscript. I hope you continue to make good progress this month.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  4. What a great idea for a story, Jennifer! There are a lot of people dealing with PTSD for a number of reasons. I’ve paddle boarded in the past, but had to stop when my eyes ran amok. Now that I’ve had an eye operation and can see again, I plan to do it next year when I get back to Hawaii! Have a creative and productive June!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  5. My balance is horrible. I can’t even ride a bike. ‘Nough said.

    I’m not sure mental health drama is a thing, but a slice of life dealing with mental health should sell. I don’t know too many people not suffering from something. It’s a sign of the times. We aren’t ignoring it anymore and the better educated we are the better it is for everyone. 🙂

    Anna from elements of emaginette

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. The excuse I’m going with for my poor balance? A physical therapist told me that swimmers tend to have poor balance because our ankles are so flexible. 😀

      I’m sure mental health drama is NOT a thing, hehe.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  6. Paddleboarding looks fun, and I really need some fun. Persuade my husband, for a birthday treat tomorrow ? Tense and noisy morning in the skies above. When the jets dive so low, hold your breath and stop looking.

    Mental health ? Meeting friends in town last Saturday, someone admitted insomnia. One by one. we confessed. What’s wrong with us ?

    ,

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thank you! Sorry my July post was hard to find–Wordpress changed the language from “Pin to the top of the blog” to “sticky”, which I didn’t figure out till just now. Thanks for hosting today!

      Like

      Reply

Leave a comment