Tag: IWSG

insecure writers support group, writing

Happy New Year #IWSG

Jennifer Lane

Happy New Year to All Insecure Writers! Join our group started by Alex Cavanaugh.

Thank you to this month’s co-hosts: Joylene Nowell Butler, Olga Godim, Diedre Knight, and Natalie Aguirre!

I spent New Years Eve with family watching my beloved Cincinnati Bengals lose, but I did enjoy altering a Nutella Christmas tree recipe to create a puff pastry NYE dessert:

January 3 question: Do you follow back your readers on BookBub or do you only follow back other authors?

Alas, my marketing efforts have fallen off across the board the past few years, including on BookBub. I am not involved on the site these days, but I have followed authors as well as readers in the past.

Have you ever run a BookBub ad? I was lucky to get one of my books, Blocked, on BookBub in the New Adult category years ago. However, I’ve tried many times since, to no avail, and it’s tough to feel motivated to continue to submit new deals.

Here’s to a productive and fun 2024!

insecure writers support group, writing

Insecure Writers Support Group: Who Do You Review For?

Jennifer Lane

Thank you to Alex Cavanaugh for creating this awesome group. Join us here. It’s great to cohost today along with are C. Lee McKenzie, JQ Rose, and Jacqui Murray!

I’m excited that I started writing my next novel! It’s a sport psychology story with a tentative title of Low Water. My progress is slow, partly because I’ve been traveling to Ohio to help my aging parents, but it feels good to write again.

December 6 question: Book reviews are for the readers. When you leave a book reviews do you review for the Reader or the Author? Is it about what you liked and enjoyed about your reading experience, or do you critique the author?

It depends. If I’m reading a book that is published by a Big Five publisher, I tend to review more for the reader. If the book is published by an indie author (who I may know), I tend to leave a review more for the author. I like to function at Goodreads in both capacities (as reader and author).

Happy writing to all!

insecure writers support group, writing

#IWSG No NaNo

Jennifer Lane
Thanks to Alex Cavanaugh for starting this awesome Insecure Writer’s Support Group!

I appreciate the efforts of Alex and this month’s cohosts: PJ Colando, Jean Davis, Lisa Buie Collard, and Diedre Knight!

November 1 question: November is National Novel Writing Month. Have you ever participated? If not, why not?

I have never participated, though the idea of writing 50,000 words in one month intrigues me. I find that working a full-time job and carving out some time to exercise every day leaves little free time to write during the week, so I don’t think I could win NaNo as long as I keep my job. (And I don’t even have a spouse and kids to care for!)

Lately, I’ve also been consumed by moving, unpacking, assembling furniture, re-assembling furniture after I screw up, and spending time with my sister and her family in my new home in South Carolina. It was a treasure to trick-or-treat with my 5-year-old niece, who dressed as Barbie (of course). She had fun at a Halloween dance competition but couldn’t compete with a manic T-Rex:

Happy Halloween, happy writing, and good luck on NaNoWriMo for those who accept the challenge!
insecure writers support group

Movin’ on Down #IWSG

Jennifer Lane
Join the Insecure Writers Support Group, started by Alex Cavanaugh

Mochas gracias to the co-hosts for the October 4 posting of the IWSG are Natalie Aguirre, Kim Lajevardi, Debs Carey, Gwen Gardner, Patricia Josephine, and Rebecca Douglass!

Hey, writers! I didn’t want to miss this month’s post, but I’ll be brief, because I’m moving to South Carolina in 5 days *EEP*

I’ve lived in Columbus, Ohio for 24 years–that’s a whole lotta STUFF that I’ve accumulated. And my stuff had babies when I wasn’t looking. But soon I’ll be in the sunny south, yahoo!

Hope you have a great October.

insecure writers support group, writing

Happy 12th Birthday #IWSG

Jennifer Lane
Join us for the Insecure Writers Support Group, started by Alex Cavanaugh.

Thank you to the kind co-hosts this month: Sonia Dogra, J Lenni Dorner, Pat Garcia, Sarah – The Faux Fountain Pen, and Meka James!

HAPPY TWELFTH BIRTHDAY, INSECURE WRITER’S SUPPORT GROUP!!! 
🎈✨🎉🎊🎁🎂🍰

September 6 question: The IWSG celebrates 12 years today! When did you discover the IWSG, how do you connect, and how has it helped you?

Wow, 12 years! I’ve been part of this amazing support group for about 10. I believe a fellow author with my publisher, Nicki Elson, turned me on to the group. Nicki became my critique partner, and the IWSG became an inspiring source of support!

While the self-depracating group name drew me in, the welcoming writers led me to return month after month. I so appreciate author Alex Cavanaugh’s investment in creating and maintaining this group. I’m also grateful to writers who often stop by to comment and encourage, including Natalie Aguirre, Pat Garcia, emaginette, Janet Alcorn, Diane Burton, Joylene Butler, Cherie Colyer, Nick Wilford, Olga Godim, Louise Fundy Blue, Esther O’Neill, and so many more.

Image by gerald at Pixabay

As a therapist, I have facilitated support groups, but it’s even more fun to vent my angst as a member of this writing support group. The IWSG gave me the courage and skills to start self-publishing in 2014, and I’m so glad I made the leap. This group has also inspired imagination, helping me to consider new ideas and opportunities from book covers to genres to editing.

So thank you, Alex, and all you impressive and interesting writers. Your support and collegiality mean a lot to me!

Image by Artsybee from Pixabay
insecure writers support group, writing

Story Ideas #IWSG

Jennifer Lane

Writers, we all know insecurity and self-doubt. If you’d like to join our supportive community to feel less alone on this writing journey, check out the Insecure Writers Support Group, hosted by Alex Cavanaugh.

Many thanks to the collegial co-hosts this month: PJ Colando, Kim Lajevardi, Gwen Gardner, Pat Garcia, and Natalie Aguirre!

July 5 question – 99% of my story ideas come from dreams. Where do yours predominantly come from?

One of my novels (psychological thriller Twin Sacrifice) came from a dream, but I’m more likely to be inspired by various media sources (TV, movies, books, music) and my psychologist career. I enjoy throwing my characters into therapy, the poor things.

The spark of inspiration for the next novel I’ve outlined is a bucket-list swim vacation I took to Baja, Mexico last year, as well as a wildly effective trauma treatment I’m using called cognitive processing therapy.

I hope all Americans had a great July 4th celebrating our escape from tyrannical Brits hehe. I made this Patriotic Fruit Pizza for a friend’s cookout.

insecure writers support group, writing

#IWSG Creative Endeavors

Jennifer Lane

Join our Insecure Writers Support Group, the brainchild of Alex Cavanaugh.

Loud applause for this month’s co-hosts: Patrcia Josephine, Diedre Knight, Olga Godim, J. Lenni Dorner, and Cathrina Constantine!

This month’s question: If you ever stop writing, what will you replace it with?

I’m test-driving this question currently, given that I haven’t written since 2021. However, I consider it a break–not a stop. Instead of writing on the weekends, I’ve increased my time listening to audiobooks, traveling, swimming, and meal-prepping with my Instapot. I’d like to socialize more on the weekends, but the pandemic has seemed to decrease friends’ availability. 😦

If I stop writing for realz, I’ll likely replace it with another creative endeavor like pottery painting. And with or without writing, I hope to spend more quality time with my 5-year-old niece!

insecure writers support group, writing

Writing My First Novel #IWSG

Jennifer Lane

Writers, join our fun and caring support group, created by Alex Cavanaugh, HERE.

I appreciate the co-hosts for the April 5 posting of the IWSG: Jemima Pett, Nancy Gideon, and Natalie Aguirre!

April 5 question – Do you remember writing your first book? What were your thoughts about a career path on writing? Where are you now and how is it working out for you? If you’re at the start of the journey, what are your goals?

Though I enjoyed creative writing as a child, I never intended to become a writer or author. But the world of fan fiction swept me up in its encouraging community, much like the support of this wonderful writer’s group. I posted one chapter at a time about characters in a favorite TV show, and fellow fans cheered me on (even though my writing was quite amateur at first).

As a psychologist, I listen all day. As a writer, I guess I had a lot to say, because the words poured out of me. After two long, rambling fan fiction stories, I started writing my first novel featuring an ex-psychologist who fell in love with a felon she met at her parole officer’s doorstep (With Good Behavior). And I was lucky to find a small publisher, Omnific Publishing, to release my baby into the world in 2010.

I have since published nine novels and two short stories. Writing is a side gig for me, not a career. Since the pandemic began, I have taken a hiatus from writing. But I recently started outlining novel #10, once again featuring a female psychologist character and a male swim coach character whose trauma she helps heal. I can’t wait to dive in!

Image by David Mark from Pixabay 
insecure writers support group, writing

Book Covers #IWSG

Jennifer Lane
Writers, join the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, developed by Alex Cavanaugh.

Many thanks to today’s co-hosts: Jacqui Murray, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Pat Garcia, and Gwen Gardner!

Today’s question: If you are an Indie author, do you make your own covers or purchase them? If you publish traditionally, how much input do you have about what goes on your cover?

I was fortunate to start my author journey with a small publisher known for their eye-catching book covers. Omnific Publishing created this cover for my debut novel, With Good Behavior, which portrayed the romance element between two convicts well, I thought. (Some thought the handcuffs represented BDSM, ha ha!)

I was mostly pleased with Omnific’s receptivity to my input, though I did want a larger image of a couple kissing underwater on my new adult swimming romance, Streamline:

When I turned indie in 2014, I knew the importance of a professional cover, meaning I would never try to create one on my own. I hired my publisher’s book designer, Coreen Montagna. We didn’t intend to focus on hot shirtless men, but that was the best image we could find for the first book, and sequels just *had* to follow the same format.

For my latest novel, Rivals, I had a lot of input with my graphic designer friend, Dan Irons, including the design for my first audiobook cover:

Of all the publishing tasks, creating book covers can be challenging, but also a blast! (At least more fun than writing blurbs.)

insecure writers support group, writing

#IWSG Move

Jennifer Lane

Happy 2023, writers! Join us for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group developed by Alex Cavanaugh.

I appreciate the co-hosts for the January 4 posting of the IWSG: Jemima Pett,Debs Carey,Kim Lajevardi,Sarah Foster,Natalie Aguirre, and T. Powell Coltrin!

I’m getting my post up late today because I just returned from visiting family in South Carolina. I’m feeling discombobulated as I juggle unpacking, grocery shopping, and laundry in the midst of returning to work after a restful holiday.

January 4 question – Do you have a word of the year? Is there one word that sums up what you need to work on or change in the coming year?

My word of the year is MOVE. I plan to make a big move in my life, and that brings excitement and anxiety. I’m still hoping to get back to writing, but I don’t know how that will figure in with my plans.

Image by Stefan Keller from Pixabay