Tag: writing

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Power Pose Your Way to #Confident #Writing #IWSG

Jennifer Lane


It’s July already and the rain won’t stop in Ohio, waah. How can I train for swimming in a triathlon relay when thunder closes my outdoor pool? Time for July’s Insecure Writer’s Support Group, the brainchild of Alex Cavanaugh. Join us HERE.


Last week I delivered a presentation to swim campers about ways to build their confidence. I mentioned the technique “fake it till you make it”. In other words, if you don’t feel confident, sometimes acting confident on the outside can boost confidence on the inside. Head up, shoulders back, add a smile or serene facial expression, and you’re good to go.

Then I heard about a TED talk by social psychologist Amy Cuddy that takes confident body language a step further. According to Dr. Cuddy, our nonverbals affect how others see us. But can nonverbals affect how we see ourselves?




Since I know you’re busy and may not have time to watch the 21 minute video (it’s worth it if you do have the time), I’ll summarize her research.

Holding “power poses” for just two minutes can significantly increase testosterone (feelings of power) and decrease cortisol (feelings of stress).

What are power poses? Here’s one:

Here are two more:

Are you mired in insecurity when writing? Knees knocking before pitching to a publisher? Try a power pose for two minutes and you’ll feel more assertive, confident, and optimistic!

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Learning Cool Stuff Through Writing #IWSG

Jennifer Lane


Woo hoo, I love summer. Time for June’s Insecure Writers Support Group, hosted by Alex Cavanaugh. 

Alex’s awesome co-hosts for the June 3 posting of the IWSG are M. Pax, Tracy Jo,Patricia Lynne, Rachna Chhabria, Feather Stone, and Randi Lee!

Writers, join us HERE. 


There are so many cool aspects about writing, but one of my favorites is learning something new.

I just wrote a chapter in my work-in-progress Aced where the hero attends confession with a priest. I like to write moments when my characters grow and challenge dysfunctional behaviors. Typically this involves throwing my characters into therapy. But Aced’s hero Alejandro is a Catholic Latino good boy, and I wanted to try a new space for healing and development outside the therapy office.

Although I attended Notre Dame for grad school, I’m not Catholic, and I’ve never experienced confession myself. Luckily, my critique partner is Catholic, and she provided a helpful link explaining the process. I also found this list of sins that blew me away. Jeez… I sin all the time!

Did you know that pirating ebooks is a sin? 😮

Both confession and therapy involve reflection and sharing secrets. But one unique part of confession is FORGIVENESS. I love the idea of seeking God’s mercy in an effort to forgive ourselves.

What cool stuff have you learned through writing?

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#IWSG What’s Easiest and Hardest to #Write ?

Jennifer Lane

Whoops! Almost forgot this month’s IWSG in the midst of planning for trips to Chicago and Hawaii, a broken air conditioner, and installation of new carpet and sectional sofa.


Thanks to Alex J Cavanaugh for creating IWSG, and awesome co-hosts Eva Solar Melanie Schulz, Lisa-Buie Collard, and Stephen Tremp.

How’s your writing coming along? I wish it could go faster but I guess the muse can’t be rushed. I’m about 36K words into my work in progress, ACED (Blocked #2). Next up is a therapy chapter which is always easier for me to write. I throw my characters into therapy on a regular basis–I torture them so much that they need it!

I’m struggling a bit with the pacing of the romance. While it’s not insta-love, I have a tendency to rush things. I’m grateful for my critique partner Nicki Elson, who just released a wonderful romance (VIBRIZZIO). See my post below to read my review and enter the giveaway.

What type of chapters/scenes are easiest for you to write? Which are hardest?

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Montana Marijuana, Microaggressions, and Manuscripts #IWSG

Jennifer Lane

Happy Insecure Writers Support Group, started by Alex J Cavanaugh!


I’m in Montana for a psychology conference. learning some cool things. Too bad I dislike skiing because we have major snow in Big Sky.


But I’ve had a blast chatting with friends and learning stuff! The best presentation so far has been about MARIJUANA. As a psychologist who has witnessed the sadness of addiction, I was against legalization before the presentation. Now I’m totally against it.


While you might think this brownie, candy, and beverage are for the munchies after you toke it up, these “edibles” are actually how THC is administered these days. One gummy bear has 4 servings of high potency THC. They’re marketing to kids by infusing candy and drinks with THC.

And, this isn’t your grandparent’s pot, your parents’ pot, or even your pot. In 1960 THC was .2% concentration. Now it’s 12%. Since it’s been commercialized in Colorado, the lobbyists and marketing machine has created products with 36% THC which have zero resemblance to the natural hemp plant. (The CBD percentage has stayed the same, rendering today’s marijuana as less medicinal.) One 19 year old Wyoming student went to Colorado, had never had pot before, ate a cookie with high potency THC, had a psychotic break, and jumped out a window to his death.

Whatever your beliefs, decriminalization is not the same as legalization. The change in law is all about making money and not about decriminalization or health at all. Using marijuana before the age of 18 really increases risk of addiction and cognitive deficits: one study in New Zealand found an EIGHT point drop in IQ from using marijuana 5 times a week.


What are your thoughts about marijuana?

Another great presentation was on MICROAGGRESSIONS, or unintended discrimination. We all make comments, often without our awareness, that may be hurtful. For example, a heterosexual person may tell a homosexual person “I don’t care what you do, just don’t flaunt your sexuality.” That comment may be hurtful by implying a gay person is hyper-sexual or some other such stereotype. Should we tell a heterosexual couple to stop kissing and “flaunting their heterosexuality”?

This video highlights some micro aggressions:



Finally, how’s your writing coming along? I was about 20K words into a romantic suspense when I realized I was itching to write book two in my college volleyball romance series, so I just started that MANUSCRIPT. I’m titling it Aced for now.

I think I’ll put my romantic suspense Twin Sacrifice aside though I kind of miss it. Anyone write two books at once? I’ve never tried before.

My critique partner Nicki Elson’s awesome rom-com VIBRIZZIO is available for pre-order! You will love this story and it’s only $.99.

Write on, my fellow crusaders!

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#IWSG Guide to Publishing and Beyond & Writing Dialogue

Jennifer Lane

Thank you to Alex Cavanaugh for hosting The Insecure Writers’ Support Group, where we journey together down this lonesome writing road.


Have you downloaded your free copy of The Insecure Writer’s Support Group Guide to Publishing and Beyond?


The Insecure Writer’s Support Group Guide to Publishing and Beyond


Tapping into the expertise of over a hundred talented authors from around the globe, The IWSG Guide to Publishing and Beyond contains something for every writer. Whether you are starting out and need tips on the craft of writing, looking for encouragement as an already established author, taking the plunge into self-publishing, or seeking innovative ways to market and promote your work, this guide is a useful tool. Compiled into three key areas of writing, publishing, and marketing, this valuable resource offers inspirational articles, helpful anecdotes, and excellent advice on dos and don’ts that we all wish we knew when we first started out on this writing journey.

ISBN 9781939844088
235 pages, FREE
IWSG sites – website, Facebook, and Facebook Critique Circle
Find the book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Smashwords,Goodreads.


I contributed a piece on writing character relational styles, and I can’t wait to dive into reading all the helpful advice. Suddenly the writing journey isn’t so lonely!

Today I want to share tips for writing dialogue from author Justin McLaughlin:

Check them out HERE

Good tips, you think? 

What do you struggle with when writing dialogue? 

I have been guilty of fluffy tags like “she shouted” or “he groaned” instead of the less distracting “said”.

I’m also learning to write with more economy, like “Thought you hated Fox News” or “Kind of tall for a setter, aren’t you?”

Happy writing!

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Bloggers Talk Blocked: Review Tour and #Giveaway

Jennifer Lane

The week since my college volleyball romance BLOCKED released has been fantastic.


We started off with a Facebook party–thank you to these hosts with the most:

Debra Anastasia (author of Poughkeepsie who alerted me to a key technological problem)

Nicki Elson (author of Divine Temptation)

Darcia Helle (author of No Justice)

Matthew Alan (author of What We Leave Behind)

Jennifer Locklear (co-author of Exposure)

Rumer Haven (author of Seven for a Secret which I’ve just started reading–great!)

Gwynn Evans Harrison (my bff who revealed all kinds of secrets about our time swimming and playing volleyball in college!)

Julie from AToMR Tours

(I just alerted the winners of the Release Giveaway … scroll down for the Review Tour Giveaway including a $15 gift card.)

~*~


Speaking of AToMR Tours, they’re hosting a Blocked Review Tour the next two weeks.

Check out this fun review from Bookaholic Fairies.

And I also loved this review from Momina at Novelty Books.

Thank you to all the wonderful friends and bloggers taking the time to promote, read, and review Blocked. I deeply “dig” you.

Come back next week for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group on 11/5 when I share what I learned about book marketing at the Queen City Indie Con!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Jenny on the BLOCKED! New #College #Volleyball #Release 10/21/14

Jennifer Lane

I started writing Blocked over a year ago, and release day is finally HERE.

Cover Design by Coreen Montagna

Want to win stuff? Attend these events to win books, gift cards, cookies, and bookmarks!

FACEBOOK Party Tuesday 10/21 11:00 – 3:00 EST HERE

AToMR Tours Release Event with over 30 blogs participating. Enter the giveaway HERE.

Blocked Review Tour, including another giveaway, HERE.

Add Blocked to your Goodreads shelf.

And find Blocked on Amazon.

Lastly, if you’re near Cincinnati, Ohio this weekend, stop by the Queen City Indie Con where I’ll sign books and give away Blocked cookies and Streamline swim caps.


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#IWSG Writing Character Relational Styles

Jennifer Lane

Thank you to Alex Cavanaugh for his brainchild: Insecure Writers Support Group!



I give permission for today’s post to be included in the anthology IWSG Guide to Publishing and Beyond, full of tips for writing, publishing, and marketing.

Jennifer Lane: Blocked, Streamline, With Good Behavior, Bad Behavior, On Best Behavior, Swim Recruit http://jenniferlanebooks.blogspot.com

Three Character Relational Styles


(Topic: Writing)


Are your fictional characters overly compliant, aggressive, or withdrawing?

Why do they act that way?

As a psychologist/author (psycho author), I will address three relational styles for your characters:

1. Moving Toward (compliance)
2. Moving Against (aggression)
3. Moving Away (withdrawal)

Psychologist Karen Horney theorized that we learn to cope with anxiety by adopting one of these three interpersonal styles. In other words, when faced with conflict, we engage in submission, fight, or flight.

Imagine a family with an alcoholic father, an enabling mother, and three children.

Alicia, the oldest daughter, craves her father’s love. She earns straight As and keeps the house clean to avoid his wrath when he comes home drunk. Alicia has no idea what she wants or needs but is adept at reading the needs of others. She avoids anxiety by trying to please others around her (moving toward). 

Derek, the middle son, hates feeling weak. He tells his mother he doesn’t care about her. He gets in fights at school. When his father becomes abusive with his mother, Derek intervenes and provokes his father to hit him instead. He avoids anxiety by lashing out at others (moving against). 

Jonah, the youngest son, gets a stomach ache when his parents argue. He hides in his tree house or spends hours alone, shooting hoops. When his friends ask him to hang out, he shrugs and claims he’s busy. Jonah avoids anxiety by withdrawing from others (moving away).

Each relational style can be effective when used flexibly, but problems arise with rigid styles. Alicia might lose herself in a loveless marriage. Derek may get fired for yelling at his boss. And Jonah might drown in loneliness as an adult.

Connecting relational styles to family experiences provides compelling character motivation.
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#IWSG: To Series or Not To Series

Jennifer Lane


Thanks to author ninja Alex Cavanaugh for his brainchild:


I want to hear your experiences with writing series. Love ’em? Hate ’em?

I have written one stand-alone New Adult sports romance and one romantic suspense trilogy. I’m considering turning my upcoming NA volleyball romance Blocked into a series.

So I have some writerly questions for you, in my deliberations. Feel free to answer none, one, or more!

1. Do you prefer to read stand-alone novels or series? Why?

2. Have you ever written a series (or plan to write one)? If so, when in the process did you realize you wanted to write a series?

3. If you like series, do you prefer the same characters as protagonists or new main characters featuring “spin-offs” in subsequent novels?

4. How do you decide to write a stand-alone or a series?

5. How many books are ideal for a series? When does a series get too long for you?

THANK YOU! Write on, my friends.

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#IWSG Editing, Blurbs, Cover Design

Jennifer Lane

Happy July to all writers! Join us at Alex Cavanaugh’s blog for the monthly support group.



My favorite season is summer, especially swimming outside. Swimming a couple of miles is much more fun in the sunshine.


Americans, what are you doing July 4th? Attending a cookout like me? I’ll attempt these patriotic red velvet brownies (*points right*)

Check out the recipe HERE.

My editor and I are thick into edits for my fifth novel, Blocked.

We came up with a blurb (that was tough!) and posted it on Goodreads.

And now I’m getting quotes from cover designers. What do you think is a reasonable cost for a cover artist? I’ll likely pony up and pay a bit more than I’d planned in order to get the designer I want.

One thing I’ve noticed in editing is my typical writer mistakes. (Thank God for editors!) In the past, I’ve had shifty POV, but I think I’ve cleared that up. But I continue to struggle with the timeline. My editor has to ask “When is this happening?” or “Is this before or after Beergate?” I wrote out a timeline, chapter by chapter, so hopefully that will help. 

A new problem with this manuscript seems to be my use of commas. Apparently, I use, commas, too much, at times. And at other times I don’t use commas enough. 😉

What writer mistakes haunt you?

I’m giving away a $10 gift card for the Freedom to Read Giveaway…feel free to enter below. Hope you have a wonderful July!