This year for the A-Z Challenge, I'm attempting to act like I know what I'm talking about and offering advice about writing. Let's see how I do!
Also, don't forget to stop by the Parallels blog to see more posts about the upcoming anthology, which will be available on May 3rd!
When
we experiment with a genre or form that we’ve never done before, we flex our
writing muscles. It’s a form of
exercise. The results may be great. They may be good. They may be so embarrassing that you couldn’t
imagine allowing another person to see them.
Any of these results is okay. If
you don’t experiment, if you don’t push your boundaries and step outside your
comfort zone, you won’t know precisely what you’re capable of creating.
I'm in awe of people who use music and/or imagery to help tell their stories. Melanie Schulz and her amazing Ubooks are an example of what's possible. If you aren't familiar with them, check them out!
Last year I tried a few Choose Your Own Adventure stories for the A to Z Challenge. They were a lot of fun to write.
I'm in awe of people who use music and/or imagery to help tell their stories. Melanie Schulz and her amazing Ubooks are an example of what's possible. If you aren't familiar with them, check them out!
Last year I tried a few Choose Your Own Adventure stories for the A to Z Challenge. They were a lot of fun to write.
So
go ahead. Experiment! Play around with words and ideas in new ways,
and most of all, have fun!
It's the first Wednesday of the month, and that means it's time to convene another meeting of the Insecure Writer's Support Group! Alex J. Cavanaugh created this group to give writers a place to share their insecurities and offer encouragement. I'm happy to be co-hosting today, along with Megan Morgan, Chris Votey, Viola Fury, Christine Rains, Madeline Mora-Summonte, Rachna Chhabria, and Patricia Lynne.
Be sure to check out the IWSG website!
First of all, Crystal Collier is featuring me for her Writerly Wednesday segment today, so be sure to check that out!
I'd also like to say happy birthday to my son Jude. He's 7 years old today. Oh my, where has the time gone?
The next time we have a meeting of the Insecure Writer's Support Group, the anthology will be out. Parallels: Felix Was Here comes out on May 3rd, and our next IWSG posting will be May 4th. That's a crazy thought.
I'm so excited about this that I really can't put it into words, which is crazy since I'm a writer and that's kind of my job. Putting my work out there is such an exhilarating and nerve-wracking experience. I know not everyone is going to enjoy the things I write, but I hope the majority do. In the meantime, I'm doing my best to keep writing and not look at the countdown to publication that I wrote down in my planner. Yes, I did that. I'm such a dork.
Are you feeling insecure this month?
Hi, a damn good post of writing insecurity and experimenting with new genre. My A-Z theme is experimenting and insecurity gnaws but enjoying the genre I am trying, a departure from my usual candy floss romance:)
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you on experimenting. There is a quote saying that life starts at the end of your comfort zone I find that very true. Thank you for your post to remind us about being brave and being adventurous.
ReplyDeletehttps://thescriptbible.wordpress.com/
Great post! (smile) Blessings!
ReplyDeleteHi. I liked your suggestion that we flex our writing muscles when we explore a different genre. Its a great approach
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to Jude!
ReplyDeleteSo with all this talk of flexing the writing muscles and experimenting outside the comfort zone, I'm wondering if I could perhaps try a spec fic story... *shudders*
I'd probably mess it up. He!He!
Happy IWSG Day!
Writer In Transit
Happy birthday to your son!
ReplyDeleteAnd how exciting about the Anthology. I can't wait to read all the stories.
As someone who mainly writes dystopian/sci fi I am hoping to branch out into some form of romance this year. Scary!
I love the idea of experimenting with different forms of writing. Great advice. Good luck for the A to Z Challenge and Happy IWSG day :)
ReplyDeleteI completely agree about pushing oneself from comfort zone. In fact, that was my topic for C :) Great to see someone with a similar line of thought. I am also for constant experimentation.
ReplyDeleteDropping from A-Z. Do come back to www.malavikka.blogspot.com
I love my comfort zone, but as a ghostwriter I'm always being tugged out of it
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday to Jude and congrats on the anthology inclusion. :)
shahwharton.com
I love to experiment and explore to sharpen writing skills. The biggest leap was doing a screen play. Talk about out of the box.Great post and thanks for hosting today!!
ReplyDeleteWriting your countdown to publication in your planner was very brave. I can see how that would propel you through the times you'd rather play with your son Jude. Which is also very important. What do I feel insecure about? Well, starting my next blog post. I haven't found that thread that leads to expression. Maybe, I need to put the upload date in my planner.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to Jude!!!!! Good Luck with the challenge!!!
ReplyDeleteYou should be excited about the release of Parallels - your story is the title!
ReplyDeleteThe story I wrote for Geekdom House last year was a completely different genre and it was kinda fun.
I tried writing a dual POV. A huge success in my "book" :)
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited for you and to read Parallels! Good luck with the Challenge. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm feeling insecure that I won't finish putting together my collection of short stories to publish on Amazon before the A to Z challenge is over and will miss out on a good promotion time. Hyperlinks are my enemy today.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday to Jude! I hear you about experimenting. I've tried SO many genres and story forms and finally know where I'm happiest, but it took 20+ years to discover and a TON of flexing.
ReplyDeleteCrystal Collier
I can understand and feel your excitement. You're doing the right thing to keep writing and there will be lots of people who will like your writing. All the best.
ReplyDeleteShalom,
Patricia
I think it's very important for authors to experiment and to push their comfort level to see where it takes them. Enjoy hosting today.
ReplyDeleteI just finished my the 1st draft of my first MG two days ago and after reading a whole bunch and saying I'd love to write one for years. So YES to experimenting and HECK NO to fear and doubt monsters and that smug Internal Editor.
ReplyDeleteI love experiencing. It's like the sister to experiencing. I have this WIP that's been sitting on the back burner for two years. This month, this week, I wrote a few new paragraphs! Yes! I'm so excited. It's less than 500 words, but who cares, right! Thanks for co-hosting. Happy Birthday to Jude!
ReplyDeleteGreat advice! Stepping out of our writer comfort box is a great way to exercise those craft/technique muscles. Thanks for co-hosting this month!
ReplyDeleteMy advice: Keep going! That one-foot-in-front-of-the-other stuff really works. I'm in uncharted territory right now, so the steps are more hesitant than my usual. But they're there.
ReplyDeleteExperimentation is a good thing to do with writing. These days, the world is changing on a day-to-day basis, and a project we start now may not be well received when we finished. There is no way to anticipate where the world may go, but perhaps we try something new or different to see it works for us. What was a bad idea yesterday maybe a good idea two weeks from now.
ReplyDeleteExperimentation is necessary I think, no matter what profession one works in. That's why I like prompts, which I used to hate! Thanks for co-hosting and Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteWriters should write whatever turns out to be the most fun for them. And you never know what's fun until you try it out.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on Parallels, and thanks for co-osting this month's IWSG!
Happy BD to your little guy! Congrats on Parallels, and thanks for co-hosting. That said, write what you love. It'll make you a better writer, says I. But who the hell am I?
ReplyDeleteI totally agree about the benefits of experimentation. They produce the most engaging and highly unexpected flashes of insight.
ReplyDeleteThanks for co-hosting!
Thanks for co-hosting. I'm stopping over to help support the co-hosts. It's funny you mention a choose your own adventure you did last year. That was one of the themes I considered this year. In the end, I opted for nostalgic TV shows.
ReplyDeleteYeh for stretching those creative muscles! I've been trying to step outside my comfort zone by taking classes, like cooking and art, and by just trying to see the world differently.
ReplyDelete#1. You are not a dork
ReplyDelete#2. None of us know what we are doing. It's called "acting"
#3. Love Melanie!!
#4 and Last. A Big Congrats on publishing your anthology! Counting down to the release is in the Writer's Policy and Procedure, didn't you know? LOL
Author of Wilder Mage at Spirit Called
Best wishes on your son's birthday. Great post. Experimenting is a good thing but sometimes it is scary. I do experiment occasionally. Probably should do it more often.
ReplyDeleteI'm always feeling insecure but still I try to hop out of that comfort zone. Not out of it often enough but I'm getting metter at it.
ReplyDeleteFor some unusual reason this is the most insecure I've felt in a long time. Probably has to do with putting the trilogy out there an making it the subject of the A to Z. Yeah, stepping out and touting my achievement leaves me quaking in my boots. LOL Not good, especially as it's all month long. Who the hell decided this move? :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for co-hosting this month. I'm all for stretching the creativity muscles. Congrats on the anthology.
ReplyDeleteJuneta @ Writer's Gambit
Thanks for co-hosting this month. I'm all for stretching the creativity muscles. Congrats on the anthology.
ReplyDeleteJuneta @ Writer's Gambit
Hi L.G! I can feel your energy in your post! I love it! Congratulations on your publication, your constant drive and your son's sweet 7th birthday. I am insecure a lot. Mostly making my my writing be perfect enough for the next step. I am stuck on the last chapter and have been for over a month. Sigh. I think I made a break through though so now I need to sit down and finish it. Have a great rest of your day.
ReplyDeleteExperimenting is definitely good for the writing muscles!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, LG! :)
Yes, experimenting is fun for sure! I recently went to my first poetry slam and thought I might try some of that (haven't since my teens). Happy bday to your son!
ReplyDeleteLove the experimentation with form and rules. I delve into different poetry forms to find inspiration for new work. Challenge, challenge, challenge makes us stronger! Thanks for co-hosting this month.
ReplyDeleteExperimenting leads to discovery, either in your writing or your story. Or yourself as a writer. That's always a good thing in my book. Thanks for co-hosting today! :-D
ReplyDeleteThanks for co-hosting this month, LGK! I don't think you're a dork ~ just excited and celebrating an accomplishment! I spent a career offering advice to writers ~ six to ten year olds! LOL! Many of the lessons I taught would apply to older people too, but I don't feel ready to make suggestions for other adults. I feel like I have to get my first book published first! You, on the other hand are coming from a place of strength! Good luck with your upcoming book!
ReplyDeleteAs nervous as you can get about publishing something new, at least you're publishing something at all. I wish I could get nervous about publishing something!
ReplyDeleteYour E post ties in nicely with IWSG. There were a lot of times when I first started writing where I was very nervous about experimenting. Some things I never showed but I eventually got more confident in trying thing.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for the anthology! Very exciting. Another great post. I never thought I could write a short story and then I tried it and it's going into an anthology as well!
ReplyDeleteThank you for co-hosting!
Heather M. Gardner / @hmgardner
Co-Host, Blogging from A to Z April Challenge
The Waiting is the Hardest Part
It's always good to step outside our comfort zones. Looking forward to the anthology! Thanks for co-hosting IWSG!
ReplyDelete