Question of the Month: Have you ever slipped any personal information into your characters, either by accident or on purpose?
It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. You can also visit the founder Alex J. Cavanaugh for more info and links. This is a great group, and today, we’re sporting the swag!
My name is Mary Aalgaard and I’m an insecure writer. Sporting the IWSG swag and showing support for Insecure Writers everywhere.
The IWSG is including a question of the month, now, which is helpful. I get tired of writing over and over that I don’t carve out enough time for myself to write fiction. Blah, blah, blah, you’ve all heard that before. I have been trying some new writing lately, and that is lighting a spark. One is that I’m helping my piano students write music. I didn’t think I was a song writer, and therefore couldn’t teach it, but I’m discovering that together we can figure it out, and we’re coming up with some pretty awesome stuff! We’re doing both lyrics, or stories, and music. We started with animal/pet stories/songs, and October’s theme is Halloween. Also, I’d like to try writing a mystery/thriller short story for the next IWSG anthology. We’ll see.
And, in answer to this month’s question. Yes. Absolutely. Maybe not personal information as in phone number, but personal in the way of things that have happened to me, my emotional response. I used some of my mom stories in my play Coffee Shop Confessions. I’ll be writing about my travels on the back of a Harley-Davidson, soon, fictionalized, but they’ll be inspired by my personal experience.
Go. Create. Inspire!
Journaling Prompt: How much of you comes out in your creative work?
Love the little yellow plushy!! Creativity in any form spreads (kinda like pollen!). If I’m stuck in my writing, I’ll switch to a different outlet just to get my juju going again. Doing it well isn’t always the goal, Mary. It’s the journey!! Have fun along the way and Happy IWSG Day!!
Thanks, Nancy. That’s our mascot, Mr. Happy.
The Harley-Davidson travels sound like they’ll make a great story! Hope you’re doing well.
Thanks, Elizabeth. Great to see you stop here! Your success as a mystery writer is inspiring!
It’s so cool you wrote a play! And your motorcycle stories. We have a motorcycle that has been covered up in the garage for years.
Thanks. I need to get on with writing this next adventure!
Sounds like fun creative time. Happy IWSG
Juneta @ Writer’s Gambit
Thanks for all your support, Juneta!
Hope you can submit to the anthology contest.
Writing music and lyrics is challenging, but the results can be beautiful.
Like your photo!
Thanks, Alex, I’ll work on it.
How wonderful that you’re helping your piano students! It sounds like a lot of fun. I definitely put bits of myself into my characters. I believe it helps make them more authentic.
Thanks, Christine, we’ve been having fun creating our own music this month!
The best teachers excite their students and help them realize they can do anything. Well done. 🙂
Anna from elements of emaginette
Yes, and thank you.
I like that through helping your students, you write to discover. We discover much about the world and/or ourselves through writing. Lovely pictures as well, and such a lovely smile.
Thanks, Silvia, and so true.
I try not to let too much of my fiction come directly from real life, because (luckily) my life just isn’t interesting enough for the types of stories I like to write. I need disasters, tension galore, and lots of other things I don’t need to actually experience.
Ha. I’m sure your imagination turns the ordinary into extraordinary!
Great photo! Nice that Mr Happy was included. Our personal experience always gets filtered into our work in some way, it’s unavoidable.
Thanks, Nick. Mr. Happy is a photo hog!
Love the photo! I am under the delusion that I will submit a story to Alex, as well. As you say, we shall see. Writing music is amazing (notes = sound is magic)and your motorcycle stories will definitely benefit from your own experiences.
Alright, Lee. We’re in this together. I hope I see a submission from you, along with mine, for the anthology!
That’s some great IWSG swag! I’d love to be able to write music. I’ve took piano lessons for years and years and never figured out how to even improvise a single note on my own. It’s awesome that you’re able to guide your students to compose.
You never know unless you try. We’re following some examples, and starting with short pieces about pets/animals.
Hi Mary – love the photo – you’re obviously having great fun having it taken. As Joey says .. I’d love to be able to write music … love it – sadly just not my thing – but so good you’re helping your students. Yes everything we write has a little of us in it … even my posts – can’t eliminate me from my work – cheers Hilary
Thanks, Hilary. I did have fun taking the photo. I had to wait for the Biker Chef to get up, as well as the sun, so I could stand on the deck. I didn’t think writing music was my thing, either, but we’re figuring it out together, with the help of some materials, and it’s working!
Hi Mary!
You should submit a story to the IWSG anthology!
What are you waiting for? Get on with it! 🙂
Alright. I’ll schedule some time to write this weekend!
Music can be such a great inspiration for writing. Sounds like a fun project.
Thanks, Shannon. We’re having fun with it.
Yes, do try writing a mystery/thriller short story!!
Love your pic!
Why not, right, Lynda?
I love your happy photo!
Thanks, Diane!
I think you SHOULD submit to the anthology so get those creative juices flowing and I’ll get ready to read!!
Great picture!
Thanks for participating!
Heather M. Gardner
Congratulations on your song writing!!!
Thank you!