IWSG November 2023

 

Welcome readers, writers, authors, and bloggers!

We're glad you're here! It's the First Wednesday of the month; when we celebrate IWSG Day in the form of a blog hop featuring members and guests of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Founded by author Alex Cavanaugh (Thank you, Captain!) and fostered by like-minded associates, IWSG is a comfortable place to share views and literary news as we record our journeys. Check out the November newsletter here.

Our awesome co-hosts this month are:    PJ Colando, Jean Davis, Lisa Buie Collard, and me, Diedre Knight!

The optional question(s) for this month is: November is National Novel Writing Month. Have you ever participated? If not, why not?

It’s National Author’s Day! How would you suggest we celebrate? A group trip to the local library? A book party in the park? We could play games like “Name that first (or last) line” or “Who said that?” You could even perceive the day as a happy harbinger and write the first three pages of your future first best-selling novel ;-)

If you are participating in National Novel Writing Month, can you describe in one word the impetus for your story? To be fair, I don’t think it’s possible. I’ve been working on the same manuscript for a while now and still cannot describe in only one word whatever possessed me.

American author Dorothy Straight’s motivation came from her mother, who posed a question in 1962, “Who made the world?” Dorothy answered by writing and illustrating a book - that very afternoon - that described her thoughts. Her parents were so impressed they sent the book to a publisher who published it immediately. Dorothy was only four years old then and still holds the Guinness book title for the world’s youngest author.

Author Ray Bradbury earned his first paycheck at age 14 for a joke he sold to George Burns and never looked back.

Then there are the silent ones, the ones that can’t or couldn’t brag even if they wanted to, the ghostwriters. For instance, H.P. Lovecraft, creator of supernatural tales, was also a ghostwriter for Harry Houdini. Former high school teacher Andrew Neiderman was hired to (as it turned out, flawlessly) complete unfinished work left behind by legendary novelist C. Andrews (Flowers in the Attic) while becoming a notable author in his own right with dozens of novels in his own name including “The Devil’s Advocate ” which was made into a 1997 movie starring Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves. Mark Twain effectively secured President Ulysses S. Grant’s retirement by putting together a memoir that sold for top dollar, allowing Grant a financially comfortable “after” life. Meanwhile, Twain produced two American classics of his own ;-)

What matters as a writer, whether for passion or fame, is that you write well and often.

Happy writing!