IWSG Day Ninth Anniversary Co-Host!

Today is Insecure Writer's Support Group Day!

And this is the ninth anniversary of the Insecure Writer's Support Group!

I went back and found all the IWSG Day posts on this blog that I could. I seem to have missed the first ever month, but have been right there since October 2011! More on that in a bit.

This post is going to be a doozy! First the IWSG question, then an update for ROW80, then my history of IWSG Day posts, then some photos!

From Alex, the Ninja Captain:

"Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting! Be sure to link to this page and display the badge in your post. And please be sure your avatar links back to your blog! If it links to Google+, be sure to change it as Google+ is going away in January. Otherwise, when you leave a comment, people can't find you to comment back.

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.   
The next posting day is September 2nd. 

Sign up here.

Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.
Remember, the question is optional!!!
 

September 2 question - If you could choose one author, living or dead, to be your beta partner, who would it be and why?

 My awesome co-hosts for the September 2 posting of the IWSG are PJ Colando, J Lenni Dorner, Deniz Bevan, Kim Lajevardi, Natalie Aguirre, and Louise - Fundy Blue!"



Now, who would I choose as my beta partner? That's a good question. Most of my favourite authors don't fit, because of time period or sensibilities or genre. And there's already quite a good group of fellow writers and readers on thelitforum!

The best choice, I think, would be a magical scenario where I could acquire Diana Gabaldon as not simply a beta read, but a full developmental editor. Now there's a pipe dream!


One month left to go in A Round of Words in 80 Days (last round for the year starts on the first Monday in October)! My morning pages were going swimmingly. I edited all of Captive of the Sea on paper. Now I need another strategy for the end of this round of ROW80, because I've fallen into a reading trap again, and I'm not focusing on my own writing.

On the other hand, this month's exercise on thelitforum is of the writers' houseparty persuasion! I'm hoping to churn out lots of words, and set a few challenges for myself...


Here we go with all of my IWSG Day posts (apparently I've missed only 14 posts in all nine years!)!

September 2011. I called it the second month of IWSG, but I think it was the first! Campaign Challenge story snip!
October 2011. Rule of Three story snip!
November 2011. Ninth century Wales...
December 2011. Writers' houseparties!
 
January 2012. A reading challenge
February 2012. Neil Gaiman writes back!
March 2012. A flash fiction snip!
April 2012, missed, because I had prescheduled for the A to Z Blogging Challenge
May 2012. Don't compare your journey to that of others!
June 2012. Contest! Featuring Sam the cat.
July 2012. Story images for Druid's Moon and Verse, Venice, and Viziers
August 2012. Montreal photos
September 2012. When I hosted the virtual Surrey International Writers' Conference!
October 2012. Banned books week
November 2012. NaNoWriMo inspiration
December 2012. Whole lotta authors!
 
January 2013. Tolkien's birthday toast
February 2013. Amanda Palmer on blogging, and Alfred Russel Wallace
March 2013, missed, because it was book release day
April 2013. Frodo and Sam, cat cuteness

May 2013, missed because of the A to Z Blogging Challenge and due to writing a short story in one sitting (Where There’s Life, shortlisted for the surrey International Writer’s Conference award!)

June 2013. Favourite childhood authors and a weekend trip
July 2013. Canadian books challenge
August 2013. Tolkien’s eagles
September 2013. Under the Dome and Dave Chihuly
October 2013, missed because I was ranting about Jonathan Franzen
November 2013. Guest post from Talli Roland!
December 2013. Nicole Zoltack blog tour!
 

January 2014. Year-end writing roundup

February 2014. Guest post from TL Watson!

March 2014, missed because guest post from Susan Kaye Quinn!

April 2014. Baby announcement!

May 2014. Reflections on the A to Z Blogging Challenge

June 2014. All about reading, and photos of Geneva

July 2014. Photos of a trip to Sion

August 2014, missed, and noted as such in the comments, ironically so, because I was blogging about having nothing new to say, and coming up with a list of blogging ideas for the future!

September 2014. Dystopian story snip (I’ve lost control)

October 2014. IWSG anniversary and writers’ houseparties

November 2014. Writing survival tips

December 2014. NaNoWriMo and baby photo!

 

January 2015, missed due to prescheduled post of winter in Geneva photos

February 2015, missed due to prescheduled post of year-end knitting roundup

March 2015. Grenoble photos and new writing exercise on the forum

April 2015. A to Z Blogging Challenge: A is for Australia

May 2015. Acronym soup: A to Z, ROW80, and IWSG, plus WRiTE Club!

June 2015. Book giveaways

July 2015. Canada Day

August 2015. Flash fiction contest snip!

September 2015. Back when I first read Joel Dicker!

October 2015. Eurovision and knitting

November 2015. Audrey Hepburn in Switzerland

December 2015. Snowed in the village

 

January 2016. Year-end writing roundup and Paris

February 2016. Edinburgh Castle

March 2016. Photos of Swiss days and La Garenne zoo

April 2016. A to Z Blogging Challenge on Tolkien and the Inklings: E is for Various Guests

May 2016. The Olympic cup at the United Nations

June 2016. Sam the cat and an RIP snip

July 2016. Who Is Frances Rain? by Margaret Buffie

August 2016. Springsteen

September 2016. Our library is shipped from overseas!

October 2016. The descent of the cows

November 2016. Rembrandt

December 2016. NaNoWriMo update

 

January 2017. Ironbridge and Much Wenlock photos

February 2017. London photos

March 2017. Story inspiration images from my Pinterest board

April 2017. A to Z Blogging Challenge: D is for Doubt

May 2017. Research queries collated and consolidated

June 2017. Hodge Podge No. 2 and Peter Sallis RIP

July 2017. ROW80 goals

August 2017. Susan Bischoff and Joanna Bourne

September 2017. Travels in Scotland

October 2017. Tom Petty RIP

November 2017. Mini book reviews

December 2017, missed due to Summer Fire publication day!

 

January 2018. Tolkien’s birthday toast and ROW80

February 2018. New book by Lara Lacombe!

March 2018. Sleepless nights thanks to good books

April 2018. I missed the A to Z Blogging Challenge!

May 2018. Never Have I Ever (writers’ houseparty)

June 2018. Playlists and knitting in public

July 2018, posted a day late. Some of my favourite ending lines from novels

August 2018. Swiss National Day

September 2018. Traditional publishing

October 2018, missed because Baby!

November 2018, missed because Baby!

December 2018, missed because Baby!

 

January 2019, missed because Baby!

February 2019. A to Z Blogging Challenge book blog hop

March 2019. Annual books read and statistics for 2018

April 2019. WRiTE Club and Scott Walker RIP

May 2019. Revisiting how I started writing

June 2019. Writing romance

July 2019. Library in English book sale

August 2019. Photo for The Antipodean Time

September 2019. Books in the wild in Holmfirth

October 2019. ROW80 goals

November 2019. Research lists

December 2019. NaNoWriMo wrapup

 

January 2020. Year-end writing roundup

February 2020. Vignette snip and blog goals, and I need an intern

March 2020. Hodge podge No. 7 and Terry Jones RIP

April 2020. Jemi Fraser blog tour!

May 2020. Isolation music with Whisky Trench Riders, and poetry

June 2020. Summer Fire, my published novel! And all Hodge Podge posts collated

July 2020. Canada Day

August 2020. Chrys Fey blog tour!




Whew! That took a while to collate. What I really wanted to do was compile/collate/consolidate all the IWSG Day questions from each month, but that'll have to be a project for another day.

Can't wait for the tenth anniversary next year!

And now some photos, as a reward!




Summer days!


What are some of your favourite IWSG memories?

Comments

Sarah Foster said…
Wow! Nine years of IWSG posts—that’s impressive! I’m not sure when my first post was, but now I’m curious.
Hi Deniz - great you've listed most of the nine years worth of IWSG posts ... I've been in the background for many years ... so I do check in with what's going on. Wonderful you were able to celebrate - looks an amazing setting.

Diana Gabaldon - yes I can see she'd be your choice ... I couldn't get to grips with the books, but did love the tv series ... especially the music! But it's opened my eyes to other books with that sort of saga - Jacqui Murray's (blogger) - I've just read one of hers ... and then the one on Vancouver by David Cruise and Alison Griffiths ...

Take care and enjoy the last of the summer before Autumn and work really gathers a-pace. Stay safe - Hilary
Hopefully the reading leads back to more writing.
Thanks for co-hosting today!
Pat Garcia said…
Hi,
I didn't know that we were nine years old today. I think I came on the scene the end of 2012 but I am not sure of it. But I've been around ever since.
Thank you for co-hosting and thanks for that piece of Info about the IWSG.
All the best.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange
sage said…
That's quite a record of IWSG posts. Congratulations.

www.thepulpitandthepen.com
Jemi Fraser said…
Wow!! You're amazing! And Diana G would be a great choice!
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Toi Thomas said…
Thanks for co-hosting today. I hadn't thought much about how long I've been participating or whether I've missed posts. I'll have to look into it. Happy 9th IWSG Anniversary!
Nancy Gideon said…
Thanks for sharing you memories and milestones!! That's an accomplishment. One of my best writing decisions was after finding IWSG was sticking with it.
Tamara Narayan said…
Nine years? Wow, what an awesome run. It makes me curious about how many years I've been a member. What a cool group.

Thanks for co-hosting.
Patsy said…
That's a lot of posts!
Jennifer Hawes said…
Nine years?? I want to say it like on Ferris Bueller's Day off..."Nine days..." :-) Thanks for co-hosting today.
PJ Colando said…
Wow - what a historical record of blog post participation! Congrats and thanks for the photos!

Thanks, also, for co-hosting!
cleemckenzie said…
Thanks for co-hosting today and for reminding us of this anniversary! Woe, nine years and going.
Chrys Fey said…
Diana Gabaldon as an editor would be amazing.
Computer Tutor said…
That's impressive. I'm a relative newbie but enthusiastic none the less. Nice job!
Loni Townsend said…
Ah yes, Diana Gabaldon is a fantastic choice!

Thanks for co-hosting!
Sadira Stone said…
9 years of consistent posting--cheers to you for a job well done!
Jemima Pett said…
I'll echo what Sarah Foster said! I don't know when I started, but I know I'd been aware of IWSG for a while before I decided to jump in.
Congrats for doing all that work to find your posts!
Lynn La Vita said…
Your impressive list inspired me to check. I joined 6 Jan 2015 and was #257. Now I'm #71.
It would be nice to have a full time development editor.
Thanks for introducing me to A Round the Words in 80 Days and The Lit Forum.
Happy reading and writing.
Natalie Aguirre said…
I'm impressed that you've been with the IWSG for nine years. Glad we're co-hosting together this month.
diedre Knight said…
Wow! That was quite a project. But then, nine years is a long time. Reading is like food for writers - part of survival ;-)
Thanks for co-hosting!
Mary Aalgaard said…
We've been at this a while! Thanks for co-hosting this month!
Nine years of posting! Congratulations. This is such a wonderful group, full of all the support and kindness. Clearly you've been a large part of building the group up to what it is, so thank you!

And Diana Gabaldon. Sigh. If she weren't internationally famous and therefore probably incredibly busy she might be able to beta read. That would be amazing.
Samantha Bryant said…
Wow! That's quite a legacy in posts. You made me curios so I went back and looked. My first IWSG post was May 2014. :-) @samanthabwriter from
Balancing Act
Fundy Blue said…
Wow, Deniz! That list is impressive! You motivated me to take a peek back at my posts and the first IWSG connected post I found was on 4/9/14. It was not an IWSG Day, but I had jumped in and done a review of Alex's "CassaStar." You'll have me tracking down my first contacts more later this week. Now I'm really curious! But tonight I have to complete my co-hosting duties. By the way, thanks for co-hosting today! Diana Gabaldon! What an awesome choice. Jamie Fraser has to be the most romantic, sexiest protagonist ever! And Gabaldon is brilliant! I've read her books multiple times and I'm rewatching the series on tv. good luck with your writing plans!
Denise Covey said…
Phew, Deniz, I haven't visited your blog in so long thought I'd pop in as you're co-hosting. You went to so much trouble to celebrate nine years of the IWSG! I joined up straight away and am pretty high on the list.
J Lenni Dorner said…
That is IMPRESSIVE that you have all those great posts saved from all these years! Way to go.
That's an impressive record of IWSG posts. I'm not sure when I started posting, though I could find out pretty quickly...not 9 years ago, though.
Deniz Bevan said…
Thanks so much, everyone! Love the enthusiasm! It makes me appreciate all over again what a wonderful blogging community we have :-)
Sonia Dogra said…
Congratulations for those wonderful years of posting for the IWSG. Looks great. Thanks for co hosting.
Wow, I guess it is 9 years. I think I started around then too. I'll have to go back and look.
My favorite memories are the A-Z Challenges. I credit them with helping me create a disciplined writing schedule:)
Thank you for hosting this month.
Holy moly, that's an impressive list of posts! And such a wide variety of topics. If I went back over mine it would just be "this month I whined" and "this month I complained."
Arlee Bird said…
I've been posting on #IWSG since the beginning and don't think I've missed any though really I've not kept that close of track. My number is still high on the list and I haven't been demoted so I guess that counts for something.

Your beta choice is one that I don't know, but that's pretty much par for the course for me.

Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
Wow! That's a lot of posts. Bravo to you! And thanks for co-hosting the IWSG question for September. This seems to be my first time here. I've followed your blog and will try to connect with you online. http://victoriamarielees.blogspot.com All best to you!
Liesbet said…
Wow, the IWSG blog hop has been around for a while! I think I first joined in the beginning of 2016, after I started work on my (first') memoir in earnest. Since then, I haven't skipped one post. I didn't want to get kicked off the list. :-) I've also co-hosted twice with a third time the end of this year. Thank you for co-hosting this month and for compiling all your IWSG posts. Phew!!
Juneta key said…
Thanks for co-hosting. I joined in 2014. That was a great list. junetakey.com
Juneta key said…
That is a lot of post. I have been here since 2014. I have quite a few too. JunetaKey.com
Deniz Bevan said…
Thanks everyone! This has been a great week!
Lidy said…
Thanks for co-hosting this month! And happy nine year anniversary IWSG! Went back to my old posts and only been IWSGer for five years. My first post was in February 2015, though I can't tell how many IWSG posts I've missed.
Deniz Bevan said…
Thank you, Lidy!