IWSG Day and Reflections: Blogging from A to Z April Challenge

ello!

It's Insecure Writer's Support Group Day!

Insecure Writer's Support Group

A database resource site and support group for writers and authors. Featuring weekly guests and tips, a monthly blogfest gathering, a Facebook group, a book club, and thousands of links – all to benefit writers! #IWSG

Website / Facebook Group / Twitter / Book Club
Reedsy Discount / Past Issues

The awesome co-hosts for the May 4 posting of the IWSG areKim Elliott, Melissa Maygrove, Chemist Ken, Lee Lowery, and Nancy Gideon!

This month's question: It's the best of times; it's the worst of times. What are your writer highs (the good times)? And what are your writer lows (the crappy times)?

That's a fun question! The highest high is the sudden inspiration of a new idea, that feeling that I must put pen to paper right away before I lose it all. Drafting is also a high. Moments of synchronicity, when something I've researched or a feeling I've had about what a character might do turns out to fit exactly into the plot and/or theme.

The not so good times are having to go back to the story again and again to edit the draft, when I start feeling as though there's no point, because who's ever going to want to read this drivel?

Another awesome high is having a story accepted for publication!

The Blogging From A to Z April Challenge is over!

 

Here's this year's bingo card:

Now for the reflections post!

Give consideration to how the A to Z Challenge impacted your blog.
The number of visitors went up! I'm sure it would have been even more if I had commented on others more regularly. It's difficult to get into a rhythm for this, in between work and writing, unfortunately.

What gave you the idea for your Challenge Theme, if you used one?
I love having a theme because it makes scheduling easier. I was casting around some of my old posts when the idea of highlighting all my guest posts and all our blog hops and blogfests occurred to me. Always fun to point others to fellow bloggers!

This year included a deliberation to find another graphic person after the loss of Jeremy. Muse about the imagination and talent of Anjela.
What is your impression of the A to Z Team?
Such a dedicated team! It really helps to keep things cohesive and running smoothly. Hoping next year I'll have time again to volunteer as a commentor. Welcome, Anjela!

Already looking forward to next year!


Two bits of news:

 

"This January, Publishers Weekly turned 150 years old, and we’re celebrating that milestone this week with our biggest single issue in years. It should keep you reading for weeks. You could start by getting oriented with these letters from PW editorial director Jim Milliot and former co–editorial director Michael Coffey, who helmed our anniversary issue. Or you could dive right into this 150-year history of the magazine, see the people we chose as the book business’s top 25 change makers of the past 25 years, or just open the issue homepage and click at random. Plus, we’ll continue to roll out the rest of the stories from the issue right here in PW Daily over the next few weeks, so don’t go anywhere.

Back when I was just starting out as a reader, I noticed early on that any book with praise by Publishers Weekly on its cover was a really good book! I've trusted their reviews for years.

RIP Leslie Lonsdale-Cooper, who, with Michael Turner, translated all of the Tintin books into English.
One of her first jobs was apparently "private secretary to Lord Rothschild and [she] spent two years cataloguing his library."
That sounds like great fun to me!

CampNaNo is over!

I got quite a bit written on The Future In Time, but I'm still about 14 scenes away from being able to write "The End".

Hopefully by the end of May!

What are some of your upcoming projects?