It's the first Wednesday of the month:
the day when members of the
Insecure Writer's Support Group
share their writing struggles
and writing successes
and offer their encouragement
and support to fellow writers.
To visit the IWSG website, click here.
To become a member of the IWSG, click here.
Our wonderful co-hosts who are volunteering today,
along with IWSG founder Alex Cavanaugh are:
Tyrean Martinson, Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor, Megan Morgan, Jennifer Lane, and Rachna Chhabria.
I hope you have a chance to visit today's hosts and thank them for co-hosting.
I'm sure they would appreciate a visit and an encouraging comment.
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Every month the IWSG poses a question
that members can answer with advice, insight,
a personal experience, or a story in their IWSG posts.
Or, the question can inspire members
if they aren't sure what to write about on IWSG Day.
Remember the question is optional.
This month's featured question is:
What steps have you taken or plan to take
to put a schedule in place for your writing and publishing?
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This month's question could not be more timely.
I have not written one word since my last IWSG post:
zilch, nada, zip, zero.
In last month's IWSG post I wrote
that if I could backtrack in 2017,
I'd be less anxious.
Be careful what you wish for.
The rest of December gave me the best opportunity
of the year to practice being less anxious.
I failed spectacularly part of the time,
but during other parts, I succeeded in quashing it.
But as my sister Donnie often says to me:
"It's all good, Louise. It's all good."
Sisters and Best Friends: It's all good!
Donnie (back) and I (front)
Christmas Eve 2017
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved
And it is.
I'm fine. Terry's fine. Everyone I love is fine.
It's just my writing that has gone down in flames,
and I'm about to rectify that!
December was a month of stressful turmoil,
that included among other things,
finding a new home in Surprise, Arizona,
my dream home, (evening19th),
buying it after two viewings (morning 21st),
financing it and planning for furniture and temporary renters (22nd),
inspecting it (afternoon 23rd),
and cancelling the contract (mid-Christmas Eve),
after the inspection report raised some concerns.
Every day of the month had something
that disrupted my opportunity to write.
The stress and frustration reduced me to raging tears at times,
but it's all good.
Relaxing and Opening Presents
Terry and I and Traveling Christmas Tree
Christmas Night, 2017
Surprise, Arizona, USA
Surprise, Arizona, USA
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved
So it's mid-IWSG Day, and I'm just now writing my post.
On New Year's Day we loaded the last few things in our car and headed for home.
We got in last night after driving from Gallup, New Mexico yesterday.
Wide Open Spaces: My Kind of Country
Approaching Wagon Mound, New Mexico, USA
January 2, 2018
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved
#1 on my list, after warming up the house
and pouring a cup of coffee this morning: my IWSG post.
#2 getting some essential groceries
(milk, orange juice, bread, salad, and chocolate).
#3 visiting IWSG members today.
#4 making a plan and a schedule for my writing and publishing.
I'm making this post short, because I've got a full rest-of-the-day;
and I'm channeling calm, not anxiety.
Going to Surprise: About to Enter an Ice Fog
Walsenburg, Colorado, USA
November 28, 2017
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
Coming Home: Clear and Dry
Walsenburg, Colorado, USA
January 2, 2018
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved
Surprise to Aurora
Congratulations to all the winners of the third annual IWSG Anthology Contest:
Top honors go to Gwen Gardner for her story, A Stitch in Crime.
The winners were announced today on Alex Cavanaugh's post.
Our third anthology will come out late spring.
The other winning stories:
Three O’Clock Execution - S. R. BetlerUntil Release - Jemi Fraiser
Cypress, Like the Tree - Yolanda Renée
Gussy Saint and the Case of the Missing Coed - C.D. Gallant-King
Reset– Tara Tyler
Center Lane - Christine Clemetson
One More Minute– Mary Aalgaard
The Little Girl in the Bayou - J. R. Ferguson
The Tide Waits– Rebecca M. Douglas
Special Mention: Heartless– C. Lee McKenzie
Wishing all of my fellow IWSG members a Happy New Year
and success with your writing and publishing.
I can't wait to visit your posts
and read about your writing and publishing plans for 2018.
Leaving Colorado
Raton Pass, Colorado, USA
November 28, 2017
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
Coming Home
Raton Pass, Colorado, USA
January 2, 2018
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved