Insecure Writer's Support Group: A new start and surprises in writing

IWSG: A New Start and Surprises in Writing

8/5/2019

The first Wednesday of every month is the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Posts go up the 1st Wednesday of every month. Check it out here and join if you need support with your writing. Don't forget to stop by and say hello to the co-hosts: Renee Scattergood, Sadira Stone, Jacqui Murray, Tamara Narayan, and LG Keltner!

It's my first IWSG post for this blog! At my other blog, last month I had talked about my decision to split my pen names. I wasn't certain at the time, but as you can see, I quickly decided. I don't dilly-dally. I'm a bit terrified. Will people follow me here? Did I get everything set up? Is this a mistake? Did I just waste a lot of money? Lots of questions I don't have answers for. But, for now, I'm enjoying the excitement of a new start.

This month's optional question is: Has your writing ever taken you by surprise? For example, a positive and belated response to a submission you'd forgotten about or an ending you never saw coming?

I've definitely had my writing take me by surprise. A story I'm working on editing, The Cure, was a surprise. It was only supposed to be a 100 word drabble. Another story had a character surprise me with what he said. I'm still not sure why I was shocked. The character is in my head and yet I had no idea he would say what he did until I typed it? That's some serious channeling. o.O

Have you ever made a big change with your writing? Did it work out for you? What's your answer to this month's question?

54 Comments

Karen Lynn link

8/7/2019 03:36:57 am

I switched from writing thrillers to writing Science Fiction and Fantasy, and I'm SO glad I did. It's way more fun to spend writer quantities of time thinking about how goblins would look in a space suit than to spend it thinking about all the horrible things people do to one another, so GOBLINS AWAY!!!

Patricia Josephine

8/9/2019 07:22:06 pm

I agree with you there. I enjoy reading true crime, but I would never want to write something in that genre.

PJ Colando link

8/7/2019 08:06:50 am

Two years ago a bad-ass female character from my first book stomped her foot and demanded that her story be told...

I listened, I delivered, and I had fun writing here. In final edits before sending to publisher's editor September 1.

I'm so glad she demanded -

8/9/2019 07:22:29 pm

That is awesome!

L.G. Keltner link

8/7/2019 08:57:06 am

Good luck with your new blog and the pen name switch. I can understand that it's a bit scary, but a new start can sometimes be just what you need!

8/9/2019 07:23:04 pm

The way I look at it is just another leg of the journey I'm blundering along on.

Lee Lowery link

8/7/2019 09:46:34 am

My biggest surprise was that, after spending nearly a year writing a horror novel, I really want to go back to a cozy mystery series I outlined a few years back. But so what? No law says I can't do both.

Congrats on making the leap of faith to do it your way!

8/9/2019 07:23:45 pm

Yup, with publishing the way it is now, authors don't always have to stick to one genre and do another under a pen name.

Samantha Bryant link

8/7/2019 10:53:45 am

Congratulations on decisions made and leaps taken. I hope it works out as you'd hoped. @samanthabwriter from
<a href="http://samanthabryant.com">Balancing Act</a>

8/9/2019 07:23:59 pm

My fingers are crossed.

Madeline Mora-Summonte link

8/7/2019 10:59:54 am

You should totally enjoy the excitement of this new start!

8/9/2019 07:24:21 pm

I am! =D

Helen link

8/7/2019 11:01:44 am

It is pretty amazing what can 'spill' out of a character's mouth. lol Especially if it doesn't seem like something you (the writer) would normally say. :)

8/9/2019 07:25:00 pm

Oh, I know. And what this character said didn't seem like something you'd think he'd say just by looking at him, but what I knew about him, it made sense.

Kate link

8/7/2019 11:08:19 am

Congrats on making the switch with the website! I hope it works out for you....

8/9/2019 07:25:15 pm

I hope so, too!

H. R. Sinclair link

8/7/2019 11:38:09 am

I added this to my feeds! Look nice! People will follow! I recommend, posting about the move on the other site again in September to catch people who are taking August off. :-)

8/9/2019 07:25:48 pm

Thanks!
After your comment, I put up a quick post on the other site saying my IWSG was here.

Yvonne V link

8/7/2019 02:27:48 pm

Sometimes surprises are the best parts. :) Good luck with the new blog.

8/9/2019 07:26:03 pm

Surprises make life exciting. ;)

Sarah Foster link

8/7/2019 02:44:45 pm

My characters are always surprising me.
Congrats on the new website! I probably would have taken forever to make a decision like that.

8/9/2019 07:26:39 pm

I've always been the type to jump in head first without looking. Makes life interesting.

Lynda R Young link

8/7/2019 05:07:28 pm

I love it when my characters do or say something that surprises me.

Best wishes for your new pen name. May it be a HUGE success!

8/9/2019 07:27:12 pm

Surprises make writing fun.
Thank you! =D

Chrys Fey link

8/8/2019 07:07:46 am

This is off topic, but I love the little creatures (bat, ghost, alien, etc.) that are a part of your logo/banner. Too cute!

8/9/2019 07:27:41 pm

Thanks. I wanted something in my banner that gave a visual for my stories and what creatures to expect.

Susan M Gourley link

8/8/2019 08:03:45 am

I often change the conflict between characters and stray from my outline as I get to know my characters better.

8/9/2019 07:28:06 pm

Sometimes I think characters just don't like outlines. LOL

M.J. Fifield link

8/8/2019 09:25:25 am

I was writing a conversation between two characters not too long ago and one of them ended up saying something like, "Well, actually, he did *this*." My jaw dropped and I was all, "He did WHAT?!?"

Those moments where they manage to surprise us are really fantastic.

8/9/2019 07:28:38 pm

And with how you plot, it's probably a real surprise when your characters do it.

Juneta Key link

8/8/2019 10:12:00 am

Good luck with the new start. Your site looks great. My characters surprise me all the time. Happy IWSG!

8/9/2019 07:28:56 pm

Thank you, thank you!

Michael Di Gesu link

8/8/2019 02:56:27 pm

Hi Patricia,

I totally get when a character takes over your mind. I had a major surprise...while writing the second book in my MG fantasy series, I dropped it cold half way through it and feverishly starting typing an Edgy YA Contemporary with a taboo subject. It came to me out of nowhere..one minute I'm writing about fairies, part humans, and magical creatures and next I'm writing about a military brat getting abused by his alcoholic father... You just never know....

8/9/2019 07:29:22 pm

That is quite the surprise. I can't say I've ever had that kind of surprise in my writing.

Alex J. Cavanaugh link

8/8/2019 02:59:04 pm

I must've missed this new blog while I was on break last month! Found it now.

8/9/2019 07:14:48 pm

No, you didn't miss it. I just launched it at the end of last month.

Rebecca M. Douglass link

8/8/2019 03:26:07 pm

I think the biggest surprise my writing has handed me was the short story. I've never been a huge fan of reading them (though when I think about it, I do like them. Just not heavy "literary" shorts), and didn't think I could write them. Glad I learned different!

8/9/2019 07:30:11 pm

First time I did a 100 word drabble, I was surprised and proud of being able to write something so short.

Liz A. link

8/8/2019 04:59:48 pm

We sound so crazy when we say our characters do things we don't expect, but sometimes, something happens when writing... It's why I'm not a complete plotter all the time. Congrats on the new site.

8/9/2019 07:31:08 pm

LOL. I know. Non-writers think we're nuts.

Beverly Stowe McCclure link

8/8/2019 05:04:22 pm

It's so much fun when characters add their own ideas to the story. They're often better than mine.
This is a great website. Have a great weekend.

8/9/2019 07:31:35 pm

My character ideas are usually better than mine, too.
Thanks.

Jemima Pett link

8/9/2019 02:33:21 pm

I can't remember the specifics now, but I know my characters often surprise me. The one surprise I do remember is in the final book of the series, so I can't mention it yet!

8/9/2019 07:31:57 pm

Oh, you're going to make us wait. Evil author!!! ;)

Jacqui Murray link

8/10/2019 07:37:05 am

Don't you love when that happens? It's as though you're listening to someone in your head telling you the story!

8/15/2019 05:52:50 pm

I do. It makes it fun.

Diane Burton

8/11/2019 09:09:15 am

Good idea to split your pen names. A lot of extra work, though. I split off my MG book(s) from my adult books by using my initials. It's always fun when our characters surprise us.

8/15/2019 05:53:16 pm

I don't mind the extra work. Especially if it pays off. ^^

JUDY M WEIR link

8/12/2019 10:28:21 am

Changing the genre? Wow, that's incredible. I've thought about it. Sometimes I find that I'm putting in humor where it shouldn't be in my thrillers. Maybe I should be writing comedy? Love your header.
Blessings

8/15/2019 05:53:59 pm

I haven't read many thrillers, so I can't say if I'd find it weird to see a bit of humor in one.

J.H. Moncrieff link

8/13/2019 07:47:18 pm

I love the new blog, and that logo is too adorable. The bat, the ghost, the alien, the cat--I just love it so much!

I've made several changes with my writing, and radically changed my blog years ago from an inspirational, self-help type to what it is today. Best decision I ever made.

Congrats!

8/15/2019 05:54:29 pm

I wanted to add something that would tell people visually to expect monsters. =D

Loni Townsend link

8/14/2019 10:00:52 am

Whoops! I don't have this blog on my Feedly yet! Adding it now...

It's nice when a story unfolds from a seed. 100 words into thousands, I'm guessing? :)