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Tag: queries

IWSG Writing Update March 2020 – Final Edits

March 4, 2020 / / 36 Comments

Every first Wednesday of the month, the IWSG (Insecure Writer’s Support Group) engages writers to share their fears, thoughts, progress, struggles, excitement, encouragement, or anything really, about their writing. A different question is posed each month as a writing prompt. Answering it is optional. For March, the question is: “Other than the obvious holiday traditions, have you ever included any personal or family traditions/customs in your stories?”

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are Jacqui Murray, Lisa Buie-Collard, Sarah Foster, Natalie Aguirre, and Shannon Lawrence.

My answer to the question

In my current memoir, there are a lot of “red herrings”, or minor themes, mixed in with the main themes. One of them is the integration of Belgian expressions and customs. Of course, the differences between my American life (and culture) and my previous life in Belgium (and its traditions) could fill an entire book, so I had to cut back on this. As a result, I have deleted insights into the way I used to celebrate Christmas and New Years when growing up, for example.

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IWSG Writing Update February 2020 – Contacting Publishers

February 5, 2020 / / 48 Comments

Every first Wednesday of the month, the IWSG (Insecure Writer’s Support Group) engages writers to share their fears, thoughts, progress, struggles, excitement, encouragement, or anything really, about their writing. A different question is posed each month as a writing prompt. Answering it is optional. For February, the question is: “Has a single photo or work of art ever inspired a story? What was it and did you finish it?”

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are Lee Lowery, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Jennifer Hawes, Cathrina Constantine, and Tyrean Martinson.

My answer to the question

I think this month’s question is more fitting for fiction writers. As a non-fiction writer I have never been inspired to write a story when seeing a photo or art. I’d love to play around with that, one day. I have gone back to my own photo archives (which contain tens of thousands of images – I have been traveling for a while) to bring back a memory of a scene, place, or event I wanted to write about.

Memories of Maupiti, French Polynesia to write an article for Cruising World
Our boat was the one to the right.
Going back to the scene
Remembering friends…
… and snorkel adventures.
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IWSG Writing Update January 2020 – Ready to Dive in Again

January 8, 2020 / / 62 Comments

Every first Wednesday of the month, the IWSG (Insecure Writer’s Support Group) engages writers to share their fears, thoughts, progress, struggles, excitement, encouragement, or anything really, about their writing. A different question is posed each month as a writing prompt. Answering it is optional. For January, the question is: “What started you on your writing journey ?”

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are T. Powell Coltrin, Victoria Marie Lees, Stephen Tremp, and J.H. Moncrieff.

My answer to the question

My writing journey unassumingly started in fourth grade, when my classmates and I were tasked with writing a daily diary of about five lines (and drawing a picture underneath) throughout the school year. I picked up that habit again (minus the drawing) when I was fourteen and have been journaling every day since, for the last thirty years. The entries are super long when I travel and explore. Knowing that I’ve been a digital nomad since 2003, one can only imagine how much time I spent writing down my experiences. Hurray for digital diaries, as that meant the end of adding notebooks to the two full tubs stored at my cousin’s house in Belgium.

I’ve always enjoyed putting my thoughts on paper, so essay assignments at school were my favorite. All in Dutch. When Mark and I were on our second sailing journey, in the Eastern Caribbean, I started writing and selling articles in English, on top of blogs, personal notes, and a column. Eventually, I focused on writing a memoir about my thirties on the water. A previous attempt to write a book about our overland explorations in Central America failed, because we were already on to the next adventure. Writing successes and a nomadic lifestyle are tough to combine.

Ocean Pond in Osceola National Forest, Florida
Boondocking in the National Forest
Pine trees under the blue Floridian sky
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IWSG Writing Update December 2019 – Stopping Point

December 2, 2019 / / 46 Comments

Every first Wednesday of the month, the IWSG (Insecure Writer’s Support Group) engages writers to share their fears, thoughts, progress, struggles, excitement, encouragement, or anything really, about their writing. A different question is posed each month as a writing prompt. Answering it is optional. For December, the question is: “How would you describe your future writer self, your life, and what it looks and feels like if you were living the dream?”

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are Tonja Drecker, Beverly Stowe McClure, Nicki Elson, Fundy Blue, and Tyrean Martinson.

My answer to the question

While most writers will have fun answering this question, it scares me to think about being a full-time author, or a writer who has reached the dream of becoming successfully published, respected, famous, or even well-paid. You see, that would mean there is no time for anything else! And, as much as I love and enjoy and am used to writing, my first and foremost passion is to travel. From experience, I can tell you this is a tough combo! So, I guess my perfect writer life would be to see and experience the world, with enough “down” time to write whatever I feel passionate about and sell the end products. Or, be a dedicated and successful author with plenty of time to travel.

My book progress

As hinted at in my last IWSG post, it wasn’t looking good for my memoir querying progress in November, despite really believing in it earlier. The first week, we traveled from Massachusetts to Kentucky (more about that later) and I took care of my monthly editing job. Then, I was extremely busy with translations for two full weeks, as in 10-hour days behind the computer. The following week, I rewrote the first paragraph of my query letter (and again and again) and submitted my memoir project to 40 more agents. Yes, I did it! Days before Thanksgiving (and my birthday). This concludes my list of 130 agents, gathered over the months.

Campbellsville, Kentucky, our home for seven weeks
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IWSG Writing Update November 2019 – “Slush” Pile of Work

November 6, 2019 / / 46 Comments

Every first Wednesday of the month, the IWSG (Insecure Writer’s Support Group) engages writers to share their fears, thoughts, progress, struggles, excitement, encouragement, or anything really, about their writing. A different question is posed each month as a writing prompt. Answering it is optional. For November, the question is: “What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever googled in researching a story?”

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are Sadira Stone, Patricia Josephine, Lisa Buie-Collard, Erika Beebe, and C. Lee McKenzie. Feel free to swing by their sites!

My answer to the question

As a non-fiction writer who mostly shares personal experiences, my research is quite boring and usually involves fact checking, consulting my diary, or searching for photos in my archives to get a better picture – Do I have that location correct? Is this name spelled right? How long was that distance again?

I imagine fiction writers have much more exciting answers, so I’m looking forward to reading about their strange Google results. It should be fun!

Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg, PA
Interior of the capitol
Dome of the PA State Capitol

My book progress

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IWSG Writing Update October 2019 – Sightseeing Instead of Submitting

October 2, 2019 / / 52 Comments

Every first Wednesday of the month, the IWSG (Insecure Writer’s Support Group) engages writers to share their fears, thoughts, progress, struggles, excitement, encouragement, or anything really, about their writing. A different question is posed each month as a writing prompt. Answering it is optional.

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Mary Aalgaard, Madeline Mora-Summonte, and Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor. Feel free to swing by their sites and see what they’re up to.

The question for this month’s blog hop is long: “It’s been said that the benefits of becoming a writer who does not read is that all your ideas are new and original. Everything you do is an extension of yourself, instead of a mixture of you and another author. On the other hand, how can you expect other people to want your writing, if you don’t enjoy reading? What are your thoughts?

My answer

I believe that reading benefits people, whether they are writers or not. The advantage of being a writer who reads is that you always learn, consciously or not, and this improves your craft. The disadvantage of reading for me is that, 1) I compare myself to other writers, leading to two trains of thought, either “I’ll never be able to write this well and become successful” or “I can and do write like that, so why am I not becoming successful?” And, 2) I get annoyed by typos, feel like I have to proofread and correct the copy, and try to retain wisdom. As a result, reading often feels like work instead of enjoyment. In general, reading does make me a better writer.

However, I don’t agree that not reading means that you don’t enjoy reading, as suggested in this question. I rarely read because of time constraints, not because I don’t enjoy it. Also, writers might purposefully NOT read much (in certain genres) to develop original ideas and unique voices. Nothing wrong with that.

The world’s largest axe in New Brunswick
The world’s longest covered bridge in New Brunswick
Definitely the most impressive covered bridge we’ve seen and walked/drove through
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