#IWSG: Writer Updates and Difficult Scenes

 

What is the IWSG? Read on!

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!
 

You ready?
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

March 2 question (always optional!) - Have you ever been conflicted about writing a story or adding a scene to a story? How did you decide to write it or not?

 
The awesome co-hosts for the March 2 posting of the IWSG are Janet Alcorn, Pat Garcia, Natalie Aguirre, and Shannon Lawrence!

 

I'll start with my writing update...

I'm making good progress with my total rewrite on the new book, which has acquired a tentative title of A Coastal Corpse (though every time I think that, several more ideas pop into my head, so it's far from a sure thing). I'm up to about 40 thousand words, so about halfway through the rewrite. I'm pretty sure it's in better shape than last time, and will be easier to edit into an actual novel. I'll know more when I get done and start revising. 

Planning for the story I want to write next week at my 5-day artist's residency has so far pretty much stayed in my head. I'm thinking about doing something pretty challenging, so we'll see. If that's too much, I'll fall back on working on the novel.

 

One story still out on submission, and I got rather sidetracked in my search for the next place to send the one that came back in February.

And then there's the rest: I've set March 24 as the day for my house to go on the market, so things are in that intermediate state of chaos where I'm packing and shedding unwanted stuff so it can look fantastic for the photos. I've had a ton of help from wonderful friends and family, some of whom traveled long distances to get here and enjoy a blend of good food, good conversation, nice walks, and of course a ton of hard work. It makes my head rather full, but actually makes sitting down and writing the novel seem kind of easy by comparison.

Now for the question...

For sure! Oddly, since I can't sustain anything serious in my writing, I have had a number of occasions where rather grim histories try to get into the novels. I've resisted putting that in, for the most part. But now I'm thinking about writing about grief and loss, and I'm definitely conflicted about that (not a specific scene at this time, just addressing the elephant in my room). I hope it will happen in a good way, but I'm not going to push it.

How about you? Let me know about your difficult scenes, or just tell me how the writer life (or the rest of life) is treating you!

 

And... my obligatory gratuitous pretty picture, one of my husband's from our 2020 trip to Patagonia: 

Cerro Torre, Los Glaciares National Park, El Chalten, Argentina