Wednesday, November 7, 2018

IWSG & Creativity

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. He, his clones, minions, friends, and fellow authors make it an amazing event every month.




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!

And we’re revving up IWSG Day to make it more fun and interactive! Every month, we'll announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.

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Question: How has your creativity in life evolved since you began writing?

Interesting question - I had to think about this one!

As a kid I always played with stories and told them in my head. I used to create Star Trek episodes when I struggled with sleep. However, I never wrote down even a single word of those stories.

I started writing a novel (another Star Trek story - TNG this time) for fun when my kids were little. It was a blast to pour words onto the computer. From then on, my stories took on more substance and, after another decade or so, began to demand to be written out.

I think the act of writing (and the process of learning that there is SO MUCH MORE to a story than writing it out) has definitely triggered more creativity.

The stories that keep me awake at night now are the ones waiting to be written, not the ones I'm currently writing.

Because of this, I think I will always have at least another story waiting to be written. Currently there are 4 or 5 wrestling for dominance, so I don't think I'll ever have to worry about lack of ideas to write!

How about you? Do you stories keep you up at night too?

43 comments:

Jennifer Hawes said...

That's a lot of story ideas waiting to find their place on paper! Good luck!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Star Trek fan fiction - now that is cool.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Yes, I was thinking about one last night. Not the one I'm writing though!

T. Powell Coltrin said...

I would like to say I'm flattered when stories or characters fight to be number one in my life, but I'm not. :) :)

Teresa

Michael Di Gesu said...

That's great... I hear that from writer's all the time. For me though, I'm a one story at a time guy. I can't rest until the current story I am working on is complete.

Chrys Fey said...

Yay for Star Trek for getting you to come up with your first stories and writing you first novel. :D

cleemckenzie said...

It's always nice to have a back log of stories, so when you finish one, you can choose another.

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

It's good to have lots of ideas! I think it's cool that you're a Trekkie. :)

Raimey Gallant said...

I think I used to worry that I might not have another story in me, but now I'm like you: so many! Happy IWSG day, Jemi! http://www.raimeygallant.com

emaginette said...

You're so right. There is a lot more to writing then getting the words down. :-)

Anna from elements of emaginette

Mason Canyon said...

I've always thought it would be wonderful to be able to tap into what we were thinking and have it recorded. Some of my best thoughts occur only in my head, by the time I have a chance to write them down I've forgotten the exact wording. LOL. Glad to know you're a Star Trek fan too.

Juneta key said...

Heh, I write Star Wars just for fun. Hours of fund and well over 100,000 words probably tripled.

I do love Star Trek, but have not tried writing it. Also StarGate, Highlander and a few others. By the way, I am loving the new Star Trek Discovery on CBS All Access, do you watch it?

I don't run out of ideas, sometimes I can confuse myself about how to express or tell the story or where I need it go, but idea--always have them.

Thanks for visiting my blog. Happy IWSG Day. Juneta

Chemist Ken said...

Not writing fast enough is what keeps me up at night. I already have enough ideas built up for the rest of my life.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I'm like you. It's the next story that keeps me up at night. I think I'll run out of years before I run out of ideas.

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks! Don't know if I'll ever have enough time for them all! :)

Jemi Fraser said...

I love ST and they have great story lines!

Jemi Fraser said...

It's fun to always have one in the back of our minds, ready to be lived!

Jemi Fraser said...

LOL - it's hard to be caught in the middle!!

Jemi Fraser said...

We're all so different - and that's part of the fun! Good luck with your words!

Jemi Fraser said...

I spent many, many happy hours figuring out ST story lines!

Jemi Fraser said...

Exactly! That backlog is fun!

Jemi Fraser said...

Love ST in all its variations! :)

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks Raimey - isn't it fun to have those folks living in our heads??? :)

Jemi Fraser said...

There is - and that's what sometimes slows me down!! :)

Jemi Fraser said...

That's EXACTLY the problem!!!! Need a mind recorder :)
Star Trek is awesome!

Jemi Fraser said...

I love the new ST: Discovery! Fun story lines in that one. I adore Star Wars too & Star Gate (haven't seen Highlander)
I struggle with expressing what I have in my head too - but we'll keep on keeping on!

Jemi Fraser said...

Me too - both on the ideas and the speed! I can get that first draft down, but editing is so slow for me!

Jemi Fraser said...

That's how I feel too! So many ideas, so little time! :)

Elephant's Child said...

This reader is THRILLED to hear that the stories will keep coming. Writers are my heroes.

Elizabeth Seckman said...

I always complain that I hardly ever suffer from writer's block, but I do suffer from writer's diarrhea where I have so many stories I want to write and not enough time to write them in.

Arlee Bird said...

Stories don't usually keep me up at night, but during waking hours my brain is always racing. If I had written down all the stories and ideas that have come into my head over my lifetime then I could probably fill a library. So much has been idle thought--ideas pushed somewhere to the dusty backrooms of my mind.

Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out

JeffO said...

I don't know if I'm more creative since I started writing, but I KNOW I'm more creative since I started actively reading again. I went through a period in my 20s where I didn't read much at all. When life settled and I started reading a lot, it fueled my creativity.

Natalie Aguirre said...

That's great that you have so many ideas shouting to be heard. That's a big part of the battle of writing: having new ideas once you finish what you're working on.

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks!! you're so sweet! :)

Jemi Fraser said...

LOL - writer's diarrhea - love it!!! And I have it! :)

Jemi Fraser said...

Me too - there's always something triggering something else and we only have so much time to do the actual writing!

Jemi Fraser said...

Agreed! Reading fills my well all the time. I can't imagine being able to put together a decent story without being a reader!

Jemi Fraser said...

It's part of the fun of a brain with more than a few ADHD tendencies too :)

Rebecca M. Douglass said...

I'm like you--as long as I'm writing regularly, the ideas come pouring in. I still like to write stories in my head to put myself to sleep at night though :)

Jemi Fraser said...

I do too - they just keep me awake far too long though!

DMS said...

How interesting that Star Trek was such a big influence when you first started creating stories. :)
~Jess

Jemi Fraser said...

I've always been a sci-fi fan! :)

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