Wednesday, May 4, 2022

IWSG & The Best of Times

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.


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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!    

May 4 question - It's the best of times; it's the worst of times. What are your writer highs (the good times)? And what are your writer lows (the crappy times)?

So many good times!!

  • drafting - love the first draft!
  • "planning" out a new series and getting to create a whole new world
  • getting to know characters and their stories
  • connecting the new books to older characters and stories
  • writing those scenes that make me smile all the way through
  • epilogues - where there's no stress and all the warm fuzzies I want
  • 5 star reviews 😊
  • happy repeat readers & reviewers
  • emails from readers who love the books

And a few bad times to keep it real

  • writing those crisis scenes - it sometimes takes me days to work up to it. I don't like when things are scary and stressful for my characters
  • feeling like I should be doing more in the marketing department (to be clear, this is likely never going to happen)
  • um...I think that's it???

Overall, the scale tips hard toward the good side. Otherwise, I would be doing something else!

I love writing and creating. I love interacting with other writers. I love learning more about the craft. I even enjoy most of the business side of things (I do love my spreadsheets and learning new things!). I think my bouncy brain is an asset for this indie author business.

How about you? What do you love about writing?

May the Fourth be with you today and always!

Speaking of the best of times...

The release day for Built Of Secrets is sneaking up. May 16th!

This is the 1st book in a new series - Small Town Heroes. The books are small-town romantic suspense with all the feels!



She’s got a secret… Okay, she’s got several… But only one could get her killed. 

Humiliated after being duped by her ex, Tansy chooses flight over fight. An inherited fishing lodge she can pull off the grid while working on her tech is the perfect hideout. 

Burned-out FBI agent, Sam is worried about his best friend’s little sister. After a devastating case, he heads to Vermont to check on her. And if he happens to get her to fall in love with him? Even better. 

When the ex refuses to stay in the past, Sam knows he’ll do anything to keep her safe. Will it be enough?

Preorder your copy today!

35 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Less than two weeks to release!
I don't think any of us feel we do enough marketing.

Natalie Aguirre said...

Glad you have so many high points. I agree with Alex that no one ever feels like they do enough marketing. Congrats on your new release. I'd be glad to shout out about it in Follower News. Email me if you're interested.

Jemi Fraser said...

This is probably very true!

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks, Natalie - sent you an email! :)

A Hundred Quills said...

Hi Jemi. Congratulations and best wishes for your new release. It's always such a pleasure to visit you. There's something bright about your posts. Like the scale tipping toward the good up here. Thanks.

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

You have a lot more pros than cons! I'm with you--promo is the worst. :)

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks so much, Sonia! Your words gave me a thrill - hope you day is wonderful!

emaginette said...

I love the ability to live somewhere else. To be someone else and imagine a better, more exciting place than my own backyard.

Dorothy and I wonder what's up with the rainbow... hehehe

M.J. Fifield said...

I'm so happy you receive emails from readers who love your books!

I know I never do nearly enough marketing, but I'm with you...I don't think I'm going to get much better about that any time ever.

Very exciting news about your new release!!

Jemi Fraser said...

I'm right there with you! I love to imagine and create - but I like my regular life and backyard for my real life!

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks MJ! I can't see me ever doing much marketing - just doesn't fit "me".
There's not much better than those emails!

Rachna Chhabria said...

Wow, you have so many highs :)

Carol Kilgore said...

Love the blurb for your new book :)
Marketing is definitely the hardest part for me, too.

Jemi Fraser said...

LOL - yup! And there are probably more - it's definitely a personality thing with me :)

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks!
Promo can be a pain for sure!!

Elephant's Child said...

I am thrilled that your good writing times outnumber the bad.
And hooray for a new series about to be released...

Jemi Fraser said...

I'm so excited for it to be out in the world!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

You have a lot more ups than downs.

Congrats on the next book.

Olga Godim said...

Your upcoming book sounds intriguing.
I like your outlook at life: many more ups than downs. I should take lessons.

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks Diane! The ups are far more prevalent for sure!

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks, Olga - I love the book!
I am often accused of wearing rose-coloured glasses - but I'm okay with that! :)

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

I'm so thrilled by how much you've achieved and how much you seem to be thriving too. And yeah, that marketing thing will never be enough, hahaha.

Denise Covey said...

I thought your highs and lows would share a lot with mine, and they do except I hate that first draft! Would you believe I'm on my fourth attempt to get the beginning of chapter one right! I've got most of the book written, but do you think I can start it in the right place?
Obviously you do better than I in your drafts!

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks, Lynda!
And you're writing - it's a pain!

Jemi Fraser said...

I'm not surprised we're quite similar! But I do love those drafts. Although I've tossed several complete drafts, and more than a few half-drafts, and many more chapters :)

Chemist Ken said...

My highs are when the words are flowing and it seems like nothing can stop the words. My lows are the next week or two when I barely manage to write a hundred words.

I don't even want to think about the marketing part yet.

Rebecca M. Douglass said...

Totally agree that even thinking about marketing is a low! I, too, love the early creation period when I'm letting the characters and their stories come to life in my mind. Then I'm high on a flow of words as I start the story. Later, I crash when the writing comes more reluctantly.

Damyanti Biswas said...

Sounds very intriguing :) Congratulation on your upcoming release!

Kalpana said...

May the Fourth be with you too, Jemi. I love that your high points overshadow your lows.

Jemi Fraser said...

There is nothing like the high of flowing words, is there? So much joy in those moments!

Jemi Fraser said...

I love those beginning moments - the creation and the excitement. So fun!

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks, Damyanti!

Jemi Fraser said...

I hope they always will!

Shannon Lawrence said...

I feel like knowing what you SHOULD be doing for marketing is one thing. I know that pretty well, haha. But actually buckling down and doing it? Most of us didn't get into writing because we liked marketing.

Jemi Fraser said...

Exactly! And apparently I dislike it enough to avoid it a lot!!!