Gwen Gardner's Blog

IWSG: No Post Today

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Sorry, no post today. 

IWSG: Tools of the Trade

It's Insecure Writers Support Group Day! If you'd like to participate in this monthly blogging event, GO HERE to sign up. 
Thanks to our host Alex Cavanaugh and this month's co-hosts, JS Pailly, Rebecca Douglass, Pat Garcia, Louise-Fundy Blue, and Natalie Aguirre! for their many efforts on our behalf. 

This month's optional question is: What are your favorite writing processing (e.g. Word, Scrivener, yWriter, Dabble), writing apps, software, and tools? Why do you recommend them? And which one is your all time favorite that you cannot live without and use daily or at least whenever you write?

I write in Word, use ProWritingAid for editing, and Atticus for formatting. 

Word: This program is universal and integrates well with these programs in my experience. Plus, my daughter put me on their family sharing program so it's free to me. As an aside, I used to do my formatting of both digital and print books in Word when I first started. I don't recommend it. LOL. Diane Wolfe at Spunk on a Stick does a great job and is very affordable if you need formatting but don't want to buy the software. 

ProWritingAid: PWA is downloaded onto my laptop and is linked to Word. It automatically underlines potential problem areas with a handy note in the sidebar as to why they've highlighted the word or sentence. I can run reports for things such as glue/sticky words (if, had, the, with, went, just, could, for, etc.), grammar, overused words, readability, sentence length, etc. It also offers suggestions for passive sentences. There really isn't a learning curve with this program. Just download and go. 

Atticus: I have the ability to format both digital and print books in both Windows and Mac. I can upload my Word document directly into Atticus, and it makes the table of contents, title page, copyright page, and front and back matter pages, etc. There is a bit of a learning curve. I just (see that glue word there? LOL) went (another glue word) to YouTube and watched their how-to videos. The Atticus video people are very thorough and organized. 

Plottr: I have it but haven't used it yet. 

For ProWritingAid and Atticus I bought the lifetime membership because I really dislike having an automatic withdrawal from my bank account every month. You can watch for specials (especially ProWritingAid) and they both have a free trial period if you want to test them first. 

What software programs and 

tools do you use? 

IWSG: No Post Today

 

It's the first Wednesday of the month which means it's Insecure Writer's Support Group day! If you'd like to join, go HERE. 
I'm feeling under the weather, so I don't have a post today. But please consider stopping by to visit our host Alex Cavanaugh, and this month's co-hosts, Liza at Middle Passages, Shannon Lawrence, Melissa Maygrove, and  Olga Godim!

COMMENTS HAVE BEEN DISABLEDSEE YOU IN JULY

IWSG: All the World's a Distraction

 

It's Insecure Writer's Support Group Day! If you'd like to join, go HERE. 
Thanks to Alex Cavanaugh and his band of jolly co-hosts for the month:  Victoria Marie Lees, Kim Lajevardi, Nancy Gideon, and  Cathrina Constantine!  who are making this event happen. 
Today's optional question: How do you deal with distractions when you are writing? Do they derail you? 
Answer: As long as I have a goal, i.e., a daily word count, I do okay. My best friend recently told me that I'm goal oriented. I guess I hadn't really realized it. Sometimes I think she knows me better than I know myself. That's what comes from fifty years of friendship. LOL. 
Since all the world is a distraction right now,  what do you do to stay focused? 

P.S. Life is a struggle right now. Remember to be kind to yourself. You deserve it!

IWSG: Why Do You Blog?

 

It's Insecure Writer's Support Group Day! If you'd like to join us on the first Wednesday of every month, CLICK HERE to sign up. 
Many thanks to our founder and host, Alex Cavanaugh, and this month's co-hosts Janet Alcorn, T. Powell Coltrin, Natalie Aguirre, and   Pat Garcia!  Please stop by and say hello!  

Please post what you'd like, or use this month's optional question: How long have you been blogging? (Or on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram?) What do you like about it and how has it changed?

I started blogging in 2009 after finding the writing community through my running blog. I'd just started writing so finding my tribe was so thrilling. Back then, I posted several times a week. Now, I only post once a month for the Insecure Writer's Support Group event. 

When I started blogging the writing community was much larger and held so many blog hops that I hardly had time for writing! It was a really fun time and I met a lot of people, some who became real life friends.  I'm not sure what happened, or what prompted so many people to stop blogging. My best writing friend quit writing to focus on her career--partly because writing didn't pay-- so she quit blogging as well. 

I keep blogging once per month because I don't want to lose contact with my writing tribe. 😍

How long have you been blogging?

Why do you keep it up?

Why do you think so many have quit? 

IWSG: No Post Today

 

Thanks for stopping by! I don't have a post for today so the comments have been disabled. If you'd like to join The Insecure Writer's Support Group, you can sign up HERE. You can visit our host and co-hosts at the links attached: Alex J. Cavanaugh (host), Kristina Kelly, Miffie Seideman, Jean Davis, and Liza @ Middle Passages!See you next month!

#IWSG : Are You Like Peppermint Patty?

It's Insecure Writer's Support Group Day! There is a lot to learn from this group and all writers are welcome. If you'd like to join us,  click on this LINK. 

Many thanks to our host, Alex Cavanaugh, and this month's co-hosts, Janet Alcorn, SE White, Victoria Marie Lees, and Cathrina Constantine, for making this event happen. 

This month's optional question is: What turns you off when visiting an author's website/blog? Lack of information? A drone of negativity? Little mention of author's books? Constant mention of books?

Droning is a huge turn-off. That's when I skim. Ha! I think I just realized why the teacher on Charlie Brown only says "wah wah wah". 

It looks like Peppermint Patty agrees...

What is your biggest turn-off when you visit websites/blogs? 

IWSG: Do You BookBub?

Buh-Bye 2023! *waves vigorously*
Welcome 2024!
First, the Happiest of New Years to you all! 
Welcome Insecure Writer's Support Group members!It's the first post of the year. If you'd like to join us on the first Wednesday of every month, GO HERE. 
Thank you to our host, Alex Cavanaugh , and this month's co-hosts: Joylene Nowell Butler, Olga Godim, Diedre Knight, and  Natalie Aguirre  for making this event happen. 

January 3 optional question: Do you follow back your readers on BookBub or do you only follow back other authors?
I didn't remember signing up at BookBub. Anyway, prompted by this month's question, I went to check it out. As it turns out, I have an account. So I updated my profile and books, etc. 
But really, I'm not familiar with it at all. So I'm extremely interested in what you all do about followers/following, and why.
Are you on BookBub? 
Do you follow back readers, or just authors? Why? 
Are there pros and cons?

 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL! #IWSG

It's Insecure Writer's Support Group time again. And once again, I won't be participating this month. Comments have been disabled. 
But if you'd like to join, please go HERE. 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND MANY BLESSINGS TO ALL!
PLEASE BE SAFE.
I WILL "SEE" YOU NEXT YEAR.
 

IWSG: Sick Day

 

It's Insecure Writer's Support Group Day! 

Unfortunately, I'm taking a sick day.

I'll see you next month.

COMMENTS DISABLED.