Toi’s Comments (group member since Mar 11, 2017)

Toi’s comments from the The Insecure Writer's Support Group Book Club group.

Tyrean wrote: "I really like the adage of writing at least one line every day, but I write when and where I can. I strive.for reaching a daily word count,, but if I don't make it, I write another day. It's okay t..."

Yes :D

Rebecca wrote: "I read this book years ago, and didn't get around to re-reading. But I can answer some of the questions anyway :)

1. I can and will write pretty much anywhere. Back when my kids were younger, I di..."

Janet wrote: "1. Stephen King says, “You can read anywhere, almost, but when it comes to writing, library carrels, park benches, and rented flats should be courts of last resort."
QUESTIONS: Where do you like to..."

I agree with bull-pucky. I think every writer would like to write every day, but sometimes life doesn't let you. I think some writers give up writing when they can't handle the pressure to write something every day. If you can great, but if you don't, that doesn't mean you aren't a writer.

Team wrote: "https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I have been a fan of Stephen King for many years. I read this book when it first came out and enjoyed reading it again. Of course, I am very glad th..."

I'm glad I'm not the only one writing on my couch.
Coffee for you, tea for me. :D

Tyrean wrote: "1 - I like writing at home, but my favorite current spot is at a Write-up, Write Together group on Tuesdays at a local community college. We use the classroom for free thanks to one of our members ..."

I'd never had the experience of writing in a group until I attending my first writer's conference. It was a good experience, but I don't think I could do that all the time.

Juneta wrote: "1. Stephen King says, “You can read anywhere, almost, but when it comes to writing, library carrels, park benches, and rented flats should be courts of last resort."

QUESTIONS: Where do you like t..."

I like the idea of molding a story like clay.

Madeline wrote: "1 - I work best tucked into my home office but other places in my home can work, too. I find I can't concentrate as well out and about, although I can do things like brainstorm, jot notes, etc.

4..."

I forgot about the cup and handle metaphor. I do like that one.

I didn’t agree with everything King said in his book but did enjoy reading it. I gave it 5 stars. See my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... Now, on to the questions.

1. Where do you like to write?
I like to write in bed but know I shouldn’t. I have a desk but rarely use it. I write a lot at my kitchen table or on the couch.

Have you written in the places King says should be last resorts and found them to work better for you?
Anytime I’ve ever tried to write at the library, I ended up reading a book instead. Still, I have written some good scenes while waiting for my meal in a food court before.

2. Do you think a theme only develops after the story has come together or can a good story be developed from a theme?

I agree that you can’t write a truly good story and not have dynamic themes appear naturally, but I don’t agree that you can’t plan for this ahead of time. I admit that when I wrote my first story, many of the greater themes didn't stand out to me until the second draft. Still, there have been times when I’ve developed an entire story around particular themes I wanted to incorporate. I also understand that writing to a prompt and writing to a theme are two very different things.

3. What "tools" do you find most indispensable when you write? Are there any you would add to King's toolbox (which includes grammar, vocabulary, elements of style and form, character development, descriptions, dialogue, tools for revision help)?

Since he’s not much of a plotter it makes sense that he wouldn’t list this, but I think plotting and research are important tools in my writing. And since I struggle so much with execution, I think POV is also important.

4. Let’s discuss King's extended metaphor of "writing as excavation." Do you agree with this theory? How would you describe writing if different from his point-of-view?

When I read this metaphor I kept thinking, “He’s got it all wrong. It’s more like trying to find the missing pieces of a puzzle.” The problem with excavation is that you never know what you’re going to get until you’ve got it all. You might think you’re digging up a dog bone and end up with a T-Rex femur. I think the excavation imagery had me imagining that a story could start off as a suspense thriller and end up being a HEA romance by the end. Finding the pieces of a puzzle works much better for me because you get to move characters and plot points around until you have the “big picture,” the story you really want to tell and not just the ideas you started with.

5. Was this your first time reading a book by Stephen King or were you a fan before? Either way, what did you think of his book On Writing?

No, but this was my first time reading this book. I really liked it. I’m not a huge King fan. Some of his work I love, some of it I don’t. I honestly haven’t read that much of it, but I like this and respect him even more as a great writer than I did before.

Mich wrote: "Hi! I'm Mich! Joining this group because the phrase "insecure writer" describes me perfectly.

I write historical fiction, World War 2 mainly but dabble in World War I as well.

My insecurities ar..."

It's great to have you with us Mich. We read some pretty cool books that help and inspire us in our writing. Have you looked into the blog hop or Facebook page? Those too, are great resources.

Ian wrote: "When it came to the movie, I couldn't move past the fact that the entire setting is unrecognizable..."

I get that. I don't think there's anything wrong with someone not liking this movie while liking the book.

I do think though, that for someone with no reference of the real place, what ruined it for you may not affect that person. If I wrote a book about a young black girl growing up in South Dallas, and then the movie was made, there are lots of people who wouldn't know if the movie was accurate or not, since most people have a nighttime-drama idea of Dallas from the TV show of the same name, which is nothing like South Dallas.

Still, I'm sorry the movie was such a disappointment to you. I'm glad you liked the book and felt it did your home justice.

My review of the book can be found here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... I may at some point review the movie, but not today.

I think what's most curious about this book club read is how, so far, the book was liked, if not loved, but the movie was hated. I actually enjoyed the movie but I think I've always been more openminded about film adaptations than others.

In any case, I thought the book hit so many right notes and am so glad I read it. I recommend it to everyone even if I know it's not a genre they usually read, just because I think it's worth giving a chance.

Here's mine: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

J. wrote: "Yes, I posted a review!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I didn't really know what this book was going to be about. It was the book club's..."

I thoroughly enjoyed your assessment. I too went Court Lobster.

Jennifer wrote: "Did anyone else have a negative reaction to it? I loved her anecdotes, and she has some fantastic moments of insight that I wish I'd copied down. But overall, I was skeptical and put off by the ton..."

Not sure if I'm on the same page as you, but there were a few times when I did feel put-off by the tone. I think, in some parts, she gets carried away. While she clearly states that she wrote the book for herself, it's also clear that she had an audience in mind when writing it, and she was clearly "working the crowd" a few times.

Juneta wrote: "The book was not the perspective I expected. It made me think. It made me look at certain creative aspects that most of us get, differently. This is about the muse of inspiration rather than how to..."

Yes, this book itself was a creative take on this subject. I think she did an excellent job of empowering people to be creative, just because.

Susan wrote: "This book was the December-January IWSG (Insecure Writer's Support Group) book club, and it was a real winner. Or maybe I should say we're all winners for having read it.

Uplifting and inspiration..."

What a lovely assessment. So glad you enjoyed the book.

Chrys wrote: "Which group of people believed that individuals weren't geniuses but rather had a genius inspiring them?

A. Romans
B. Greeks
C. Egyptians
D. Indians

Answer: A. Romans..."

I love these questions. Nice additions.

I finished this back in December but just posted my review today. I'll come back to read others comments and elaborate on my own later. Here's my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This was a fun read.

Although Elizabeth Gilbert talked about a writer who wore a tux and tie, that question wasn’t really about dressing to th..."

I'd like to see Juneta's hat as well.

Now, that you mention it, I find that I often wear something with feathers (a print on fabric or some accessory) when promoting my paranormal series about angels. It's currently undergoing a rewrite, so that's probably why I haven't worn feathers in a while.

Jennifer wrote: "Did anyone have a negative reaction to this one? Unfortunately I can't call myself a fan."

Sorry you didn't like it. I wasn't expecting to, but I got quite a bit out of it. Now all I have to do is write the review I've been putting off for two months.

Chrys wrote: "Oh, and it’s good to have some tough ones."

Cool.