IWSG DAY, DECEMBER 4, 2024, CLIFFHANGERS ARE NOT MY LOVERS By Pat Garcia @TheIWSG #amwriting #IWSG

Welcome to our twelfth and last IWSG Day of the year 2024. 

 

IWSG is a writers’ support group created and led by Alex J. Cavanaugh. 

 

At IWSG, we believe in the power of sharing and encouragement. Writers of all levels and genres can express their doubts and concerns without fear of judgment. Our community is a haven for all insecure writers!

 

This group is an immense help to many of us who do not mind sharing our insecurities and successes or giving others encouragement and support.

 

So, if you’re a writer seeking a supportive community, IWSG is the place for you. Join us and experience the benefits of sharing your journey with like-minded individuals. The link below will lead you directly to us.

https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.htm

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG, and the hashtag is #IWSG.

The awesome co-hosts for the December 4 posting of the IWSG are Ronel, Deniz, Pat Garcia, Olga Godim, and Cathrina Constantine!

CLIFFHANGERS ARE NOT MY LOVERS

Cliffhangers are not my lovers and not my friends. My biggest problem is they leave my emotional system in suspense, and I can only hold the tension for so long. Therefore, I compare cliffhangers to putting Christmas gifts under my tree days before I open them and expecting me to wait. By Christmas Eve, I have opened at least two or three presents because I can't hold the tension of not knowing what is in the boxes. My friends now know not to give me anything before Christmas to put under my tree because I won't wait. I never do. 

Enjoy the Advent season and have a blessed Merry Christmas.

Shalom shalom,

Pat Garcia

IWSG DAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2024, STEPPING OUT OF WRITING INTO OTHER CREATIVE ACTIVITIES By Pat Garcia @TheIWSG @pat_garcia #IWSG #amwriting

Welcome to our eleventh IWSG Day of the year 2024. 

 

IWSG is a writers' support group created and led by Alex J. Cavanaugh. 

 

At IWSG, we believe in the power of sharing and encouragement. Writers of all levels and genres can express their doubts and concerns without fear of judgment. Our community is a haven for all insecure writers!

 

This group is an immense help to many of us who do not mind sharing our insecurities and successes or giving others encouragement and support.

 

So, if you're a writer seeking a supportive community, IWSG is the place for you. Join us and experience the benefits of sharing your journey with like-minded individuals. The link below will lead you directly to us.

https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.htm

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG, and the hashtag is #IWSG.

The awesome co-hosts for the November 6 posting of the IWSG are Diedre Knight, Lisa Buie Collard, Kim Lajevardi, and JQ Rose!

STEPPING OUT OF WRITING INTO OTHER CREATIVE ACTIVITIES

Whenever I get the opportunity, I sing in concert with a pianist or accompany a jazz band. However, the things I need to do to be a good writer dominate my life and will continue until June 2025. 

I still sing but don't sing as often as I would like. 

Besides minimizing the number of public appearances, I knit, and up until last week, I met with my little old ladies who taught me how to knit once a week. I had to stop meeting with them until I have learned how to set up and implement my marketing plan.

And I am taking a couple of Masters's Courses in Writing that are testing me. Sometimes, it seems too much, but when I see the tiny rays of progress I am making, I realize it is worth it, and I smile. 😊

Lastly, I get enormous joy when I take the time to sleep. I take naps during the day. Sometimes one and sometimes two. Both are between thirty and sixty minutes long. During the night, I sleep anywhere from six to seven hours. When I sleep, my brain relaxes, and I dream. I wake up the majority of the time and write them down. Thus, sleeping invigorates my brain and stimulates my sense of humor.

Take care, everyone, and have a lovely Thanksgiving.

 

Shalom shalom

Pat Garcia

IWSG DAY, OCTOBER 2, 2024, MY EXPERIENCES WITH EDGAR ALLEN POE By Pat Garcia @TheIWSG #IWSG

Welcome to our tenth IWSG Day of the year 2024. 

 

IWSG is a writers' support group created and led by Alex J. Cavanaugh. 

 

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 haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

 

This group is an immense help to many of us who do not mind sharing our insecurities and successes or giving others encouragement and support.

 

So, if you are interested and would like to join, the link below will lead you directly to us.

https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG, and the hashtag is #IWSG.

The awesome co-hosts for the October 2 posting of the IWSG are Nancy Gideon, Jennifer Lane, Jacqui Murray, and Natalie Aguirre!

MY EXPERIENCES WITH EDGAR ALLAN POE

I discovered Edgar Allen Poe and his poetry in school. I consider Poe's poetry to be excellent. Therefore, it was hard for me to digest when Annabel Lee became a short film. But I could handle the sadness, or better said the sorrow. 

As The Pit and The Pendulum came out in 1961, another one of Poe's works, which starred Vincent Price, I had big problems. It was horror pure and caused me many sleepless nights, and I decided horror was not a genre for me. 

Have a lovely month of October!

Shalom shalom

IWSG DAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2024, MY HORROR By Pat Garcia @TheIWSG #IWSG @pat_garcia

Welcome to our ninth IWSG Day of the year 2024. 

 

IWSG is a writers’ support group created and led by Alex J. Cavanaugh. 

 

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 haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

 

This group is an immense help to many of us who do not mind sharing our insecurities and successes or giving others encouragement and support. 

So, if you are interested and would like to join, the link below will lead you directly to us.

https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG, and the hashtag is #IWSG.

The awesome co-hosts for the September 4 posting of the IWSG are Beth Camp, Jean Davis, Yvonne Ventresca, and PJ Colando!

I know I’ve been singing this song since July 5, and I won’t promise to stop singing it, but I just had to show off my first Paperback book, THE POWER OF TOUCH. I received 5 copies yesterday, and now, next to my piano, they bring me joy. I’m smiling.

MY HORROR

If there is one rule that messed me up in my English Classes and still does as a writer, it is the use of commas. Sometimes, I think commas hunt me down in my sleep; the little curvy, black crooks at the top grab me by the neck, and choke me. 

My solution: I have a good proofreader, so I no longer experience the horror.

Have a lovely month of September, and be safe.

 

Shalom shalom,

Pat Garcia

IWSG DAY, AUGUST 7, 2024, Do I Use AI In My writing? By Pat Garcia @TheIWSG #IWSG @pat_garcia

Welcome to our eighth IWSG Day of the year 2024. 

 

IWSG is a writers' support group created and led by Alex J. Cavanaugh. 

 

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 haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

 

This group is an immense help to many of us who do not mind sharing our insecurities and successes or giving others encouragement and support. 

So, if you are interested and would like to join, the link below will lead you directly to us.

https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG, and the hashtag is #IWSG.

The awesome co-hosts for the August 7th posting of the IWSG are Feather Stone, Kim Lajevardi, Diedre Knight, C. Lee McKenzie, and Sarah - The Faux Fountain Pen!

Submissions: THE POWER OF TOUCH  submitted to the ALPHA/OMEGA CONTEST sponsored by RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB (RRBC). The winner will be announced in October 2024.

THE POWER OF TOUCH's ebook version is now available on Amazon Bookstores worldwide, and the paperback will debut on August 30th. I am excited, and my heart is filled with thankfulness toward the four people who stood by me to make this happen. This is my first paperback, and it has thrown me into a tizzy. I am thinking heavily about putting my other ebooks in paperback format. I didn't realize many people still prefer a hardbound or paperback version of a book instead of an ebook.

Do I Use AI In My Writing?

AI IS NOT GOING AWAY, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN I HAVE TO USE IT. I am sure there are some good ways to use it, but I haven't taken the time to find out how it would suit me. Therefore, I am not using AI. I still do my research by using Google and other online libraries that have the material that I need. I hunt through the Internet Archive, and I still read lots of books so that there is a sense of reality in my stories that my readers can relate to. 

In all honesty, I don't want AI to write my books. That is why there are writing classes all over the internet, where authors are willing to pass on their know-how, and I take advantage of those writing classes when I don't know how to do something. I would rather learn how to write myself than depend on a software program that would weaken my brain muscles and rob me of my ability to think creatively for myself.

 

May all of you have a wonderful month of August. 

Take care.

Shalom shalom,

Pat Garcia

IWSG DAY, JULY 3, 2024, MY FAVORITE APPS FOR WRITING By Pat Garcia

Welcome to our seventh IWSG Day of the year for 2024. 

 

IWSG is a writers' support group created and led by Alex J. Cavanaugh. 

 

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 haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

 

This group is an immense help to many of us who do not mind sharing our insecurities and successes or giving others encouragement and support. 

So, if you are interested and would like to join, the link below will lead you directly to us.

 

https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html

Submissions: THE ALPHA/OMEGA CONTEST sponsored by RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB (RRBC)

This is my first competition in this short story event, which is required to be up on Amazon.com by July 4, 2024. My story, THE POWER OF TOUCH, is up on Amazon for pre-order across all Amazon stores until July 5. 

This story is unique because of its collaboration with others who helped me get it published during a time of tremendous stress. One of the people who helped me was our Olga Godim. Many thanks, Olga, for a cover that perfectly befits the main character. 

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG, and the hashtag is #IWSG.

The awesome co-hosts for the July 3 posting of the IWSG are JS Pailly, Rebecca Douglass, Pat Garcia, Louise-Fundy Blue, and Natalie Aguirre!

My FAVORITE APPS FOR WRITING

In the past, I have used Microsoft Word. It has been a favorite of mine for a long time, and it is still my go-to for writing my articles, but I am switching to Scrivener to write my short stories and novels. I've had Scrivener for the longest time but have yet to use it. The learning curve was too steep for me. I've changed my mind since I formatted my first story in Vellum. I will return to Scrivener and try it with my mind open to learn the new changes. 

Other than that, I used DAY ONE, similar to Evernote, which I stopped using because the price was too high. In DAY ONE, I put all my research, pictures, and timelines for whatever story I write.

Finally, I use the Agenda calendar to keep track of time. I usually write four hours daily, except on my Sabbath, when I don't work.  

My all-time favorite App is DAY ONE. I've had it since DAY ONE began. It carries my journal, shopping lists, and everything else I take notes on or pictures I notice while walking. 

Have a lovely month and Happy Fourth of July to all Americans. 

Shalom shalom,

Pat Garcia