IWSG Blog Hop: Writers Beware!

 

Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop

#IWSGbloghop

What is the Insecure Writer's Support Group?

Founded by author Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writer’s Support Group offers support for writers and authors alike. It provides an online database, articles and tips, a monthly blog posting, a Facebook and Instagram group, Twitter, and a monthly newsletter. 

To find out more, click here.

  

The purpose of the group is 

* 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! 

You're invited to become a member of this supportive group. 

Click here to sign up and/or to visit the bloggers this week.

Happy IWSG Day!

Happy August!

The awesome co-hosts for the August 6 posting of the IWSG are Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Natalie Aguirre, Sarah - The Faux Fountain Pen, and Olga Godim!

Smiley is wishing you a fantastic day with the IWSG bloggers!

August 6 question 

What is the most unethical practice in the publishing industry?

Nothing is more unethical in the publishing industry than vanity publishers. In so many Facebook groups, I meet a new writer who was caught in the web of these deceitful publishers. The vanity publisher takes advantage of unknowing writers, convincing them that he can make the writer's book a bestseller on amazon and earn thousands of dollars in book sales, promising he will never take a percentage of the royalties when the writer signs the contract . Then the unscrupulous publisher snickers when he sees the $ 4,000 payment for his services show up in his bank account, so pleased knowing he doesn't have to sell one book for the novice writer because he has made his money up front.  I have met folks who have been drawn into the wicked scheme. 

Picture the steam swirling around my head when I hear how someone has been taken in by a smooth talker. I have the same reaction when a little old lady has been swindled by a scammer who promises to roof her house, or install new windows, or paint the driveway. He asks for 50% of the overblown payment in advance, but he never shows up at the lady's house to do any work.

Writers beware. Research your publisher before signing a contract.

Please leave a comment below on how you check the reputation of publishing houses. Have you been caught by a vanity publisher?

Thanks for stopping in today!!

Click here to visit more participants in the IWSG Blog Hop!!

Connect online with JQ Rose:

Email: jqrose02 @ gmail dot com

Facebook 

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IWSG Blog Hop: Superman and Me #IWSGblog hop

 

Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop

#IWSGbloghop

What is the Insecure Writer's Support Group?

Founded by author Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writer’s Support Group offers support for writers and authors alike. It provides an online database, articles and tips, a monthly blog posting, a Facebook and Instagram group, Twitter, and a monthly newsletter. 

To find out more, click here.

  

The purpose of the group is 

* 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! 

You're invited to become a member of this supportive group. 

Click here to sign up and/or to visit the bloggers this week.

Happy IWSG Day!

Happy April!

Happy Spring!

Hello and welcome to the April IWSG Blog Hop! I am looking forward to visiting many of my IWSG friends and meeting new IWSG bloggers! 

Thank you for joining in on the fun.

Thank you to our awesome co-hosts for the April 2 posting of the IWSG Blog Hop--Jennifer Lane, L Diane Wolfe, Jenni Enzor, and Natalie Aguirre!

🌷🌷🌷

April 2 question

What fantasy character would you like to fight, 

go on a quest with, or have a beer/glass of wine with?

I didn't think twice about selecting a fantasy character as my answer to this question. I would love to fly with Superman! Why wouldn't I? "Superman possesses superhuman strength, speed, flight, invulnerability, and heat vision, among other abilities, all due to his exposure to Earth's yellow sun." 

In case you don't know about Clark Kent, Superman's human side,"he is a humanoid alien refugee from the planet Krypton who lands on Earth, developing superhuman abilities and becoming Superman, Earth's only superhero, while also working as a journalist for the Daily Planet newspaper in Metropolis." 

Superman
Image by Solihin Kentjana from Pixabay

Clark jumps into a phone booth, (remember them?) and in a nanosecond 

he comes out dressed in that tight-fitting Superman suit with the huge S in the middle of his chest. He runs a few steps and then launches into the sky, his cape billowing behind him. 

At that moment, he doesn't care about his job at the newspaper. 

He is on a mission to rescue someone or get the bad guy. In other words he helps people, one of the reasons why I admire the character. 

I think he would be an interesting fellow to hang out with. After all, he writes for the newspaper. That's how I entered the writing world. See? We have so much in common.

But nothing is perfect. Superman's downfall is Kryptonite. So my job would be to keep him safe from that deadly rock. Hmm, I wonder though if he might need that suit and cape washed and pressed once in a while. Yes, I'd be happy to do it for Superman.

I always picture him as Christopher Reeves who played 

the character in one of the many Superman movies.

Now do you see why I'd love to hang out with Superman/Clark Kent? Super powers, hero, smart, handsome, AND a writer!!

Did you choose Superman for your fantasy character??? Please leave your comment below.

 The quoted paragraphs are from Wikipedia.

I apologize if the formatting is a bit wonky for this post. I think Professor Google 

has spring fever and is not paying attention to business...???

🌷🌷🌷

UPDATE: I have updated and released Your Life with Jesus: How to Spark Memories and Write Your Spiritual Memoir in paperback and hardcover in color.

Your Life with Jesus
Learn how to write your spiritual memoir.

“Your Life with Jesus: Spark Memories and Write Your Spiritual Memoir” offers a thoughtful pathway for capturing your faith journey. This book combines carefully selected Bible verses with insightful writing prompts to inspire you as you share the moments that have shaped your spiritual life.

In Part One, you'll find tips on igniting your memories and crafting compelling stories that keep readers engaged. Part Two presents over 40 journaling topics, each paired with a relevant Bible verse and writing prompt to deepen your reflection. Embrace this opportunity to document your unique story and uncover new insights into the transformative power of faith.

The hardcover in color is available now for Easter gifting to someone you love and as a gift to yourself.

             🌷🌷🌷

Connect online with JQ Rose:

Email: jqrose02 @ gmail dot com

Facebook 

Instagram

Substack

IWSG: Writing During the Pandemic #IWSGbloghop

 

Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop

#IWSGbloghop

What is the Insecure Writer's Support Group?

Founded by author Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writer’s Support Group offers support for writers and authors alike. It provides an online database, articles and tips, a monthly blog posting, a Facebook and Instagram group, Twitter, and a monthly newsletter. 

To find out more, click here.

  

The purpose of the group is 

* 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! 

You're invited to become a member of this supportive group. 

Click here to sign up and/or to visit the bloggers this week.

Happy IWSG Day!

Welcome February 2025!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hello and welcome to the February IWSG Blog Hop! I am looking forward to visiting many of my IWSG friends and meeting new IWSG bloggers! 

Thank you for joining in on the fun.

💖💖💖

The awesome co-hosts for the February 5 posting of the IWSG are Joylene Nowell Butler, Louise Barbour, and Tyrean Martinson!

Every month, there is a question that members can answer in their IWSG posts. 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. 

Remember, the question is optional!

February 5 question - Is there a story or book you've written you want to/wish you could go back and change?

Yes, probably every one of them!!  Okay. I know you all probably said the same thing. If I had to pick just one, it would be my memoir, Arranging a Dream: A Memoir. 

I had been working on the story about our first year in the flower and greenhouse business when COVID struck. Recognizing the profound impact this tragic period had on everyone, my publisher reached out to authors whose books were set to be released in 2020. She offered to postpone the book's release and encouraged us to take the time we needed to complete our manuscripts.

I truly needed that time. Instead of meeting the June 1, 2020 deadline, the publisher released the book on January 1, 2021. What a coincidence. That was the anniversary of our first day as business owners 45 years ago!

Arranging a Dream
a feel-good memoir
eBooks available
at all major online bookstores
and in print

When I read through the book many months after publishing, I could see where the pandemic had interrupted my life and stolen my sense of storytelling. The memoir reads as if was written by two different people. The last part of the book is stilted and includes too much narrative instead of including dialogue, reflections, and emotions. 

The anxiety and fear that we were living with drained me both physically and emotionally. I could not write about that turning point in my life when my husband and one-year-old daughter and I moved from our friends and family in Central Illinois to West Michigan to follow our dream. And we did!

Yes, I would like to write the last part of the book again, but maybe not. Maybe that was the way the end chapters were supposed to be. I am thankful I was able to finish it and we made it through the pandemic alive and well.

I know your life was disrupted during that horrific time. How did the pandemic affect your writing? 

Please leave a comment below. Do you have a turning point in your life that you need to share with your family and/or publish for the world to hear your voice? Go for it!! You'll be amazed at what you learn about yourself, plus your family will love to know all about the "good ole days."

💖💖💖

Happy Valentine's Day from J.Q. Rose!

Thank you for stopping in today! I'll be hopping about cyberspace visiting IWSG bloggers!

Click here to sign up to join the monthly blog hop and visit the bloggers this week.

Connect online with JQ Rose:

Email: jqrose02 @ gmail dot com

Facebook 

Instagram

Substack

Innsecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop: What YOU Know About BookBub

 

Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop

#IWSGbloghop

What is the Insecure Writer's Support Group?

Founded by author Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writer’s Support Group offers support for writers and authors alike. It provides an online database, articles and tips, a monthly blog posting, a Facebook and Instagram group, Twitter, and a monthly newsletter. 

To find out more, click this link:  Insecure Writer’s Support Group

The purpose of the group is 

* 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! 

You're invited to become a member of this supportive group. 

Click here to sign-up and/or to visit the bloggers this week.

Happy New Year 2024!

Happy IWSG Day!!

Thank you to our awesome co-hosts for the January 3 posting of the IWSG-- Joylene Nowell Butler, Olga Godim, Diedre Knight, and Natalie Aguirre!

January 3 question:

Do you follow back your readers on BookBub 

or do you only follow back other authors?

I am very embarrassed to admit I don't do anything with BookBub. I looked up BookBub to see if I even have a profile on it. Yes, I do!! I am interested to see what you all are saying about BookBub. Do you buy ads on BookBub? Have you had success with the ads leading to book sales? Please leave your comment below.

JANUARY 17 ON THE RECIPE AND READS SERIES, 

SHERRY ELLIS IS MY GUEST.

Recipes 'n Reads Series every 3rd Wednesday of the month

Talented storyteller and professional musician, Sherry Ellis, will be my guest on Recipes 'n Reads. Sherry shares one of her favorite recipes and the reasons why she chose this particular one. She will introduce you to her new YA  book release, Bubba and Squirt’s City of Bones. Please mark the calendar and return for her crepes recipe. Ooh-la la!

The Rose Courier

Winter edition

Click here to receive the Rose Courier, 
delivered quarterly to your inbox. 

However, if I am bursting with news I can't wait to share,

 I will send out a Special Edition!

Filled with photos, updates, new book releases and more!

Click here to be notified when a new article is posted on the J.Q. Rose blog.

Click here to visit more Insecure Writers Support Group  

members participating in this month's IWSG Blog Hop!

Click here to follow me on Facebook at J.Q. Rose, Author.

Thank you for stopping by today! And for clicking around this post!

Wishing you a productive New Year!
May it be filled with hope, love, peace

 and lots of writing projects!!

Janet Glaser writing as J.Q. Roses

IWSG: DIY Book Cover Designs or Not by J.Q.Rose, #bookcovers #IWSGbloghop

 

Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop

#IWSGbloghop

Happy IWSG Day!!

Happy February!

Hello and Welcome to the IWSG Blog Hop!!

What is the Insecure Writer's Support Group?

Founded by author Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writer’s Support Group offers support for writers and authors alike. It provides an online database, articles and tips, a monthly blog posting, a Facebook and Instagram group, Twitter, and a monthly newsletter. To find out more, click this link:  Insecure Writer’s Support Group

The purpose of the group is 

* 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! 

You're invited to become a member of this supportive group. 

Click here to sign-up and/or to visit the bloggers this week.

The awesome co-hosts for the February 1 posting of the IWSG are 

Jacqui Murray, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Pat Garcia, and Gwen Gardner!

💛💛💛💛

February 1 Question 

If you are an Indie author, do you make your own covers or purchase them? If you publish trad, how much input do you have about what goes on your cover?

My Non-fiction Books
Covers Designed by J.Q. Rose

When I self-published my first e-book, I decided to splurge and hire a professional cover designer. I asked a cover artist who was in an online group with me to create a cover for my book. I interviewed 15 amazing women about their successful careers. They generously shared their stories to inspire girls to dream big. 

I waited and waited and waited for the book cover to be completed. I waited some more. Finally, the file arrived in my email. I was so excited to see what the woman created for this, my very first eBook.

When I opened the file, the excitement turned to disappointment. My sparkly eyes turned into teary eyes. A plain, tan background with a small dream catcher in the upper right corner and the title of the book, Girls Succeed!, in the center of the cover was nothing like I had mentioned when we were brainstorming for the cover design. I was dumbfounded! Being new to the business, I accepted the cover. She knew I was not happy, so she never charged me for the book cover.

After that, I turned to Fiverrr and commissioned a young man to create something that would be cute for the book for girls and eye-catching to draw in readers. I received a cover with a boy standing to the side of the text with some doodles on it. I told him that was nothing like I wanted. I tried to explain better what the book was about. There must have been a language barrier. He said he could not do the project. Have you ever had an artist on Fiverr turn you down??? 

I gave up on buying book covers when I discovered Canva. I have not hired anyone else for my self-published books. I have a great time creating the covers and then letting friends pick what they like. And yes, they are honest if the covers need more work on them!

My traditional publisher is pretty easygoing. She subscribes to a photo site. I think it's 123photos. The author picks out an image or two that fits the story. The designer can use one of those or come up with something different. I have requested changes in the font so it is easier to read and to place the title in a different place on the cover. One cover had the main character with brown eyes. I requested blue eyes, so somehow the designer changed the color, and it was perfect. 

I can spend hours looking perusing amazon's bookstore and studying the book cover designs, backgrounds, font size, placement and colors in the genre I am writing. I look at the top 100 sellers to see what is getting the readers' attention. 

My present WIP is to the point where I will be designing the cover. I took a lot of photos on trips this summer thinking I could use one of them for the background. I'm anxious to see how that will work out.

How about you? Have you tried designing with canva? Hired Fiverr artists? Engaged a cover artist?

Please leave your thoughts below in the comment section.

💛💛💛💛

Tips and Topics for Writers
Image by Mwaka Suza from Pixabay 

EVERYTHING CHANGES.

New year. New beginnings.

 

After twelve years of sharing blog posts on Focused on Story, I will not be posting every week. I will be connecting with you on the first Wednesday of the month for IWSG and on the third Wednesday of the month with a new series, Tips and Topics for Writers. 

I have a WIP, so this cutback will free up more time to work on this special writing. When I get further into the project, I will share it with you. Ooh--keeping you in suspense?

Be sure to click on the link below to follow this blog so you will be notified that I'm "in the house" on those days, and you may pick up some new tips. I'd appreciate your contributions of helpful writing tips and insights on the topics discussed in the series, Tips and Topics for Writers. Looking forward to seeing you here!

February's topic is adding A+ Content to your amazon book pages. I'll be letting you in on my experience when creating the content and submitting it to amazon for approval. Come back on Wednesday, February 15 to get the whole story!!

The first posting in the series was in January and covered converting your photos to 300 dpi--the requirement for images in print books and for A+ Content.  Click here to discover how I did it.

💛💛💛💛

If you want to stay up-to-date with JQ, the Rose Courier is delivered quarterly to your inbox. Filled with articles, freebies, photos and fun! 

Click here to get your copy of the Spring edition in April!

Click here to be notified when a new article is posted on this blog.

To visit more bloggers during this month's IWSG blog hop,

Click this link:  Insecure Writer’s Support Group

Happy IWSG Day!!

I