IWSG: Writing versus Distractions, New Release-Mom's Memories and Reflections on Motherhood #IWSGbloghop #jqrose #newbookrelease

 

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 IWSG Day!

Happy May!

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Thank you to the awesome co-hosts for the May 1 posting of the IWSG--Victoria Marie Lees, Kim Lajevardi, Nancy Gideon, and Cathrina Constantine!

May 1 Question

 How do you deal with distractions when you are writing? Do they derail you?

Distractions? What distractions? SQUIRREL! 

I like this question. Oh wait a minute. My husband just came in and needs some help in the garage.

I'm back. Got the greenhouse put together.

Now where was I? Oh, distractions. Wait, I have to plug in my second screen. 

GRRR...I still don't have that screen working! Hard to concentrate on my writing because it is sitting right next to me taunting me because I can't figure it out. Guess it's time for a coffee break to cool down and think how I am going to solve this.

Okay. I'm back. Figured out the screen.

Now back to the answer to your question. First I want to wish everyone a marvelous month of May. I love May--so many birthdays, anniversaries, and gorgeous landscapes of flowering trees and spring flowers. Everything is fresh and new, coming alive in Michigan. Now....

Sorry, my daughter called. 

Now about distractions.  Oh, let me throw in a load of laundry before I get into an essay about distractions.

Now about distractions.....The answer is YES they distract me and derail me.

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UPDATE: 

I am thrilled to announce the journal for moms is now available on Amazon! In case you didn't know, I advocate for each person to write their life stories. What a gift to your family when you record life experiences, and surprisingly, it's a gift to yourself. 

Mom's Memories and Reflections on Motherhood: A Guided Journal
J.Q. Rose

Mom’s Memories and Reflections on Motherhood: A Guided Journal is adorned with bright yellow sunflowers and created with pages to journal about mom's unique life experiences, capturing the laughter, tears, and growth that define motherhood. 

Providing a suggested topic, a writing prompt, and an inspiring quote on each page, 

the journal makes writing your stories easy.

The hardcover, premium-color book is divided into three sections for moms to write about the different stages of parenting a child. The Early Years, The Adolescent Years, and Reflections.

One of the sections in the journal

Click here to find out more about Mom's Memories. Thank you.

If you would like the journal in PDF format, please let me know in the comment section below. I have no reviews for the book, yet. I'd appreciate a few sentences left at Amazon when you have time. Thanks.

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GETTING IT RIGHT! I had a difficult time fitting the book cover for Mom's Memories inside the template for KDP. I could see where the words would be cut off on the back cover and a problem with the front cover having words not centered how I wanted them to be placed. So many iterations later, I sent it off to KDP with all the corrections. When I saw the finished product on the sales page, I nearly had a heart attack. 

After all that time spent on the cover, there was ONE typo on the back cover. I had copied and pasted a phrase when re-doing the blurb, so the sentence did not start with a capital letter. What a basic rule--sentences start with capitals....grrr. How did I miss that??

So, once again I had to fix it. The book was originally published on Monday. I corrected the typo on Monday afternoon, and the changes were live the next day!! Kudos to KDP for their quick action. I have since tweaked the manuscript and it was complete with the revisions the next day!

I used Draft2Digital print to publish a different journal in November. I learned later D2D converts the font to 12 point. I must have missed the place to request using my formatted manuscript which is in 14 point. 

After the book is published, D2D does not allow changes for 90 days. After that time, a token is issued to revise the book for free. After using the token, the cost is $25.00 to make later changes. I was amiss for not researching the D2D rules for post-publishing. 

The book interior looked fine, but I did not like the smaller font even if it is the usual size in publishing. However, my readers are older, and I think 14 point is a good size. Large print is considered 16 point.

Have you used KDP or Draft2Digital to publish your books? Please share your experience in the comments below.

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Motherhood

Wishing you a Happy Mother's Day on May 12 in the USA!
 To moms and all who are important in the lives of a child.

Click here to visit more Insecure Writers Support Group  

members participating in this month's IWSG Blog Hop! 

Scroll down the page to find the bloggers' sites.

Click here to link to my new Substack page. It's FREE. The subject of the May 2 article is finding your passion.

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

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

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

IWSG Blog Hop: My National Novel Writing Month (NANO) Experience, Updates #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 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 NOVEMBER!

HAPPY IWSG DAY!!

(HAPPY AND SAFE HALLOWEEN 

IF YOU ARE CHECKING IN EARLY!!)

Author J.Q. Rose

Thank you to our awesome co-hosts for the November 1 posting of the IWSG Blog Hop--PJ Colando, Jean Davis, 

Lisa Buie Collard, and Diedre Knight!

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November 1 question

November is National Novel Writing Month. Have you ever participated? If not, why not?

When I first heard the term, NaNo, I thought it was a word comedian Robin Williams coined in his 70's TV show, "Mork and Mindy." It wasn't. Mork always said, "Nanu, nanu." 

NaNo actually is the shortened term for the National Novel Writing Month challenge held every November. Writers all over the world try to write a 50,000 word novel in just that one month. Some make it and some don't. 

There's no shame in not achieving the goal of 50,000 words because a writer is a winner when actually sitting down and writing!

Time to Write!!

I took on the challenge 13 years ago. I wrote my story which turned out to be only 20,000 words. I assumed I was done. I didn't know then that I could have started another story and another story because the word count is what winning is all about, not the completed novel. If a person writes 50,000 words, she wins! Nano doesn't care if it's 50,000 words that go together and make sense. There is no oversight on quality of storytelling.  We can understand the first draft is the worst draft.

"You need to start somewhere." Anne Lamott

I was thrilled when I received a contract from a publisher for the much revised and longer story. Since then, BWL Publishing released the book, Dangerous Sanctuary.

Dangerous Sanctuary

Pastor Christine Hobbs never imagined 

she would be caring for a flock 

that includes a pig, a kangaroo, and a murderer.

 

I haven't done NaNo recently. I found re-vising the project is time-consuming. Let's face it, writing all those words under a deadline makes one write a lot of "stuff." If I ever do it again, I'll have a lot of the story and characters and setting decided before starting the writing. Hopefully, that will eliminate chasing the story down the rabbit trails.

Looking forward to reading about your Nano experience. Please leave a comment below.

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UPDATE:

Speaking of revising your writing.....This month, I changed the book cover and updated and added new content to my nonfiction eBook, Your Words, Your Life Story: A Guide for Sharing Memories. I will have the paperback updated soon. Because it includes journal pages, the title is Your Words, Your Life Story: A Journal for Sharing Memories.

Your Words, Your Life Story:
A Guide for Sharing Memories
by J.Q. Rose
Available from your favorite online bookseller
Image created by Draft2Digital

I revised Your Words, Your Life Story because I have a second book on writing life stories and sharing memories that will be released in mid-November, Your Life with Jesus: How to Spark  Memories and Write Your Spiritual Memoir. I am marketing the two books together as a series, Books for Life Storytellers Series. I will have a companion book out in May--at least that's the plan now. Fingers crossed that making this series will be successful.

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Have a beautiful November, 

the month of Thanksgiving!

T H A N K S

T hanks for time to be together, turkey, talk, and tangy weather.
H for harvest stored away, home, and hearth, and holiday.
A for autumn’s frosty art, and abundance in the heart.
N for neighbors, and November, nice things, new things to remember.
K for kitchen, kettles’ croon, kith and kin expected soon.
S for sizzles, sights, and sounds, and something special that about.
That spells THANKS for joy in living and a jolly good Thanksgiving.
– Aileen Fisher

Thank you to 37 November Quotes To Welcome The Amazing Month (ourmindfullife.com) for sharing this delightful poem.

The Rose Courier--Yes, you can still get the next edition in your inbox!

The Rose Courier

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!!

VIDEO: And What About Your Memoir? #memoir #lifestorytelling

Memoirs and More

Hello and welcome to the monthly series,

Memoirs and More! 

 

Last month I introduced you to my friend, author, life storytelling teacher and Youtube host, Judy Sheer Watters. She offered helpful tips on writing memoirs. Please click here to take you to that information-packed post, So You Want to Write a Memoir? after watching the video we did together on her YouTube channel.

Judy and I met online in a FB group, and we connected. It was a privilege to be her guest on her YouTube channel devoted to offering thought-provoking writing prompts for life storytellers and interviews with memoirists.

Arranging a Dream: A Memoir by J.Q.Rose

We had a delightful time "zooming" along, talking about my memoir, Arranging a Dream, and discussing memoirs and writing. This interview was the first time I introduced the release of my paperback book to inspire middle-grade girls with biographies of successful women--Girls Succeed! Stories Behind the Careers of Successful Women.

Girls Succeed! Stories Behind the Careers of Successful Women by J.Q.Rose

Please, pull up a chair and take a break. Relax with a cup of tea or glass of lemonade. The video is right here on the page.

 

We would appreciate it if you could leave a comment about the video and/or information on where you are in your life storytelling journey.

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YOUTUBE VIDEO: Judy Sheer Watters - You have a Story to Tell. 

Author Interview with J.Q. Rose

Author Interview with J.Q. Rose

Thank you for watching!

Download the eBooks for Arranging a Dream and Girls Succeed! at your favorite online bookseller.

Paperbacks for the books are available at amazon.com

Enjoyed this post? Click here so you never miss out on future posts.

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Long and Short Reviews 14th Anniversary Party

Are you ready for a party? This week, Long and Short Reviews is celebrating their 14th Anniversary with giveaways of two $100.00 Amazon Gift Cards and lots of prizes! 

I will be blogging about my romantic suspense novel, Deadly Undertaking. Yes, this is the paranormal novel that takes place in a funeral home. This is kind of an autobiographical story because my parents were in the funeral business. But trust me, there never was a shadow man in the place--that I know of.

Click here to visit me on Thursday, August 26th. The link will be live on Thursday morning at 6 a.m. EDST. 

The Rose Courier

Click here to sign up to receive the updates, articles, freebies, photos and fun in the Rose Courier. 

Thank you.

So You Want to Write a Memoir? by Judy Sheer Watters #memoir #writing tips #giveaway

 

Memoirs and More--4th Wednesday of the Month

Hello and Welcome to the Memoirs and More monthly post!

This week, I am so happy to host my friend Judy Sheeer Watters. She is an author, freelance writer, editor, and life storytelling teacher. She offers valuable tips for you who are thinking about, beginning, in the middle of or finishing up a story about your life. She has published three memoirs and teaches the art of memoir, so her tips are tried and true. You can apply many of her tips to writing fiction and non-fiction books, as well.

Judy also has writing prompts and author interviews on her Youtube channel. I was excited to be her guest for an interview about my memoir, Arranging a Dream: A Memoir. I'll share that video with you in August.

So what is the difference between writing your life story and writing a memoir? If you think of your entire life from birth to the present as a great big cherry pie, then one slice out of the pie would be a memoir. Please read to the end of the page to find out how to connect to Judy online and discover her books and more!

Judy has generously offered an e-copy of her memoir, The Road Home, to a lucky commenter. Don't forget to leave a comment below to be eligible to win her memoir. Enter to win the drawing before Sunday, August 1, 10:00 pm EDST. Good luck!!

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Image by No-longer-here from Pixabay

Welcome, Judy! We want to know more about writing a memoir. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks, Janet, for inviting me to your blog.

Write a Memoir
Image by Darkmoon_Art from Pixabay 
#memoir

So You Want to Write a Memoir? by Judy Sheer Watters

So you want to write a memoir? Why not? How I wish I had known my paternal grandmother. I would have loved to hear her stories of escaping Russia and the Bolshevik Revolution. Those stories were lost forever when she came through Ellis Island and died after giving birth to my father. Many of Daddy’s experiences in the Hebrew Orphan Asylum in New York City are also lost to me and to the generations that follow me.

The first question we need to consider in writing our memoir is what will we write? Usually, a memoir covers only a small segment of a person's life. The focus could be on early school days and how different family members helped to develop your own character. Perhaps it covers the long-term care you gave to a loved one and how you coped with letting go at his/her death. It might reveal the turmoil in a troubled marriage or with problem children and lessons learned by both you and your spouse as your bond strengthened and healed.

The next question goes hand-in-hand with your first question. What is your purpose for writing your memoir? Several people who I have worked with have the burning desire to finish their written memoir to give as gifts to their family. Their hope is that many generations to come will read their story and know some of the family struggles and joys. On the other end of the spectrum, perhaps you dream of being the next New York Times bestseller with your memoir of how you pulled yourself out of a devastating pit of despair and lived to tell it all. Your end goal will determine your voice. If it's written for your family alone, you might use a more familiar tone than if you are writing for the outside world.

 

 The Road Home by Judy Sheer Waters
A city boy from a New York City orphanage, well-versed in the school of hard knocks,
meets a country girl who thinks she wants a life of travel and excitement.

What format will you write your story in? In my first memoir, The Road Home: The Legacy that was, is and is to Come, I used life lessons. Each chapter's story ended with a moral—something I learned through that experience. Alma Wakefield wrote her memoir, Amanda Grace, of her Downs Syndrome daughter, using character traits her daughter taught her through the years. One chapter she titled "Patience" and another, “Acceptance.” Sheri Hunt wrote her memoir The Oldest Sin in the Book as a self-help book. Through her own pain of food addiction, she writes about how she found the source of her healing. In my third memoir, Panning for Gold in Our Golden Years, I wrote short stories of how my mom met the aging process head-on every step of the way. Then I offered writing prompts for the reader to tell of their own experience in giving up the car keys or accepting a walker or wheelchair.

Panning for Gold in Our Golden Years

Now that you know what you will write and how you will format your story, you are ready to outline your book. Some writers prefer to just wing it. They start writing and let the pen take them through their story. I actually did this until I got so confused, I had to stop and organize my stories. So here's my old-fashioned suggestion. Get 3 X 5 cards and write a short one to two-sentence synopsis of each chapter or just give that story a title. For instance, one chapter in my own book involved my older sister knocking out my brother’s two front teeth. I wrote “Life is Painful at Times.” Under that, I wrote “Virginia knocks out Rodney's teeth.” After I had finished thirty cards, I organized my cards in a logical storyline and started again. I understand the Scrivener software program does the same thing, but I have not tried this yet. I'm still of the old school.

Now that you know your purpose for writing, what you will write, the format in which you write your story, and you have outlined your book, you are ready to write. It's at this time that your marketing begins, but that's for another post.

Get those stories written down for the generations to come, and be sure to enjoy the process.

 And as I tell my writing students: Get your BIC (butt in chair) and start writing, NOW.

Stop in and subscribe to my YouTube channel where I bring you Author interviews of ordinary people who had a story to share with the world. I also bring short writing prompts to get your creative juices going so you can write your own stories for your generations to come. 

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Image by No-longer-here from Pixabay

About Judy:

Author Judy Sheer Watters

All life can be counted as joyful; just some days are more joyful than others. And it’s all those days, the joyful and the not so joyful, that makes life worth living. And when you put all those days together, a pattern of life lessons emerges that ultimately becomes your legacy.
Judy Watters’ love and focus on memoir stems from the realization that her children would never know the richness of their grandparents’ lives or her childhood farm unless she put it into writing. Judy’s expertise comes from many years of studying the craft of memoir writing. She works closely with others to teach the art of memoir and to help new authors leave the gift of legacy for their families. As Judy sees it, “Everyone has a legacy to leave for their generations to come. Leaving your written legacy and the life lessons learned allows your future generations to realize they are not alone in this journey we call life.”

A retired English teacher and secondary principal, Judy is an author of three memoirs and more than 30 low content books (puzzle, activity, journals, logbooks). She is a freelance writer and editor and the founder of Hill Country Christian Writers and Hill Country Legacy Writers. Judy and her husband reside in Spring Branch, Texas. Along with their three grown children, one daughter-in-law, the most gorgeous granddaughter, two grandcats, and a one-eyed rescue dog named Lacey. They continue to create a rich legacy of their own.

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Image by No-longer-here from Pixabay

 Click the links below to connect with Judy online:

If you have any questions, contact her at: sheermemoirs@gmail.com

Judy's Facebook page at Judy Sheer Watters, Author

Judy's YouTube channel 

Judy's website 

Judy Sheer Watters Author Central page  

Book trailer for The Road Home

Click the book title to purchase your copy of The Road Home by Judy Sheer Waters

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