Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Insecure Writer’s Support Group #IWSG and Insecurity Contest! Plus Dunkirk Review, August Movie Preview, and Ninja News

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.


My awesome co-hosts today are Christine Rains, Dolarah @ Book Lover, Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor, Yvonne Ventresca, and LG Keltner!

August question - What are your pet peeves when reading/writing/editing?

My answer – too much description! I have an imagination. Let me use it.

#IWSGPit was amazing! Beyond my expectations.
We had about 2300 Tweets and we were a trending topic on Twitter.
Thanks to everyone who participated or spread the word. And big thanks to the IWSG admins who spent the whole day monitoring the feed.
Our next one will be in January, 2018. And my pledge to participating writers – there will be five times the amount of publishers and agents watching the feed.

We need co-hosts for the rest of the year! September 6 is the announcement of the next IWSG Anthology Contest, so co-hosts get the inside scoop a few days early. October 4 will be Show Your Writer Insecurity Day. We also need co-hosts for November 1 and December 6. Let me know in the comments what days you can co-host. Remember – co-hosts have more fun!

Show Us Your Writer Insecurity!

Are you proud to be an insecure writer?

Then show us!

On Wednesday, October 4 (IWSG Day), post a photo of yourself (or your alter ego) with any of the IWSG swag or with the IWSG logo. Then leave a comment that day at either the IWSG website’s post or the IWSG Facebook post directing us to your photo. (All blog, Facebook, Goodreads, and newsletter members welcome, but photo must be posted on a blog or Facebook to qualify.)

The IWSG site admins will visit each one and pick the top three. Why? Because there are cool prizes involved:

Third place – EBook of A Change of Mind and Other Stories by Nick Wilford, eBook of The Remnant by William Michael Davidson, eBook of Cling to God by Lynda R. Young, eBook of Already Home by Heather M. Gardner, and eBook of Dragon of the Stars by Alex. J. Cavanaugh.

Second place – The entire eBook collection of the Totem series by Christine Rains, eBooks of Princess of Las Pulgas by C. Lee McKenzie, audio book of CassaSeries by Alex J. Cavanaugh, eBook of Black and White by Nick Wilford, and your choice eBook from J.L. Campbell.

Grand prize winner - IWSG website interview, IWSG newsletter spotlight, IWSG pinned tweet for one week, C. Lee McKenzie's Featured Follower for the month, the IWSG Goodreads book club eBook for October/November, a short chapter critique, and a pair of IWSG erasers.

We have some great IWSG swag – pens, mugs, magnets, erasers, etc. Proceeds go to fund the upkeep of the IWSG site.

You have two months to prepare – show us your best insecurity!

Movie Review – Dunkirk

Allied soldiers are surrounded by the German army and trapped on the beach outside of Dunkirk – with little chance of rescue or survival.
An incredible film. This movie is a masterpiece from front to start.
It’s also the most unique way I’ve ever seen a war film – or any film – told. It’s revealed in non-linear fashion, so you have to pay attention. Nolan starts with strong tension and keeps it tense for the whole film.
It’s not a blood and guts war film. There’s also not a lot of talking or exposition. In most instances, the imagery speaks for itself. And wow, will that imagery stick with you.
The special effects and sound effects are incredible. The sound of the planes and the dogfights – almost chilling. Often you weren’t watching – you were part of the action.
The movie is about desperation and survival – and about hope. There are no major heroes. It’s just people doing what they need to stay alive or to do what is right.
And as great as it is as a war film, Dunkirk is even more so a work of art.
Highly recommended!


Ninja News

On August 24th at 2:00 pm EST, Chrys Fey will be participating in a LIVE YouTube interview with Evan Carmichael, an entrepreneur who she'll be interviewing about his book Your One Word and getting some great advice for IWSG members. You'll be able to watch the interview live HERE. You can set a reminder if you click on the link, or you can watch it later. The video will be uploaded in the August 30th IWSG newsletter issue.
We are also sadly saying goodbye to Chrys as an IWSG Admin. Christine Rains is taking over the newsletter next month. However, Chrys will still be partnered with us and running the IWSG Goodreads Book Club. If you haven’t checked it out, you should, as there are Q&A sessions with the authors of the books being read. Chrys will continue to rock the club!

Get Sliding on the Edge by C. Lee McKenzie for free and with new cover art!
Find it on Amazon, Smashwords, Kobo, and Barnes and Noble

Available now!
Character Astrology Profiles by Christopher D. Votey
This is the first of four that use Astrology and MBTI to map out possible characters from early life to retirement, to help inspire writers on how to create a more complicated character.
Find it on Amazon

Patricia Stoltey is giving away five advance review copies August 1st-15th of her December release from Five Star, the historical mystery Wishing Caswell Dead on Goodreads.




August Movie Preview

Here are the upcoming theatrical releases for August! As always, descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

4 –

The Dark Tower
The last Gunslinger, Roland Deschain, has been locked in an eternal battle with Walter O'Dim, also known as the Man in Black, determined to prevent him from toppling the Dark Tower, which holds the universe together. With the fate of the worlds at stake, good and evil will collide in the ultimate battle as only Roland can defend the Tower from the Man in Black
Director: Nikolaj Arcel
Stars: Katheryn Winnick, Matthew McConaughey, Idris Elba, Jackie Earle Haley
All of King’s stories in a blender! Dig the cast and hope it’s great.

11 –

Annabelle: Creation
Several years after the tragic death of their little girl, a dollmaker and his wife welcome a nun and several girls from a shuttered orphanage into their home, soon becoming the target of the dollmaker's possessed creation, Annabelle.
Director: David F. Sandberg
Stars: Stephanie Sigman, Miranda Otto, Talitha Bateman, Alicia Vela-Bailey
Loved The Conjuring, but you my dear are no Conjuring…

18 –

The Hitman’s Bodyguard
The world's top bodyguard gets a new client, a hit man who must testify at the International Court of Justice. They must put their differences aside and work together to make it to the trial on time.
Director: Patrick Hughes
Stars: Gary Oldman, Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, Salma Hayek
Take every generic 80’s buddy film, mix in a blender, and serve…


What are your pet peeves? Did you participate in #IWSGPit? Ready to show your writer insecurity? Have you seen Dunkirk? Any movie strike your fancy in August?
Be sure to let me know if you can co-host the IWSG!

129 comments:

dolorah said...

Lots of awesome going on in the IWSG. The photo contest looks awesome.

Sorry to see Chrys leaving the Admins, but hoping that is cuz her writing is consuming all her time :)

I'm not sure you can put all Stephen Kings DARK TOWER series into one movie. Like putting all JRR Tolkien's LOTR into one movie. Loses a lot. But when did King movies exactly replicate the books?

Hmm, I miss going to the theater to see movies. Just too busy lately.

lostinimaginaryworlds.blogspot.com said...

Always admire your energy and your know-how! Must be an early riser like me. Good to be back, but don't know for how long, due to disabled husband, but fingers crossed. Kind regards, and good luck with all your hard work.

Elephant's Child said...

The ISWG is a boon to writers. Thank you so much for its genesis - and to all those who contribute.
And a big thank you from this reader to all writers.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Alex – great review of Dunkirk … and I’m looking forward to seeing it – lots of new books out by blogging authors … excellent to know about. Then the IWSG happenings … so good that Chrys will still be involved and I must check out the Book Club. You’ve some amazing stalwarts helping you – so good to have such support.

Lots happening here – and we’re so lucky to be able to tap into friend’s blogs to learn so much re authorship, the process and generally be better educated.

Congratulations to one and all – cheers Hilary

Suzanne Furness said...

I think I'm with you Alex on the reading peeves - do much description can slow the story. Good to hear you and the team have lots of new things planned for the IWSG. I participated during the evening in the Twitter pitch (I was away at the time so limited to what I could do!) saw some great pitches though and I even got three likes which I am investigating at the minute. Thanks to all involved.

Laura Clipson said...

Dunkirk sounds amazing, I'll definitely have to add that to my list.

Shannon Lawrence said...

I can co-host any time, but would prefer December since I'll be on a break from other writing related stuff. I'm looking forward to The Dark Tower and The Hitman's Body Guard, with no high expectations for Bodyguard. I'm just a Ryan Reynolds fan. #IWSGPit was great. Thanks to everyone who put it together!

Ronel Janse van Vuuren said...

The photo competition looks like fun :-)

Sarah Foster said...

Glad the pitch party was such a success! Hopefully I'll have something ready to go for the next one.
Show us your writer insecurity sounds fun! I'll have to get some swag!

The Cynical Sailor said...

Looking forward to seeing what everyone does for the IWSG insecurity day - sounds fun. None of the upcoming movies really sound all that appealing to me. Congrats to everyone on their releases. Sad about Chrys leaving as an admin, but glad she'll continue to run the book club. Christine will be a great addition to the admin team. Cheers - Ellen

Truedessa said...

Good Morning

It seems the ISWG is lifting off to new heights. Better hold on I see good things in the horizon.

I saw Dunkirk last week, this will def get nominated for awards. It is a unique war movie that stays with you long after exiting the theater.

Welcome back!

Erika Beebe said...

I am really excited to see all the photos! I think it's a really great idea. How was your feeling when Dunkirk ended? Did you still feel hopeful? It sounds amazing. The Dark Tower sounds amazing too. Congrats to all the authors on their books and to the success of the twitter pitch. I've also set a reminder to watch the interview with Evan Carmichael. Have a great rest of your week Alex.

Natalie Aguirre said...

So many good things coming for writers who are members of IWSG. Thanks for all you do. I'd volunteer to be a co-host but I'm just starting to help my mom with a move to where I live. When things slow down a bit, I'll volunteer.

kaykuala said...

Dunkirk is the one to see given the positive review. The offer of prizes for the IWSG members should be most interesting.There is the lot of new books by the blogging fraternity which is most encouraging.

Hank

Heather M. Gardner said...

Good morning, Alex!

I've heard great things about Dunkirk. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Can't wait to see all the SWAG!

You know I'm always around if you need me to co-host. :)

Have a great day!!
Heather

Chemist Ken said...

I really enjoyed Dunkirk, although it took me a while to understand that the different timelines were running at different speeds.

I'm looking forward to the anthology theme is this year. Perhaps I may finally be able to get my butt in gear enough to enter something.

And as always, I'm ready to co-host during whatever month you need.

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

I don't care for big chunks of description when I read or when I write.

Looking forward to The Dark Tower and Annabelle! The last few movies I watched were kind of meh so hoping/looking for something really good soon.

Just joined the IWSG Book Club!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Donna, King movies and books tend to have little in common.

Carole, good to hear from you!

Thanks, Elephant's Child.

Hilary, I'll be curious what you think of Dunkirk.

Suzanne, that's great you got three responses.

Shannon, thanks!

Truedessa, it does really stay with you.

Erika, yes, it did feel hopeful, despite the losses getting there.

Natalie, that's all right. Help your mother.

Heather, appreciate it!

Yolanda Renée said...

So much going on, does it ever slow down!
Great review, but I hate war movies, still, it's one I do want to see.
Congratulations, Chrys, and Christine - great moves, talented women!
Congratulations to you too, you've done wonders with the IWSG!!!!

Birgit said...

I am not one for talks talks novels who just describe things...zzzzzzzz. Congrats to the future winners! These are quite great prizes. I can't wait to see Dunkirk!! The upcoming films...not too sure but interested in the last one as I like movies like that

Jo said...

I am glad to hear they did a good job with Dunkirk. It was such a soul wrenching event. My parents described the rescued soldiers coming ashore in the ports in the south of England and even though they were home, it was pretty traumatic. I was still in my cot at the time so didn't go and see.

The ISWG is going great guns and it is good to know that all the hard work has paid off. Makes me wish I was an author.

Pat Hatt said...

The IWSG is sure go go go. A win indeed. Dunkirk I heard was good, but another war movie, ugg, was my first reaction. Probably wait for Netflix. The Hitman's Bodyguard sure looks fun. Hopefully more Deadpool fun and less Snakes on a Plane fun.

nashvillecats2 said...

Lots going on Alex within the group. Loved the photo and the contest sounds great.

Yvonne.

Jennifer Hawes said...

I can co-host any or all of those months. I had a blast last time!

Jennifer Lane said...

Dunkirk looks awesome--thanks for your review.

Totally agree with you about too much exposition slowing a book down.

I could co-host September or December or a future month after December.

DMS said...

The photo contest sounds fun! :) I almost went and saw Dunkirk over the weekend- but I didn't know much about it, so we ended up waiting. Glad to hear you highly recommend it.

Lots of great news!
~Jess

Crystal Collier said...

LOL! Too much description... I find myself skimming frequently--a knee jerk reaction since my Dickens binge-reading days.

I'm glad the twitter pitch went so well! I caught a few tweets. Such an awesome thing...and I wish I could volunteer to cohost during the rest of the year. The baby is due next month and just sitting long enough to comment on blogs today is going to be rough. I'll probably be dazed, sleep deprived, and beyond overjoyed come IWSG day, but I'll cheer it through my delirium.

Huge thanks to Chrys to this point for her awesome service on the newsletter!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

We had such a great turnout for #IWSGPit. DLP is still getting submissions from that day.

Dunkirk was so powerful. I'm still thinking about it.

Stacy McKitrick said...

My pet peeves? Well, I'm not a fan of huge description, but what I hate more is stage direction (i.e. "he turned his head to peer out the window" kind of thing). My editor kicked me of that habit and now I find I can't stand reading it. Haha!

Dunkirk did seem interesting to me, but Hubby isn't sure he wants to see another war movie (which is funny, since he's the one who used to drag me to war movies). You didn't mention the movie here (maybe earlier), but we're thinking of seeing Atomic Blonde. Then again, we're always THINKING about going to the movies and then never do. Hmmm...

Jemi Fraser said...

So much good stuff going on!!!

I'm SO with you on description - I don't like too much of it as a reader or a writer! :)

Cathrina Constantine said...

I've been watching the previews for Dunkirk which looks fantastic.

Wow, congrats to the IWSG and their pitch party. I'm sorry I missed it because I was on vacation and our cottage didn't have internet. :(

Also, so much is happening with IWSG and it's exciting!!!

Michael Di Gesu said...

HI, Alex,

Yes! The twitter pitch was amazing! I was thrilled with the results and am still working on materials to send to one publisher. Very exciting times!

SO many fun things happening with the IWSG... another anthology?! YAY... hopefully I will submit something for this one.Now that I am "back," I hope to start writing more new pieces.

No time for movies now with packing and sending materials out, maybe next month! Thanks again for all you do, Alex! WE appreciate it!

Yvonne Ventresca said...

I'm not a fan of too much description either. Especially of home decorating. :)

Anonymous said...

I mean do I really need to comment, Alex? You already know what I'm going to say: Finally The Dark Tower is here!!!!!!! Fingers crossed for no migraines this weekend. Woot Woot!!

I heard a great piece of trivia on Dunkirk and thought to myself, "I need to tell my hubby this!" Then promptly forgot it. It's been driving me crazy ever since.

Enjoy the rest of your week!
Elsie

Arlee Bird said...

I want to see Dunkirk despite the ridiculous review about it that I read recently. According to the the review by a certain female reviewer, Dunkirk had too many white men and should be avoided unless one wanted to watch a paean to white guys. I guess she thought the filmmakers should have changed history for the sake of diversity in film making. More wacky political correctness.

Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out

Tamara Narayan said...

Yes, I can co-host for October, November, or December. Put me where needed.

Dunkirk sounds amazing. I've heard so many good things about it. I can't wait to see The Dark Tower, but am wondering: are Eddie and Susanna even in this one?

Did the Twitter Pitch thang: it was great! I got some likes and have sent out my query packages. Huge thanks to everyone who made it happen.

Patricia Stoltey said...

Thanks for mentioning the Goodreads giveaway and for all you do for your followers, Alex!

As for movies, I'm way behind -- just watched the DVD of Hidden Figures and thought it one of the best movies I've seen in years. Next up is The Girl on the Train. I've heard Dunkirk is way too loud for some folks so I'll probably watch that on DVD too.

Nick Wilford said...

Heard Dunkirk is amazing. I'll have to see it. The Insecurity contest will be a lot of fun!

Rachna Chhabria said...

Hi Alex, lots of things happening in IWSG. The photo contest sounds cool. I am in.

The IWSG pitch party on Twitter was cool. I enjoyed it a lot. Sadly I still could not complete one of my manuscripts.

I'll let you know which days I can be a co-host.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Ken, that confused my wife as well. And thanks!

Madeline, awesome!

Thanks, Yolanda. And it's a really different war film.

Jo, that's wild your parents were there to see them come home.

Pat, don't wait. It's unlike any war film you have ever seen.

Jennifers, thanks!

Jess, now you know - just go.

Crystal, I understand.

Diane, awesome.

Stacy, that one rather bombed at the box office last weekend. But go see Dunkirk. It's a really different war film.

Michael, thank you for being a part of it!

Yvonne, that made me laugh.

Elsie, hope you remember.

Lee, that is just nuts.

Tamara, thanks! And awesome to hear you had good results from #IWSGPit.

Patricia, you're welcome.

Shadow said...

Nice write up for Dunkirk, and a nice selection of previews. A bodyguard needing a bodyguard??? Sounds like good Saturday evening entertainment.

Annalisa Crawford said...

Dunkirk really is an incredible film - so clever! I've seen Spitfires in mock dogfights a couple of times now, and the sound is amazing. The Spitfire scene toward the end (no spoilers - I hope you know which one I'm referring to) gave me goosebumps!

Charles Gramlich said...

Wow, from a small seed ISWG has really grown. I'm looking forward to Dunkirk.

Lynn La Vita said...

I'm in the "less is more camp" when describing the minutiae. Although, tossing in the five senses adds a bit of zest that is often missing.

Unknown said...

I'm going to see The Dark Tower on Friday despite ALL my misgivings about it. It looks like they mashed the first three books together but took out most of the characters, holy crap. My head will probably explode before I leave the theatre.

The IWSG Day sounds awesome! Will definitely be participating.

Stephanie Faris said...

PitchWars just started and I'm a mentor, so I'm seeing how much work it is. The people who organize these things are angels on earth, I think!

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Dunkirk sounds really good. Have to see The Dark Tower. I liked the book though after a while, that series got too weird for me. The Hitman's Bodyguard sounds like fun.

stephen Hayes said...

My pet writing peeves? As a painter I'm all about descriptions, but too much in writing can be tedious and counter productive.

cleemckenzie said...

I'd never seen such a Twitter feed as I did on #IWSGPit. And for all of the tweets there were very few spammers or people who ignored the rules. Great success.

I'm looking forward to all of the great events IWSG has coming up.

Thank you for giving Sliding on the Edge some attention. I really appreciate it.

Tonja Drecker said...

I hadn't even thought of descriptions, but I'll second that one! My son just saw Dunkirk and enjoyed it too, so I might have to visit the theater again. I'll co-host for November if you need me. Oh, and the IWSG picture thing is a great idea :)

Loni Townsend said...

I used to be one of those really descriptive people. Sometimes, it still creeps in, and then sometimes, I get people telling me they need more information about the setting because they can't see any of it. I might have gone from one extreme to the other. Doh.

That picture competition sounds fun! I'll have to put my thinking cap on.

Toi Thomas said...

I too have issues with too much description in books, especially fiction.
I'm excited about the hop within the hop, the Show your writer insecurity. It sounds like fun.
Haven't seen Dunkirk, but that's the kind of movie I watch at home on my couch if I'm going to go down that road. I am looking forward to seeing Dark Tower in the theater, while Hitman's Bodyguard will have to wait for streaming.
Thanks for another great post.

H.R. Bennett said...

Definitely looking forward to the picture party. Should be fun. As for the previews...I'm very nervous about Dark Tower. As I understand it, it's just an outright different story with the same characters and relative concept, so I'm a little scared to see what comes out of it.

Chrys Fey said...

Thanks for adding the interview with Evan to your post.

And thanks to everyone for their kind words!

Gwen Gardner said...

I agree with you on the over-description pet peeve. I'm currently reading an author that I love, who has about 15 books out in the series, and for some reason the setting description is just over the top. I find myself skimming through those sections and not really missing much of the story by doing so.

Thanks for all you do for us, Alex!

L.G. Keltner said...

I understand your pet peeve. Excessive description can bog a story down. I struggle sometimes with finding the right amount of description to write into a piece. You need some, but you don't want to go overboard. Trying to strike the right balance is a huge part of the editing process for me.

Thanks for all the wonderful work you've done for this group, Chrys! And welcome Christine! I'm sure she'll be wonderful.

It sounds like the IWSG has an exciting couple of months ahead!

Jessica Therrien said...

Oh my gosh, #IWSGPit was SO MUCH FUN!!! Thank you :) Can't wait for January!

Liesbet said...

Glad to read that the pitch party was such a success! Hopefully, I will be ready for the next one in six months. I better... :-) Dunkirk will be the next movie we'll check out, thanks to your review. It sounds special and classic. Just saw The Big Sick last weekend and were entertained. Happy blog hopping today! Time to get to work myself now.

Shady Del Knight said...

Hi, Alex!

Holy smoke! Dunkirk is exactly the kind of movie making I most appreciate. On top of that, both Mrs. Shady and I appreciate a good war drama. She has watched Saving Private Ryan about a dozen times. I will tell her about Dunkirk and hopefully we will see it soon. Thanks for the review, good buddy!

Sandra Cox said...

Good morning, Alex.
I normally steer clear of war movies but I am planning on seeing Dunkirk.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Rachna, thanks!

Annalisa, you bet it did! The sound of those Spitfires alone should score it an Oscar nomination for sound. So incredible.

Charles, yes it has!

Jen, that would make me ill as well. yes, the film is very emotional.

Megan, just worried there are still no early reviews...

Stephen, promise that's something I don't do.

Lee, you're welcome. And the feed for #IWSGPit was incredible.

T, double thanks!

Robert, as it still has no reviews, I'm concerned as well.

Chrys, thanks and you're welcome!

Gwen, thank you.

Jessica, glad you and Acorn Press enjoyed it!

Leisbet, go see it!

Shady, it's even better. You will really appreciate and enjoy it.

Sandra, go!

Fundy Blue said...

Congratulations, Alex! all the thought, time, and effort that you have put into the IWSG is beginning to snowball into even more great things!

My plans are so up in the air right now, and I may very well be traveling on IWSG Day in Sept., Oct., and Nov. So put me down for December 6th, if you still need a co-host. I am always happy to help with that. As the fall months get closer and you still need help, let me know. I may be able to see my future more clearly.

I'm ready to buy another Ayreon CD. Any recommendations as to which one to enjoy next?
Have a great day, my friend!

Cherie Colyer said...

I'm not a fan of long description either.

Congrats to those with new releases!

N. R. Williams said...

I hate my mug shot. I will think about the challenge. I know others have asked me for an updated photo. Maybe I should scroll the internet looking for a model and tell everyone that is me.
Nancy

Liz A. said...

I've heard lots of good things about Dunkirk. My mother is so jazzed for The Dark Tower. She's read all the books.

Christine Rains said...

The #IWSGPit was amazing! I haven't seen Dunkirk yet, but I definitely want to see the Dark Tower. I hadn't heard of The Hitman's Bodyguard, but it sounds like fun. I do hope I can live up to the great work that Chrys had done. I'm happy she's still with us for the book club. :)

Joanne said...

in some books I enjoy the author's description (ex. Harry Potter series), in others it is not necessary. Definitely a fine line.
Pet peeve for me is stereotypical characters. Give us something unique.
Dunkirk was harrowing - I never want to be in a war, and this film seemed like a very close immersion test. Wow
I need to see Atomic Blonde. I tried reading The Dark Tower series and gave up - not my genre. I like Idris Elba, but this might not be the one for me.
Stay secure and carry on!

Shah Wharton said...

I didn't have anything to offer to the IWSGPit. Maybe next time as it sounds amazing! I watched Dunkirk with the hubby a few days ago - Incredible.And I agree, it was a piece of art.

H. R. Sinclair said...

My pet peeve with myself is fixating on something in the first draft! I did participate! And I loved reading all the pitches out there.

Andrew Leon said...

I'll probably rent it.

Joey Lynn Resciniti said...

I'll be working on my selfie face for October! And maybe finishing my WIP for the next pitch contest. Not sure which of those will be more difficult...

Olga Godim said...

The October contest sounds exciting.
Alex, if you still need hosts for the rest of the year, I can do it any month you need.

Diane Burton said...

Ditto pet peeve--too much description. I want to see Hitman's Bodyguard. Considering the cast, this ought to be good.

I'd be happy to co-host in November or December.

Juneta key said...

I can co-host Oct, Nov, Dec. Just let know what to plan. Lots of exciting things going on. The contest sounds fun.

You know I have a couple of the Dark Tower books that I planned to read but have not yet. I should so I will know about the movie.

Juneta @ Writer's Gambit

Jenni said...

I'm with you on the overly descriptive writing. I especially hate it when there are too many adjectives. Dunkirk sounds really interesting. That one is on my list.

Beverly Stowe McClure said...

Too much description bugs me too. I like to use my imagination some.

I can co-host on September 6, October 4, or November 1, whichever works best.

Victoria Marie Lees said...

You're right, Alex. Too much description can slow the action and muck up the flow of a story.

I'm not tech savvy. But I'm brainstorming how I can participate in the Ninja with the IWSG badge thing.

My husband wants to see Dunkirk. I'll tell him you gave it a thumbs up.

Thanks for all you do to help us Insecure Writers, Alex. All best to you, sir.

J E Oneil said...

Funny, because one of my pet peeves is under-description!

I heard Dunkirk was really good. I hope to see it sometime. Nothing else seems to have interested me lately.

Cherie Reich said...

Too much description is annoying. Sounds like great things are coming up with IWSG! :)

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

I share your pet peeve. :)

Glad to hear Dunkirk is so good! That's one I'm interested in seeing. I usually like Nolan's films.

Lowcarb team member said...

Was so pleased to read your very positive review of Dunkirk, thank you.

All the best Jan

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Fundy, thanks! And so cool you liked the Ayreon. I'd recommend The Human Equation next. It's the only one that doesn't tie in with space and the Universal Migrator, but it's their best disk. Would make an amazing movie but just not sure how anyone would pull it off. After that, then pick up The Universal Migrator.

Nancy, we would never know. Well, almost.

Christine, I'm sure you will!

Joanne, I never want to be in a war either.

Shah, next Friday!

Joey, do both and find out.

Olga, thanks!

Diane, appreciate it.

Juneta, you rock.

Beverly, thanks!

Victoria, thanks! And hope you see the movie and participate October 4.

Elizabeth, he won't let you down.

Rita Fitzpatrick Writer said...

Description is definitely a pet peeve... I'm holding out to see Dunkirk, my Grandad survived the evacuation and I think it's going to be a tough watch with him in mind.

kimlajevardi.com said...

I hate excessive description as well. I tend to skip over endless paragraphs of scene setting. Keep the story moving!

I am really hoping they do justice to The Dark Tower. I love that story/characters too much to see anyone butcher it.

M Pax said...

Yay for Chrys and Christine.

My pet peeve is internal speech and something along the lines of, 'fear ran through him.'

Sheena-kay Graham said...

Thank you lovely Alex and co-hosts for another IWSG. I agree that too much description can be annoying. Really hope The Dark Tower is good.

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Ha, I'm currently collaborating with my brother on a book. He loves lots of description and wants me to add more all the time. I have to find a careful balance. A challenge!

Unknown said...

Really want to see Dunkirk! Love movies directed by Christopher Nolan. Sorry I missed the last two months of IWSG ... it's been a busy summer :-)

Charity Bradford said...

There are so many great things going on! I've started watching more movies lately now that I'm working. It's just an easy way to relax and let everything go. Can't wait to see Dunkirk and the Dark Tower.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Rita, wow!

Kim, so far no reviews though...

Lynda, good luck!

Jamie, good to hear from you though.

Denise Covey said...

Another IWSG contest. Don't you awesome guys ever stop with the plotting? Sadly, (LOL), I'll be cruising the Greek Islands on October 4 so I won't have time to be insecure.

And I've read a bit about Dark Tower. Sounds awesome.

Tony Laplume said...

The pitch thing was a fantastic idea. And not just because an agent actually liked my tweet.

Sandra Ulbrich Almazan said...

My husband is really looking forward to seeing Dunkirk.

SpacerGuy said...

I like the look of the Dunkirk movie, so down to earth and survivalist as one would expect with enemy forces closing in. The Twitter party was a blinder.

Raimey Gallant said...

More awesome events? What??????? You admins are coming up with some awesomeness, for sure. I can't thank you enough, Alex, for putting together the #IWSGpit. The feed had such great pitches, and really awesome agents/pubs were checking in all over the place. If you need a guest host, I'm happy to help out any of the dates you mentioned.

Mary Aalgaard said...

As always, you rock the cyberworld and its insecure writers. Sorry I didn't participate this month. My schedule is so full, plus I'm leaving on a vacation tomorrow and will be somewhat off the grid. Thanks for stopping by my blog today! It's fun to promote a friend who is a new author. I have the IWSG t-shirt. I'll take a photo and celebrate with all of you in October!

Ann V Friend said...

Great post Alex (smile) Abundant blessings!

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

Yeah, too much description is tedious and frustrating. That kind of a book gets tossed aside by me.
Glad the twitter party went so well, and it sounds as though everything else is too.
Thank you for all you do, Alex.

Carrie-Anne said...

I also hate too much description! It's a big reason I never got into most 19th century American and British literature. How does endless description of a house, garment, staircase, garden, or stable advance either plot or character development? I like filling in the blanks in my own head, instead of having everything exactly spelled out for me. Most readers bring their own interpretations of what characters and things look like anyway.

Empty Nest Insider said...

Alex, Congrats on the success of the Twitter party! Love your new IWSG badge with Mini Alex! Good luck on your upcoming events!

Julie

John Wiswell said...

Dunkirk was a profoundly engrossing film. I loved how tightly edited it was. Zimmer and Nolan are perfection together.

And congratulations on the success of #IWSGPit!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Denise, we're always brewing up something!

Tony, glad you participated!

Raimey, double thanks!

Mary, that would be awesome.

Thank you, Robyn.

Carrie-Anne, exactly!

John, yes they are.

C.D. Gallant-King said...

So much stuff going on. I may have to get one of those t-shirts some day.

And a new Anthology is coming! Does that mean we'll get our YA dinosaur erotica soon?

Tyrean Martinson said...

I'm super glad that IWSGPit went well! I am definitely ready to show how proud I am to be part of IWSG! My oldest daughter loved Dunkirk, too, so it's on the list of TBW (to be watched) but when it rained hard at Universal Studios and rides were closed, we opted for Spiderman: Homecoming instead ...

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

Striking a happy medium with the "correct" amount of description to include in a book is very difficult. One writer thought there was too much description in my book, but "Writer's Digest" editors wanted more. Maybe that means I succeeded in staying somewhere in the middle.

"Dunkirk" sounds like an amazing movie. It's definitely one we'll watch.

So many good things are in the works for IWSG. You must feel like a proud papa. :)

Sandra Cox said...

Pet peeves? Oh you mean about writing and books. Ha!

Looking forward to Chrys's interview.

Have a good one, Alex.

Rebecca M. Douglass said...

I'm not sure I even know what's involved in being a co-host. But I'm thinking I should think about doing that sort of thing.

J Lenni Dorner said...

My pet peeve is... well, it's ridiculous.

But I hate when the name of this planet (not the soil, but as a reference using it as a proper noun), isn't capitalized. Except that's not always a rule, and the "powers that be" argue over it. "Now departing Mars for earth." I hatessss it, my Precious.

I also really hate s's, as in, "That pen is Chris's." Which, again, the great and mighty grammar gods argue if it's right or wrong, but I was taught that it's, "That pen is Chris'." I'm told that I actually visibly twitch when I see it written the other way.

In editing, I hate finding that I've used the wrong homonym or homophone.

With writing... ha ha ha...
Every once in a while I'll be trying to write (yes, TRYING), and someone will start talking to me or will turn on the tv or radio, and I'll start typing the words I hear *outside* of my head, instead of the ones from *inside* my mind. "Yes, I'd love to eat SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY! Come down to the fairgorunds for boatshow madness!"

Anyway...
If you need a back-up co-host, hit me up. I'm happy to help. I have no idea what it entails, but you've seen my work at A to Z, and maybe know what I do over at Operation Awesome. I'm always happy to lend you hand, Alex. You've got my email.

Helena said...

I am definitely going to see Dunkirk, and I expect to be emotionally exhausted afterwards. And I'm glad that such an important story has, through Nolan, been told so brilliantly.

Cathy Keaton said...

My pet-peeve: passive voice. Stop "wasing" every action to death, people!

Rhonda Albom said...

Wow Alex, lots of fun going on and of course I love the photo idea. Dunkirk sounds like the movie to see.

Mary Kirkland said...

I love those horror movies and am looking forward to this Annabelle movie.

Too much description in a book is a problem for me as well. I just read a book yesterday that had me wanting to pull my hair out. Too much description, too little moving forward made it boring for the first half of the book.

Lynda Dietz said...

Your reviews always make me want to go to movies more often!

As a non-author, I didn't participate in the Twitter pitch, but I watched it and cheered for everyone. It looked like a lot of fun, and I hope if nothing else that everyone got the confidence to do it again when the opportunity arises.

I'm thinking of joining the IWSG monthly blog hop. I love reading everyone's posts and am finding more and more blogs to follow.

Cynthia said...

I too don't like too much description either when I'm reading. It makes me feel as if the writing hadn't been carefully edited.

Unknown said...

Dunkirk is on my to-watch list, and now I'm going to book tix. As usual, so much to read and learn in your post--- how do you gather all of this lovely news ?

Damyanti

Michelle Wallace said...

#IWSGPit was an amazing event!
It was exciting to monitor the twitter feed as the pitches rolled through.
Maybe I'll post a pic with a bag over my head for the photo competition. LOL

Julie Flanders said...

I'd be happy to co-host, Alex! December 6 is my birthday so that seems like a great way to spend it. But if you need more help with the other months say the word and I'll switch. The only one I can't do is October.

I've been sooo looking forward to The Dark Tower because I love Elba and McConnaughey and I LOVED the books, but the reviews have been so awful I think I'm going to wait. Disappointed because those books are so fantastic I think. Oh well!

Barbara In Caneyhead said...

I am with you all the way on too much discription! I'll skip those sections if it occurs only every so often, but if they occur too much, I simply stop the book.

You make Dunkirk sound fascinating! Sounds like it plays like memories do in our minds. To me the greatest heroes are the ordinary folk dealing with the difficult and doing what is right.

Way to go Chrys!

mail4rosey said...

Awesome that there was such a good turnout on Twitter. It's nice when things go the way you want them to (or better). :)

Brandon Ax said...

The contest sounds awesome.

I still have not seen Dunkirk yet, but want to.

I just got back to my blog after being away for forever. It is good to see your blog again.

A Beer for the Shower said...

Good pet peeve. I hate purple prose, too. In fact, I think my biggest pet peeve is when I start reading about a character, and I picture him/her a certain way, and then multiple chapters later they suddenly hit you with this description bomb about what the character looks like, and it goes against everything I pictured.

Either start that way, or just leave their description vague. Don't contradict what I'm thinking by filling in the blanks late in the game, I say.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

CD, I think you would win that contest.

Susan, I do!

J Lenni, I do my 's that way.

Helena, it has.

Cathy - funny!

Lynda, please join us!

Damy, it takes a couple hours...

Julie, thanks!

Barbara, then you'd really enjoy Dunkirk.

Brandon, glad to have you back.

Brandon and Bryan, that is annoying. Agreed.

Magic Love Crow said...

Thanks for the movie previews and review, Alex! My friend went to see The Dark Tower today! I wonder how she will like it? I can wait for Chrys's live interview! Take care!

Mason T. Matchak said...

I think my biggest pet peeve when reading is when something's meant to be analogous to a real world issue and the author chooses to hit the reader over the head with it. Even if it's something I agree with, I don't read to get lectured on an issue. >_<

And that book about doing astrology profiles for characters sounds interesting, though I have no idea how it would work for me - very few of my characters are from Earth.

Anonymous said...

Ooooh Twinny, I love the idea of showing me with swag day on October 4. I have to prepare! Because of your review, I'm definitely going to watch Dunkirk. Vivi and I have been on the fence about it.

I'll co-host for both months if you like. It's been a while and it'll help me keep my head in the game. Love you!!

LD Masterson said...

You know, Alex, you commented on my blog that you haven't been writing much in the past couple years. When I look at your blog, I wonder how you've ever had time to write at all.

I thought Dunkirk was magnificent. But I realized very soon into it that it was the wrong choice for someone with a grandson in Marine boot camp. I spent way too much time projecting.

Sandra Cox said...

Looking forward to Oct 4ths swags. Should be all kinds of fun.
Enjoy your vacay, Alex!

Debra Renée Byrd said...

I feel like I missed the pitch party! I'll have to go back to see if I boosted it. A month ago feels so far away now!

Deniz Bevan said...

Congratulations to the fellow bloggers with new releases!
I like the idea for IWSG Day in October. Should be fun!