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.
The awesome co-hosts for the September 3 posting of the IWSG are Kim Lajevardi, Natalie Aguirre, Nancy Gideon, and Diedre Knight!
We need co-hosts for the remainder of the year! Two more for October and four for November and December. And if you can do January, let me know. Leave a comment or send an email.
September 3 question: What are your thoughts on using AI, such as GPChat, Raptor, and others with your writing? Would you use it for research, storybible, or creating outlines\beats?
I think a lot of people are using AI for those things so I wouldn’t be opposed to it. Would never use it to actually write anything though. I can mess that up on my own, thanks.
And happy anniversary to the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Fourteen years ago, I started this blog hop with maybe forty people joining in. (And at one point, there were 330 of us!) The following year, we set up the IWSG site, and Facebook, X, etc. followed not long after.
Thanks to everyone who has stuck with us over the years. You rock!
And finally, has anyone heard from Roland Yeomans? His last post was for the May IWSG. Sent him emails with no response. If anyone knows, please share!
New Releases!
Edited Out by Rebecca M. Douglass -Seffi Wardwell Mysteries Book 3
Working part-time at the local inn is fun, until everything goes sideways. When a uniformly disliked writer-in-residence turns up dead, the local police ask Seffi to use her botanical knowledge to figure out what killed her. And could she hurry up, before the inn’s business tanks, and takes the bakery down with it?
Find it on Amazon - just $3.99 until October 1.
In the Wake of Honor (Sagebrush Springs Book 1) Melissa Maygrove
When duty called, love paid the price.
Former Union Army lieutenant Jackson Maguire returns to his war-torn hometown with plans to propose to Caroline Bennet, but a crisis of honor forces him to take her sister as his wife instead. When fate reunites them, will Jackson’s confession of his motives be enough to heal Caroline’s shattered heart?
Find it on Amazon You can also find the whole series on Amazon
September Movie Preview
Here are the theatrical releases for September. Descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.
5 –
The Conjuring: Last Rites
Director: Michael Chaves
Stars: Vera Farmiga, Patric Wilson, Ben Hardy
Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren take on one last terrifying case involving mysterious entities they must confront.
I guarantee if it makes a boatload of money it won’t be the last rites…
12 –
Spinal Tap II: The End Continues
Director: Rob Reiner
Stars: Rob Reiner, Michael McKean, Christopher Guest
That band reunites after a 15-year break for one final concert.
This will not go to eleven…
19 –
Xeno
Director: Matthew Loren Oates
Stars: Lulu Wilson, Josh Cooke, Paul Schneider
A teenager makes a terrifying extraterrestrial her friend after it crashes nearby in the desert. The youngster manages to deal with her sad mother and the mother's violent boyfriend while simultaneously protecting her dangerous new buddy.
If ET and Venom had a baby..
26 –
One Battle After Another
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro
When their evil enemy resurfaces after 16 years, a group of ex-revolutionaries reunite to rescue one of their own's daughter.
Chronicles a day in the life of DiCaprio breaking up with yet another girlfriend when she turns twenty-five.
How do you feel about using AI? What new release catches your attention? And can you co-host the IWSG?
See you next Monday for a slew of movie reviews!!
54 comments:
14 years, way to go!
Xeno sounds popcorn-rific.
I still avoid AI where possible.
I'm sending you an email about Roland, Alex.
Congratulations on 14 years.
I hope Roland is okay.
September seems like an odd month of releases.
14 years!
I haven't heard from Roland, either, unfortunately.
I don't know what a storybible is and "creating outlines" means an incomprehensible handwritten scrawl, so I guess I won't be using AI for those functions any time soon. Congrats for new releases, two great authors!
Wow...14 years! I was a one year old back then:)
I've loved the conjuring movies growing up and I'm excited for it. Though they say it's the last one, I really hope that they find some way to bring up another story.
Congrats on 14 years. We really appreciate that you started this group and have led us on all these years. I hope Roland is okay.
Happy Anniversary to Insecure Writer's Support Group! This awesome and amazing group helped me when I needed it most! Thank You, Alex. I can help cohost whenever you need me.
Congratulations on 14 years! This group has motivated me to keep writing. I hadn't heard about Spinal Tap II ha ha! Best wishes to Rebecca and Melissa. I can co-host in November.
Yay for Rebecca and Melissa!
14 years... That's incredible. And what a wonderful effort it has been -- bringing so many wonderful people together and creating a beautiful community of like-minded lunatics. LOL!
I'm with you on Roland. I've popped over a few times and nothing. Here's hoping all is well...
(Sign me up for October hosting.)
I haven't heard from Roland, either. I hope he's okay...
I'll co-host whenever you need me as I like to see what everyone's up to.
Yay to Rebecca and Melissa!
Ronel visiting for IWSG day Seasonal Creativity For Authors
Fourteen years? Man that went fast! Thank you for all you do Alex. I can co-host for any of the upcoming months you. Retirement is fun!!
Holy Shit, fourteen years? Hell, I've been doing this for (checks blogger)... over ten? I'm getting old.
I had forgotten Spinal Tap 2 was coming out. I'm not usually impressed by these remakes 30+ years after the fact, but I love Christopher Guest. And bands are certainly known to keep on trucking well past their "best before" date, so there's a lot of potential material there. Fingers crossed.
I haven't heard anything from Roland either. I hope he's ok.
Holy Cow, 14 years! It doesn't feel like that long ago.
I loved your AI answer. Indeed, I can make a fine mess of it on my own too!
Shannon, thanks!
Cathrina, appreciate it.
Crystal, thanks!
Ronel, appreciate it.
Liza, thanks!
Thanks everyone for being part of the IWSG.
I love this: If ET and Venom had a baby...
Happy 14th Birthday to IWSG!
Happy birthday, IWSG!!!
Thank you for giving my new book a shout-out! :)
I can co-host in November.
P.S. I can probably co-host in December, too. Check with me when we get a little closer to the date.
Some of these great names in movies (Rob Riner, DeCaprio) just aren't doing it anymore. Burned out? Confused? Dunno.
I don't have high hopes for another Spinal Tap either.
I like that take, "I can mess that up on my own, thanks." LOL. @samanthabwriter from
Balancing Act
Howdy, Captain!
Wow! Two books and four movies - I'm going to be busy! Thanks so much for sharing and providing this fabulous platform. Happy Anniversary! I do hope Roland is okay.
movies - eh
movie comments - priceless!
congrats to the authors!
and HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to us insecure authors! Is the therapy working?
it must be, I keep coming back for more!
Tara Tyler Talks
Your insight to create IWSG has inspired and reassured hundreds of writers. Happy anniversary! Hope Roland is OK and returns soon.
Lots of congratulations are in order today: You, Alex, for having this great idea and sustaining it for 14 years! Yay! And for Rebecca and Melissa on their new books!
https://cleemckenziebooks.substack.com/
Wow! 14 years. Congrats!
I want to learn to use different AI tools to help with research and things of that nature, but I'll never let it write for me. That defeats the whole purpose of being a writer. I played around with a tool that did editing, but it completely changed my voice. I didn't like it.
Btw, I'm up for hosting again now that I'm finally back online. Of all the things I missed while I was without a computer, IWSG was one of the things I missed the most. I really missed connecting with other writers. The best email to reach me at is rscatts.author@gmail.com
I remember enjoying the Conjuring movies I saw, but I lost track of which ones I watched. I think I saw two of them, but not the third. Hmm, maybe a movie marathon in my future....?
I can't believe it has been 14 years! I've been in and out throughout those years, but knowing IWSG is here has always helped me come back! Thanks for bringing us together, Alex!
Congratulations on 14 years! I'm not sure when I joined and I've been in and out, but I always come back for the encouragement. Thanks for all you do for our community! I can co-host November.
Hi, Alex! I can't do October, but I can co-host in November. I don't know yet about the later two months. I can mess up enough on my own too! 😂 Congratulations to Rebecca and Melissa on their new releases. I was worried when I saw you requesting info about Roland. He struck me as struggling. I hope that he is okay.
Congratulations on your anniversary. 14 years is a seriously respectable age for a blog hop. Venerable even.
I was a hostess for the IWSG last month, so maybe not for a while. But I can do January, if you need it.
14 years? That's amazing. Thanks for pulling this all together and keeping it going. :D
I can cohost in Dec or Jan
Let me know how I can help, Alex. I'm free any of those months.
Woo HOO!!! 14 great years, Alex! Glad to be part of the greatest blog in the Universe!!!!!!
Donna, I am here to amuse!
Melissa, you're welcome and thanks.
Renee, that is nice to hear you missed us. Thanks for volunteering again.
Louise, thanks!
Olga, January would be good.
Thanks, Jean!
Jacqui, you're awesome.
Thanks everyone! You are the reason the IWSG keeps going.
I don't use AI whatsoever for anything, although now it does pop up "organically" when I do Google searches, as it becomes the default mode when it gives an explanation for the item that you'd Googled.
14 years is very impressive indeed. Congratulations!
Congratulations IWSG on 14 years! That is quite the accomplishment. In regards to AI I am annoyed that if I google something the first thing that comes up is a general AI generated summary. I am not a fan of all things AI.
Thanks for the shout-out, and congrats on the 14 years. This is such a great group—we all owe you!
I’ve available to co-host any of those except October.
As for AI, no, nope, and no again.
What is it with movies lately? None of them seem to catch my interest. Yikes.
I can co-host in November, December, and/or January. (October is a busy month for horror authors!)
Happy Anniversary!
As always, thank you for your work and inspiring comments for IWSG. Hard to believe we were once 330 proud! About those movie reviews, we go to the movies every Tuesday, so this is helpful. Maybe don't waste your time with Caught Stealing (light weight crime/comedy). But One Battle looks pretty good! Happy fall!
I’m here and I hope you find out about Roland. Congrats to the new authors of their books and love your sass especially re: Leo’s new flick. That is funny. I am looking forward to the new Downton Abbey film. As for AI…it’s good in some things but I think it’s just another edge towards making people more stupid and lazy.
Hi, Alex,
I purchased a book on AI but have not read it yet. I am interested in using it for research.
I can be a moderator in November, December 2025, and January 2026.
I just checked the WEP Blog site. We did a posting with a Horror theme in October 2024, and Roland participated. Try writing him a message there or asking Denise. Maybe she knows something.
Shalom shalom
Happy Anniversary to IWSG!
I may be willing to give Xeno a try, depending what the reviews and trailer look like. Otherwise I may just wait until it comes out on video.
Fourteen years. Wow. Congratulations, Captain:)
Hahaha eleven is bigger than ten defines this band in one line.
Happy anniversary to the IWSG! My local movie theatre had a $5 ticket promo this weekend, so I finally took my daughter to see Superman. It's definitely different from the Henry Cavill movies, but we enjoyed it. Some parts didn't feel like authentic Superman due to how weak he seemed, but I loved the cameos and how accessible it was for kids.
Happy Anniversary - you've brought together so many good folks.
I don't trust AI - too many folks will abuse it.
And - the glory of Spinal Tap should NOT be tapped again. Surely Christopher Guest doesn't need the money. Heck, his wife, Jamie Lee, is having the time of her life with fun great roles. Maybe he's seeking attention.
Happy September!
I do not know how to use AI and I'd rather not even try. Not even to write an email or a text. I do NOT trust it.
14 years!!! Who knew? Thanks, Captain...Congratulations to Melissa and Rebecca on their new releases!! I guess I'll stick to Netflix this month for my movies.
Rebecca, you're welcome!
Shannon, thanks!
Beth, I will avoid Caught Stealing.
Pat, you rock!
Kim, that was it - he was too weak.
Joanne, no, he doesn't need the money.
Uh oh. Guess my first comment didn't make the cut? Happy Anniversary, Captain! I'm interested in all the entertainment you've posted here ;-)
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