Insecure Writer’s Support Group, March Movie Preview, the Media Explosion, and New Releases

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 Jacqui Murray, Lisa Buie-Collard, Sarah Foster, Natalie Aguirre, and Shannon Lawrence!

Today’s question - Other than the obvious holiday traditions, have you ever included any personal or family traditions/customs in your stories?

You know, I really can’t think of any. Not outside of my own religious beliefs. I wouldn’t call those customs though – those are God’s laws. I guess if I wrote outside of science fiction, traditions and customs would come up more often.

What about you?

IWSG Instagram schedule for March:

The EXPLOSION OF MEDIA!

by Tara Tyler

Alex is so generous with his very visible blog -- thanks so much for letting me come over today!

There are sooooo many ways to be entertained these days. And yet, we can still look at it all and say "There's nothing good on..." I recently posted about my frustration with the movie industry's money over matter attitude and their inability to take risks HERE. But this could just be me?

QUALITY OVER QUANTITY!

I watch movies from every generation, from B&W to CGI. And there are some I can watch over and over again--the ones with amazing characters and stories that surprise you or warm your heart. There are also several vividly captivating books that urge me to write screenplays for them, many Indies, that I want to share with the world!

With all the streaming media outlets these days (Hulu, Amazon Prime, Netflix, etc) with more sprouting all the time (Disney +, Apple TV, YouTube, etc), not to mention social media platforms where amateurs get discovered, you'd think it would be easier to submit quality writing and make a movie!

It's a great time to be a writer! But with all these public venues, tons of wannabes emerge making it harder for them to wade through all the attention-seekers as they try to choose what will propel them to the top of the heap and get more subscriptions, clicks, and likes.

So if you've ever thought about turning your fabulous underappreciated work(s) into a movie, go for it! Look for contests to enter. And if you don't know how, you can collaborate. Movies and Series are big deal productions, more help means more connections and exposure. And hopefully the producers that be will take more chances on Indies like us! We are the root of new and exciting material!

What book(s) would you like to see on the big or small screen? 

Taking Back Beast World, Phase 2. Disney/Pixar's Onward comes out Mar 6 with a setting eerily close to BEAST WORLD. Excited to see the Suburban Fantasy World setting of my books come to life... So if you like background, you'll love BEAST WORLD!

How to find:

website: Tara Tyler Talks

twitter: @taratylertalks

facebook: Tara Tyler - Author

Instagram: taratylertalks

newsletter: tara tyler news

Ninja News

New release from our IWSG Admin!

About Us by Elizabeth Seckman

Find it on Kobo and Smashwords and Amazon for free!

Available now -

The Executioner by Murees Dupè 

Find it on Amazon and Smashwords

March Movie Preview

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

6 –

Onward
Set in a suburban fantasy world, two teenage elf brothers embark on a quest to discover if there is still magic out there.
Director: Dan Scanlon
Stars: Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, John Ratzenberger
In addition to being similar to Tara's Beast World, it's getting lackluster reviews. Pass!

The Way Back
A former HS basketball phenom, struggling with alcoholism, is offered a coaching job at his alma mater. As the team starts to win, he may have a reason to confront his old demons. But will it be enough to set him on the road to redemption?
Director: Gavin O'Connor
Stars: Ben Affleck, Janina Gavankar, Michaela Watkins, Da'Vinchi
The unbelievable true story of Batman forgetting the entrance to the Batcave! Or just another sport drama.



13 –

Bloodshot
Ray Garrison, a slain soldier, is re-animated with superpowers.
Director: Dave Wilson
Stars: Sam Heughan, Eiza González, Vin Diesel, Guy Pearce
Take one part Universal Soldier, the villain from Iron Man III, a helping of The Punisher, and a sprinkling of Wolverine and you have Bloodshot. (Yeah, and we'll probably see it anyway...)





20 –

A Quiet Place: Part II
Following the events at home, the Abbott family now face the terrors of the outside world. Forced to venture into the unknown, they realize the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats lurking beyond the sand path.
Director: John Krasinski
Stars: Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, Cillian Murphy, Noah Jupe
The sequel to the greatest mime movie ever made!





27 –

Mulan 
A young Chinese maiden disguises herself as a male warrior in order to save her father. A live-action feature film based on Disney's 'Mulan.'
Director: Niki Caro
Stars: Yifei Liu, Donnie Yen, Jet Li, Li Gong
No goofy dragon voiced by Eddie Murphy? I'm all right with that...

What traditions have you placed in your stories? Would one of your stories or books make a great movie? And what movie catches your eye this month?

We need at least one more co-host for April and a couple for May! (May co-hosts get the early scoop on the anthology contest!) Let me know if you can help either month.