Wednesday, October 6, 2021

IWSG: Wednesday, October 6, 2020 ~ Where Do You Draw the Line?

 




It's the first Wednesday of the month,
the day that members of the
Insecure Writer's Support Group
share their writing struggles
and writing successes
and offer their encouragement
and support to fellow writers.






To visit the IWSG website, click here.

To become a member of the IWSG, click here.

Our wonderful co-hosts who are volunteering today,
along with IWSG Founder Alex J. Cavanaugh are Jemima Pett, J Lenni Dorner, Cathrina Constantine, Ronel Janse van Vuuren,  and Mary Aalgaard.

I hope you have a chance to visit today's hosts and thank them for co-hosting.
I'm sure they would appreciate a visit and an encouraging comment.

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Every month the IWSG announces a question that members can answer
with advice, insight, a personal experience, or a story in their IWSG posts.

Or, the question can inspire members
if they aren't sure what to write about on IWSG Day.

Remember the question is optional.
This month's featured question is: 
In your writing, where do you draw the line, with either topics or language?

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Happy October, Everyone!
I hope your month has gotten off to a safe and happy start!

Mine has been busy.  
I feel like I'm going backwards.
Good thing I'm an optimist!
I wake up every day thinking, 
Today will be the day I get on top of things!

My Favorite Internet Cartoon!


October's question is a good one, and I am looking forward to reading your answers.
For me, the answer depends upon who the audience is for the piece I am writing.
The language and topics I use in writing a children's story are very different
from those that I use in a newspaper article or in adult fiction.



As a general rule, I don't use foul language in my writing.
However, I do in adult writing, if the language is integral to portraying a character.

I write a lot of nonfiction, and if I'm quoting someone, 
I sometimes include offensive or profane language.

I'll write about any topic, if I have a good reason to do so.
I would draw the line at some topics based on the age of readers.




What motivates me as a writer is truth.
If I'm writing about child molestation, discrimination, mental illness,
or the abuses of government and religious agencies in the North, 
I'm not going to pull any punches.
I'm going to tell the flat-out truth, as I have experienced it,
whatever the topic, whatever the language.



Are any of you going to participate in NaNoWriMo in November?
Terry and I had planned to be in Hawaii then, so I wasn't going to do NaNoWriMo.
But our plans changed, and now I'm getting ready to join in.
I'll be rewriting my memoir.
Wishing each of you who tackles NaNoWriMo success!

I Love Grumpy Cat!


I hope each of you has fun visiting around today.
Happy writing to each of you in October!





Till next time ~
Fundy Blue

https://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com 







Terry and I are so happy to do normal things again, 
and we're grateful that vaccines and booster shots have made this safer for us.

Like catching a Rockies baseball game with friends!

Heading to Denver International Airport to Meet Our Friends
September 29, 2021
Gateway Station,  Aurora, Colorado, USA
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved





Terry Dave, and Julie
September 29, 2021
Coors Field, Denver,  Colorado, USA
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved






Charlie Blackmon at Bat ~ Go Rockies!
September 29, 2021
Coors Field, Denver,  Colorado, USA
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved




28 comments:

  1. Lovely, thoughtful and fun post. Glad you can do more now, the vaccines have helped a lot. I have only ever written poetry and then books for teaching English for slow learners. Poetry is a good form of expression for me, but the books not so! Have a wonderful week, take care, hugs, Valerie

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    1. Thanks, Valerie! Writing poetry terrifies me ~ LOL. I admire poets greatly! Have a wonderful day, my friend. Hugs!

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  2. Gratuitous violence is MUCH more likely to make me walk away than language. And woeful editing is another turn off.

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    1. Yes, gratuitous violence turns me away too, EC. Usually I find it in horror stories, and I'm careful which books I read in the genre. I'm a little more forgiving of editing. Maybe it comes from working with young writers for so many years. I rarely read a book without finding an error. I wish I could spot mine as easily! Enjoy the rest of your week!

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  3. You write a lot of non-fiction, so the truth is needed whatever that may be.
    Good luck with NaNo! I wrote my second book during NaNo.

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    1. Wow! I didn't know that, Alex! "Cassafire" was great (if that's what you mean by your second book). Have a fun day today, my friend!

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  4. Good luck with NaNo! I've never been able to focus enough to do it and I don't see that changing anytime soon. :-)

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    1. You have a lot on your plate, CD! NaNo helps me focus, and that's good because I'm someone who struggles with time management. Have a happy and productive October! Take care!

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  5. Good luck in NaNoWriMo. I really do want to do it and I keep saying next year. I think this is a "Free Beer Tomorrow" thing...

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    1. Thanks, Steph! I kept saying next year for a number of years. I tried it for the first time last year and managed to get over 50,000 words in a rough draft. So I'm going to do it again. 😱 Have a fun IWSG Day! Take care!

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  6. I don't use a lot of profanity when writing MG and YA either. If you ever figure out how to get on top of everything, please tell me your secret.

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    1. LOL! I'm resigned to the fact that I'm never going to get on top of things, Natalie! But, if I do, I'll let you know. Have a fun day! Hugs to you!

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  7. We hope to hit a concert next month.

    You don't want to go to Hawaii now anyway. My best friend lives there and so much is shut down and restricted right now.

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    1. I hope that you enjoy your concert, Diane! The Covid restrictions in Hawaii right now are exactly why we cancelled our trip. If things are better in February or March, we''ll go then. I'm about a third of my way into "My Magic Summer," and I'm enjoying it very much. Have a good one!

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  8. Foul language is a no no for me too.

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  9. Love the graphics and pictures of baseball games. Yes, thank goodness for vax and boosters (though I haven't gotten a booster yet). It makes me feel safer, too.

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    1. Thanks, Diane! I was sick with both of my vaccinations, but the booster was no problem. I am beyond grateful that I could have all the shots relatively early. Happy IWSG Day, and may you have a wonderful October!

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  10. That's the perfect answer to this month's question! Everything depends on who your audience is.

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    1. Thanks, Debra! I hope you are having a happy week! Hugs to you!

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  11. I do have characters who curse. To watch me handle the scene is actually hilarious. I insert the curse word, take it out, wait a bit, put it back in, and then on the next edit, remove it. It's anyone's guess whether it shows up in the final draft. Sometimes, yes. Sometimes, no.

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    1. LOL, Joylene! I know exactly what you mean. At least I can use !@#$% on my blog. I hope you're having a great day! Hugs to you, and take care!

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  12. Profanity and I have a long-standing friendship. I certainly would not use it if I wrote something for children, and I'm wary of its use in writing for adults. What audience do I want to draw? I would never be able to write about sex.

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. I enjoy your funny, sometimes earthy posts, Janie! I grew up in in areas where many people did swear, so I have to watch myself. I can swear with the best of them if I get on a roll and I'm angry ~ LOL! I have only written about sex once, and that was an account of myself being molested by a conductor on a train. It's in my memoir, and it was very difficult to write. I haven't tackled sex in fiction yet. I think it's good to leave some things to the imagination. I may have to in the future ~ LOL. Take care, my friend! Hugs to you!

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  13. True. I never thought of quotes, but if you are using them then you have to use what was said, foul or not. Well don't have to, but if you want it authentic you do. Pulling no punches is the way to be too. And yeah, much much different for writing for kids and adults. I only use wanker with the real life kiddos, much to their mother's disapproval hahaha not in books.

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    1. Hahaha! "Wanker!" "Wanker" or not, you are an awesome uncle, my friend. You give those twins unconditional love, and you take them on all sorts of adventures. They will remember and love you always. I'll bet that their mother appreciates the other things you do.

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  14. I draw one line. Death of dogs.

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  15. Great answers to the writing question. Good luck writing all those words whew!

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Thank you for your comments! I appreciate them very much.