IWSG: Wednesday, September 6, 2023 ~ And So It Begins!

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 Sonja Dogra, J Lenni Dorner, Pat Garcia,  Sarah - The Faux Fountain Pen, and Meka James!

 

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.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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: 

The IWSG celebrates 12 years today!  When did you discover the IWSG, how do you connect, and how has it helped you?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Happy September, Everyone!  

Can it be September already?

I'm not ready for fall, let alone winter that follows fall.

And then there are those lucky people in the southern hemisphere 

who are heading into spring followed by summer.  Enjoy!

Wherever you are, whatever the season, I hope you are happy, safe, and well!

A Beautiful and Fleeting Summer Evening

Smith's Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada

July 31, 2023

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue

All Rights Reserved

I thought this month's question would be quick and easy to answer,

but I fell down a rabbit hole and it took much longer than I thought.

I entered the rabbit hole when I became curious about how the IWSG started.

I ended up scrolling through a lot of Alex's posts as I searched for the IWSG's origin.

Yes, The Insecure Writer's Support Group began on September 6, 2011,

but Alex published the first post on Tuesday, September 5th:

"This is my first Insecure Writer’s Support Group post:

My biggest fear is friends - losing them. I worry I might say or do something dumb. I worry my snark might be taken the wrong way or my inexperience will cause hard feelings. After losing a friend earlier this year (even though it was over something of which I had no control) I don’t want to see any other friendships dissolve. You all matter to me and I don’t want to offend anyone.

Fortunately, friends are my greatest supporters. If you’re a writer looking for friends and encouragement, you’ve come to the right place. On days you’re feeling down, someone will say a word that renews your energy. My blogger buddies have kept me going long after I wanted to quit. They mean the world to me. And if you’re connecting with other bloggers, you’ll discover they are an awesome bunch of people!

And this is a little surprise, because I didn’t tell these guys. But my publisher is currently preparing review copies of CassaFire, and this will be the dedication:

For my three awesome friends

who guided me on this journey -

Rusty Webb

Jeffrey Beesler

Anne Gallagher

I couldn’t have done it without you!

Now, what’s your word of encouragement or writer insecurity today?"

Amazon

One thing that struck me was that the first blog hop list

for the IWSG already had 118 members!

Another was that it included the names of many who are members today!

Obviously, something had been going on before the first official post,

and the IWSG has continued to be important to the "charter" members.

And, as I saw on Alex's followup September 9, 2011 post, 

he was already making a point of visiting everyone's site:

"Thanks to everyone who participated in the first post of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! I hope I visited everyone’s site. So many poured out their heart, and the encouraging comments were awesome. Really, it was beyond what I imagined. I may have started something here! But it’s you guys who made it special. One post that caught my attention was from Youngblood, and I hope you have a chance to drop by and offer a word of encouragement. Next post date – October 5!" 

Remember This Badge!

Another followup on September 12, 2011:

"Big thanks again to those who left such awesome comments for those participating in the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. I appreciate everyone’s efforts. You guys rock!"

And on September 23, 2011 a big question about Alex was answered!

What he looks like!

Rusty Webb

Seriously, if I did know what Alex looked like, I would never reveal it,

because I know he promised his wife to keep his writing life and private life separate.

Alex's friend Rusty no longer blogs, 

but I hope Alex and others get a kick out of his drawing.

This drawing was too fun not to share.

During the month of August 2011, people were tossing around

ideas for a possible writers group.

Alex wrote in an August 17th post:

"Now, about that Insecure Writers Support Group…

I’ve noticed a lot of posts lately about doubts, concerns, and a lack of confidence. Insecure is a term most writers use to describe themselves. (Some would even say neurotic.) 

The cool thing about this community is the amount of support available. Everyone is such an encourager. I thought it would be cool if one day a month, everyone involved in the Insecure Writers Support group posted either:

A situation where they need some encouragement

Words of encouragement for others about to face a situation

What do you think? Good idea or really stupid? Would the possibility of a large group of writers posting their doubts all on the same day send the blogging world into a neurotic tailspin? Or would this be better than expensive therapy sessions? (Better than coming to me for therapy, because I might just mess you up even worse!)"

From my reading of Alex's earlier posts I discovered 

that an earlier supportive group, Fantastic Friday Writers, existed,

and I'm deducing that the IWSG grew out of FFW.

Down the Rabbit Hole

Wikimedia Commons ~ Valerie Hinojosa ~ License

I was going to write about the second part of the rabbit hole I fell into,

but what I've shared so far is more than long enough for one post.

I'll include how I ended up with the IWSG,

and why I think it's such a wonderful group on Friday, September 9th. 

I  hope you enjoyed this delve into how the IWSG started.

I love the enthusiasm of Alex when he was establishing the IWSG

and figuring out what to do with it with his many blog friends back then.

He said on September 9, 2011, "I may have started something here!"

Well, cheers to you, Alex, for starting a wonderful group,

and for shepherding it throughout the last twelve years.

And thanks to all those early blogging friends of his who helped to make it happen! 

Enjoy IWSG Day.  Stay happy, healthy, and safe.

🤞~ I hope to see you back on Friday!

Just Because ~ Nothing Says Summer and Nova Scotia to Me

Like a Patch of Queen Anne's Lace!

Smith's Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada

July 30, 2023

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue

All Rights Reserved

Till next time ~
Fundy Blue

https://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com