IWSG: October 2025

 Fall is flying by and it's time again for IWSG first Wednesday blog hop. Our usual thank you to all the IWSG admins, our founder, Alex J. Cavanaugh, and all the wonderful bloggers who participate. Find the list of participants here. Please share all your writing woes and victories with us.

This month's optional question:

What is the most favorite thing you have written, published or not? And why?

Easy question. Whatever novel I'm working on is my favorite and it always has been. I usually turn an idea over in my minds for months before I start a new novel or a new series. Once I start, the ideas expand and take unplanned twists and turns and keep me excited and the story flowing. I love working on a new series.

"I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else." Winston Churchill

This Saturday, I'll be at the Hershey Public Library as one of many authors participating in the Chocolate Town Book Fest. I can't wait. I'm sharing a table with a friend and many other writers I know are also participating. This is one step in my goal to attend more in-person book events where I can sell my books. I have three scheduled for 2026 so far. Wish you all could be there.

I haven't been spending any time watching movies or any TV. I don't think I'm missing much. My husband and I did spend some enjoyable hours watching The Last Ship, an older TNT show that is now on HBO. It was very tense and enjoyable. Later this month, the 3rd season of Dark Winds will be on Netflix. I hope it's as good as the first two seasons.

I know I'm an oldster now, and I think I have a pretty good idea of what that means. But the thing I didn't anticipate was that so many of my long-time friends as well as family would start facing so many health issues. It drags me down sometimes as I realize I'm going to lose them. I've already lost a few. Hug everyone you love while you can.

"Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance." Eckhart Tolle

Do you have a favorite writing creation? Do attend book fests or participate in them? Anything about getting older that have surprised you?

IWSG: September 2025

Welcome to the September IWSG monthly blog. Thanks to all the admins of IWSG and our founder , Alex J. Cavanaugh. Visit all the participants of this blog hop on this list.

 What are your thoughts on using AI, such as GPChat, Raptor, and others with your writing? Would you use it for research, story bible, or creating outlines\beats?

Wow. 

The question of the year, decade, and century. Where are we going? Do we use it, ignore it, or be destroyed by it. Not in the Skynet way. I mean will AI destory the arts? Everytime I'm with a group of writers, this question comes up.

One of my friends used GPChat to edit her book! Another told me that AI is being used heavily in the tech writing world. Ask any teacher who teaches a writing course. It's a battle and hours of extra work for them to run student writings through an AI detection program. And as AI gets better, the detection will get more difficult.

I have had writers and professionals in the publishing world advising that one use AI to help write blurbs, outlines, and everything else.

As of today, I'm still writing the way I always have. I do my own outline and story beats. I use the spelling/grammar check in my documents. Of course, I use the internet to research. But tomorrow?

I don't know. I have attended workshops on AI where I've heard many pros and some of the cons. I know writers who have had their novels used to train AI without permission of compensation. I've seen amazing promotional items created by AI. The only thing I'm sure of about AI is that we should learn everything we can about what it does or we'll be blind-sided. 

Will future generations who do most of their reading on their phones or tablets going to be able to tell the difference between something created by a human and something created by AI? 

I personally have no interest in any story that has no character development. Can an AI write something with character development? Can it be taught to do that? If AI can create a new 'Beatles' song, will it also be able to eventually create a 'Stephen King' novel or a Harlequin romance?

I can't wait to read what you all think about AI. I believe this discussion will happen over and over again.

"The future's not set, There's no fate but what we make for ourselves." John Conner, Terminator 2: Judgement Day

I had to put a Terminator quote in there.

On the writing side of things, I'm about halfway through the second draft of my latest WIP. Lots of cutting, rearranging, and using better verbs.

Someone somewhere among my blogging friends recommended the show, The Last Ship, as a good series to fill the evenings with. I admit, I fell in love with it. So much tension. There are only 4 seasons available. Apparently, the 5th series was so bad, they don't even license it to streaming platforms. I'm kind of glad I didn't watch before the Covid pandemic.

I have so many great books to read right now, but I'm also busy with so much else. Hope you're enjoying some lovely fall weather. I am, before the miserable cold gets here.

Did you ever watch The Last Ship? Are you predicting a 'Skynet' scenario or can we tame AI into a useful tool?