Wednesday, November 4, 2015

IWSG: November Version

First Wednesday of the month means IWSG posting day. Thanks to the creative mind of our founder, Alex J. Cavanaugh, this group gets together in a hop the first Wednesday of every month so we can share our woes and disappointments and support each other on this journey. You can sign up and join this incredible group here.

So what is bugging me this month? I'm a rather organized person despite how messy my desk sometimes appear. I'm very patient with most things but there are a few things that bother me. A big one is inefficiency. It was one of the things in teaching that could really piss me off. When you're working in a group, someone not doing their job leads to failure of the group's projects and more work for others. One of the writing groups I'm part of have had some failure in communications due to people not reading their emails or losing track of discussions. Then questions are asked that have already been addressed. It is an ongoing problem. Someone suggested that one person organize all the things discussed during the week and send everyone an overview to keep everyone up to speed. That offends me in so many ways. It would be rewarding inefficiency or laziness on the part of some by asking someone else to do more work. Just unacceptable to me. I've felt more than a bit of frustration during the past two weeks.

"They called me mad, and I called them mad, and damn them, they outvoted me." Nathaniel Lee

Enough negativity for the day. I want to ask everyone to submit IWSG to Writer's Digest as one of the top websites for writers out there. Here is the address.
writersdigest@fwmedia.com
Use 101 websites it the subject line and in the body suggest  http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/

A question I'm posing today is about Pinterest? Do you use it as part of your social media promotion for your writing or is it only a really fun time sink? How do you use it?

I haven't been on Twitter as much lately. There's so much meanness on there. All social media have nasty members. It just seems more difficult to avoid them on Twitter.

Anything bugging you this month? Do group projects cause you frustration? Do you use Pinterest? Did you email Writer's Digest?

23 comments:

Trisha said...

I haven't really got into Pinterest, though I did sign up for it. Nor do I use Twitter much - but then, I never really have.

nashvillecats2 said...

Most interesting to read Susan, I am not on twitter, used to be when I lived in Spain.
Have a good day,
Yvonne.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Trying to do more with Twitter and Google+.
Good to know that's not our IWSG group! I feel the same way. That just encourages more laziness.

Rachel Pattinson said...

I haven't signed up for Pinterest though I have considered it in the past - at the moment I think I'm just going to work hard on the social media platforms I already use (Twitter, Wattpad, Tumblr and my blog) but I may consider it in the future. I work in a school and the lack of communication constantly drives me insane, so I know how you feel! But I don't see why one person should do all the work just because someone else can't be bothered to keep up.
I'll be emailing writers digest tonight when I get home :)!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I'm on Pinterest. I need to use it more for book promotion than I do, but I have set up boards for my current novelette stories and they've garnered some attention. When I'm really tired, I do find myself surfing it just looking for beautiful photos.

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

I'm pretty organized in general, and when other people are involved - like having to meet someone somewhere, having a deadline that affects others, etc - I really make sure I'm on top of things.

I don't use Pinterest, but I like the idea of it.

Pat Hatt said...

Yeah, that is dumb. If people can't get off, or on I guess, their arse and read the email, then screw them. Shouldn't reward lazy. I never used pinterest. Twitter I just set and let it go, ignoring the haters.

betty said...

I haven't worked on a group project in years, but I remember the kids with their school group projects; there was always that one that didn't quite pull their weight and made it hard for the rest to get everything done. I am on Pinterest but rarely go there if that makes sense. Too many social media outlets and too little time :)

betty

Robin said...

I'm wary of social media. I like blogger. The people here are kind and caring and more thoughtful with their words. Facebook is a mixed bag. I tend to not share anything too important there. I also tend not to pay too much attention with what others post. I like the dog videos:) However, there was a time about two years ago when I was super depressed (on top of the migraines). I realized it was all the negativity on Facebook getting to me. So, I quit for approx. 6 months. I felt so much better after that. Now, I can be on it and not let it get to me. I don't have Twitter or Pininterest accounts. Or any of the other social media. No time or interest.

Jennifer Ruth Jackson said...

I don't use Pinterest. I often do social media activities on mobile devices which don't really lend themselves to the platform. I love Twitter but have to limit my exposure there, at times.

J E Oneil said...

Ugh, I hate inefficiency, too. It's why I always prefer working alone. And about the social media negativity...well, I've seen far, far worse than what's on Twitter. But it would help if the staff there actually did something about it.

Nick Wilford said...

Sorry you've had a bad experience with groups. It just takes one person to let the side down which can sour it for everyone. I don't use any writing groups except my CPs who are great. Never used Pinterest, as I'm not really a writer who uses pictures.

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

I don't use Pinterest. There's only so much social media I can handle.
It's not always easy working in groups like that, and the bigger the group, the harder it can become.

Unknown said...

I think I have a pinterest and don't use it, google+ or circle too. LOL. I have stuff that I thought I needed but honestly only use twitter and FB. twitter seems like white noise at times but I do enjoy chatting with readers and authors on FB

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

I love Pinterest. Probably a bit too much. I can waste an hour in no time. I use it for everything! Writing, crafts, recipes, haircut, cures, self-help, gossip. Need I say more?

Tyrean Martinson said...

Mean people on twitter? Someone they haven't hit me yet . . . or I'm completely clueless. That is possible.
I love Pinterest as a time sink and I do some minor promo on there. I think when I first started using it, I had a couple of teens add my first book to their Christmas lists and that was just kind of amazingly awesome. :) So, anyway, I don't hang there often, but it's kind of fun and sometimes rewarding, even for marketing. However, I wouldn't say it's an awesome marketing tool for most of us . . . maybe if you're writing a DIY book.

dolorah said...

Yeah, that does sound like one person taking on all the work to reward inefficiency. Not fair. Don't cave and take it on Susan. My blog is my social media. I go to Good Reads to catch up on authors I follow, but have no interest in pinterest, twitter or anything else. I visit face book just to catch up with my family. I'm a social media slacker. I don't even play any games on FB cuz I don't like being that social all the time, lol.

Liza said...

I'm on Twitter, though rarely. I have refrained from Pinterest because I feel it would steal more time then I have to spare. My blog is my real platform.

Shanaya Tales said...

Group projects DO cause me frustration. And yes, I agree, doing something like that would be rewarding inefficiency; that's just wrong on so many levels. I hope things work out with that writing group. Sending positive thoughts your way. :)

The Happy Whisk said...

I'm groovin' on staycation time and there is NOTHING bugging me at the moment. I'm outside, it's a great day and I'm kicked back. As for people asking questions to things that have already been answered, that I don't think will ever go away or change.

Haven't tried Pinterest yet but I hear that have lots of fun food stuff, craft things and just about anything. My sister-in-law loves it and asked me to try it out, so I might have a go.

Wishing you a great weekend. Cheers and boogie boogie.

Stephanie Faris said...

I haven't seen the mean people on Twitter, but I do have to stay away from the site sometimes. You just see all of these people bragging about their successes and events and such and you find yourself comparing.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Suan - you've got lots of interest here - that's good. I only blog and hardly do FB - just occasionally. I cannot get into time-wasting things. I'm sure I'll focus on one or two of the social media when I need to - right now I'm organising myself! That's tough!! Great post for us to read and then the comments are informative too ...

Cheers Hilary

Michelle Wallace said...

I'm on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ but use them mainly for my 'writing-related' stuff...
I only have friends/family on these platforms who are writers, readers or creative types. If non-writer/non-reader friends and family need to chat, then there's the mobile phone/Wattsapp messaging, or we can visit one another.
I haven't encountered any nastiness on Twitter... *fingers crossed*

Pinterest? I'm sooooooo tempted to sign up.
Writing from picture prompts works well for me so it would be a great platform for me.
Not sure I have the time to manage yet another social media platform...
We'll see.....