October already! Thanks to founder, Alex J. Cavanaugh, our group of insecure writers continues to meet here in the blogosphere on the first Wednesday of every month. For the entire list of IWSG participants, go to this link. And make sure to check out the IWSG blog's present and past posts for some professional advice in all aspects of this challenging career of being a writer.
This month's optional question:
In your writing, where do you draw the line, with either topics or language?
There are lines for me, some personal, and some professional. It's easier than ever to offend someone accidentally these days. The ways people can take offense are too varied and numerous to mention, but I try to stay educated on what I know and don't know. Nobody writes only what they know. How could I write from a male POV? How could I write from a futuristic space traveler's POV? I do the best I can though I know writers who have been attacked for their portrayal of a character when they 'were doing the best that they could do.'
Along more personal lines, I don't enjoy reading or watching a story with an abundance of swearing and cursing. Profanity can be realistic in many situations, but too much only distracts me from the dialogue or action. I use profanity quite sparingly. I also never write about children suffering or dying. Just can't do it. I also don't try to work current politics into my writing and hate it when writers do that. I read to escape the messy world not to be reminded of it.
I remembered as I titled this post that October is my blog birthday. I've been here on blogger since 2008. Happy birthday to Susan Says.
Busy weeks ahead for me with so many Zoom meetings, and I'm presenting a workshop at a mini-con in Erie, PA this Saturday. Not sure how many people will turn out for this in-person event, but I'm looking forward to sharing time and networking with other writers. If you live nearby, here is the link to The Writer's Road Trip along with the schedule.
Did any of you watch Le Brea? There has only been one episode of this new show, but it caught my interest. Hopefully, it will keep getting better. Network TV is still really lacking for me.
Those evil spotted-lantern flies are ruining fall here in PA. They are large, ugly bugs that stowed away in shipping containers from China. They jump on you anytime you're outside. They are extremely harmful to some trees and plants and they are really creepy when they get on you. My granddaughter loves to hunt them down. We spray them with diluted vinegar. Bug hunting is her current favorite activity.
"It is not in doing what you like, but in liking what you do that is the secret to happiness." James M. Barrie
Hope you all are staying safe and healthy.
Where do you draw the lines in reading material and in writing? Have you caught Le Brea yet? Are you in an area cursed by the spotted-lantern fly? Have you attended any in-person writing events lately?
