The Insecure Writer's Support Group (IWSG) is a place to share and encourage, where writers can express their doubts and concerns without appearing foolish or weak. It's a great place to mingle with like minded people each month during IWSG day.
Every month there's an optional question which may prompt folks to share advice, insights, a personal experience or story. Some folks answer the question in their IWSG blog post or let it inspire them if they're struggling with what to say.
This month's optional question is:
"What's the strangest thing you've ever googled in researching a story?"Check out how people have answered this month's question, as well as the other insecurities and writing topics they may have shared by visiting the IWSG sign-up list here. You can find out how I answered the question below.
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Before I dive into this month's question, a bit of a blog and a writing update.
Let's start with the blog.
[Scratches her head and tries to figure out what to say.]
[Head hurting because she scratched it too much, she changes tack.]
Okay, let's start with the writing update. Things have been busy on the writing front. Crazy busy, but also good busy. Crazy is good, right?
I finished book #4 in my cozy mystery series and sent it to beta readers last month. {Cue all the insecurities that come with sharing your work.} I'm hoping to publish it next month if all goes well with the final revisions and my editor. And now NaNoWriMo is upon us and I'm working on book #5. Plus, I've been putting some energy into marketing my prequel novella through newsletter swaps and group promos with the aim of drawing in new readers for my series. And trying to get more reviews for my back list through BookSprout.
Which brings us back to the blogging update.
[Pauses to drink some coffee, then takes a deep breath.]
I've been terrible at blogging lately. And not just posting regularly here on this blog, but also visiting my blogging buddies. I need to do better. I almost didn't post today, but I knew that if I didn't, I'd be missing out on connecting with the wonderful folks I've met in the writing and blogging community.
Okay, enough about that. Let's talk my weird and wonderful (and slightly scary) google search history. Over the past few months, I've searched for various ways to kill people, how to get away with murder, and what knife and gunshot wounds look like. I've also researched various diseases to give to my characters. Odd how my job is to take all of that horrifying stuff and work it into a lighthearted cozy mystery. You wouldn't really think "cozy" and "murder" go together, but somehow they do.
On the weird side of things, my current work in progress features pub trivia contests so I've been googling for weird facts. Did you know that it's illegal to duel with water pistols in Massachusetts? Or that Oscar the Grouch used to be orange?
I'll do my best to visit folks and comment, but it may take me a few days as I need to get some serious NaNoWriMo words written as I'll be distracted for a good chunk of the month while I'm visiting family.
What weird and wonderful things do you google?
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This prequel novella is set around twelve years before Murder at the Marina and tells the story of Mollie's roller derby days and how she and Scooter met. Find out more at ellenjacobsonauthor.com
