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Wednesday, September 2, 2020

Why...hello there, IWSG!

Hello! And welcome to another round of IWSG! For those of you who don't know, this group meets every month on the first Wednesday of the month to share frustrations, inspiration, tips, kind words, problems, or anything else that hits a writer's world. Being a writer is not always a path non-writers understand. Plus, this is simply a fun, amazing group.

This blog-hop was started by the very amazing Alex J. Cavanaugh and has since grown into quite the community with anthology contests, lots of advice on the website, a Facebook group, pitch opportunities and so much more!

This month's co-hosts are: PJ Colando, J Lenni Dorner, Deniz Bevan, Kim Lajevardi, Natalie Aguirre, and Louise - Fundy Blue!  Stop by and say hi to these wonderful bloggers because I know they are a great bunch!

Good morning, everyone! (Or noon or evening or night.)

I'm skipping over this month's question because I actually have quite a bit bumbling through my head right now.

On the writing front: 

Things are finally beginning to flow again. I've started my WIP and have the first 1000 words down (which is a mammoth amount compared to the big, fat zero I've been getting for months and months).  I'm struggling a bit in trying to figure out how to pace the first chapter: what to reveal, how much background to add, how to slip enough world building... that kind of stuff. But I'll get it figured out.

The funny thing is that the writing started to flow as life jerked into gear.

On the life front:

My oldest son suddenly and finally got word from the army that they're accepting his move from the National Guard into active duty (it took them 5 months to get back to him but that's the army). So in two weeks, he's shipping off for training as a helicopter mechanic (isn't that cool?), and then will be stationed who knows where.

So, what does he do with his new found news?  He decides to get married! Within one week.

Yep, my oldest got married yesterday!!! We're having a reception this coming Saturday because he decided to have it done in Colorado (it's all very confusing and hectic and no worries, I totally understand why he did it this way. And we're all very fine with it).

Oh, and school started...which is always a change of pace again.

On the blogging/marketing/whatnot front: 

I was going to shut Bookworm for Kids down as of the end of October for several reasons. It's outgrown my small blogger platform, and I feel like it's stagnated. And I wasn't sure it was worth my time anymore. It eats up SO many hours to do a review every single day, post, write emails, do scheduling! I just wasn't sure I should do it anymore.

Just as I made my decision to shut down and started spreading the news, I received an invitation to join a blogger panel as the children book blogger at the AWP this coming March. Bookworm for Kids might be small, but it has gotten quite a bit of attention over the years. And free marketing? Can't say no to that!

So after more thinking and consideration, Bookworm for Kids is going to be getting a new look, platform and purpose. I'm going to expand and offer several new aspects... interviews, children book publishing news, and who knows what. I'm going to let it grow as it wants. After all, there aren't many blogs which feature kidlit...and kids do need to read. Since time is always an issue, I'm hoping to get several other reviewers involved to help lighten the load, but we'll see what happens and where it all leads. Right now, I'm aiming for January 2nd as the 'opening' day, but there's a lot to do until then. And I have no clue what I'm doing. Absolutely, not a single clue.

So, that's it for me!

What's up on your front? Tons of writing to do? Is life keeping you hopping or bogging you down? Does this entire blogging thing make your head want to explode sometimes, too?

What's up in your world?