Let's talk about vanity publishing in the August Insecure Writer's Support Group.

Happy August to everyone. Out here in Salt Lake City, Utah, it has been extremely dry for a very long time. I saw on the weather report yesterday that we had 5% humidity (that's low even for Utah), and of course there are wildfires everywhere to match the August heat. Living in the desert isn't for the timid. I sometimes wonder what it would be like to live someplace wetter and cooler. Anyway, being August, it's time for the IWSG (Insecure Writer's Support Group) post. Sign-up for it HERE if you are interested, and I'll recap some of the details you can expect from the group below:

What is the Purpose of the IWSG?: It is to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak (Pride isn't one of the seven deadly sins for nothing). Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds.

When does the IWSG post?: It's on the first Wednesday of every month.

What content should you post? Good question. You should post your thoughts on your own blog. Other ideas include talking about your doubts and the fears you have conquered or discussing your struggles and your triumphs. While doing all that, you could offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. The IWSG is also a good place to practice your networking. So, I'd advise that you visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writers. A dozen or so new people each time would be sufficient. Engage and comment. This group is all about connecting. Be sure to link to this page and display the badge in your post. And please be sure your avatar links back to your blog. Otherwise, when you leave a comment, people can't find you to comment back.

The X (formerly known as Twitter) handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

The awesome co-hosts for the August 6 posting of the IWSG are Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Natalie Aguirre, Sarah - The Faux Fountain Pen, and Olga Godim!

Every month, the IWSG announces a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. The question is optional though.

August 6 question - What is the most unethical practice in the publishing industry?

So, my answer might be anti-capitalist. However, I think that vanity publishing is the most unethical thing. A vanity publisher is a company that provides self-publishing services to authors for a fee. While they offer services like editing, design, and marketing, the truth is that the services are expensive, and they are done as cheaply as possible. Editing is probably just a complete lie. I bet many don't actually have an editor (or a person qualified to edit). In reality it's probably a person in Thailand who barely reads English and who eliminates a couple of commas in 400 pages and calls that edited and done with an Ai communication designed to flatter you. And then they probably charge $4,000 for that. Marketing is probably them just putting up a picture of your cover on their own homepage. That probably costs another $4,000. And the design of your book before Ai was probably just some type font on a clip art picture. After Ai...you can bet it's all done with Ai. And not screened either so if a human or a character on the picture has a third eyeball or a missing limb it will not be corrected. It needs to be done in under thirty seconds so that they can charge you $4,000 for the experience.

Vanity publishers are there for one reason...to prey upon your own vanity at wanting to not be invisible. They are there to make you feel special (even though you aren't really unless you call being just another sucker "special). It's basically a pig-butchering scam of another color. But it comes from the same kind of place. It's unfortunate that it ensnares so many people. Older folks who have accrued some savings and who believe in their hearts that there is an audience out there just salivating to hear their story are particularly vulnerable. I think the whole business model is unethical. But again, this goes against capitalism that says a business has a right to exist if there are people wanting the service. I mean...I think that crystal readings and tarot cards and astrology are a scam too. But it's a multi-billion dollar business. I also think crypto is a scam. And NFT's...they are a scam too. Multi-level marketing is a scam. Geezzz... there really are scams everywhere.

Personally, I think my generation (Gen X) is the last generation of people who read in big numbers. I'm not saying that there aren't new readers in younger generations, but they will heavily skew along the sexes to female with a few male readers sprinkled in there. There will still be breakout stars here and there (as there should be), and the invention of genres like romantasy. But no one knows why or how that happens. There isn't a formula you can follow, especially in a world where there is no central authority anymore regarding books. Everyone is reading something different as we all do not circulate around a water cooler anymore to talk about literature. We are fractured and disparate and in our own subreddits online or listening to podcasts or looking at doggy influencers on Instagram. And honestly, I think the most important thing a person can do who wants their book to be read is to make it available in Audio. I recently came across a sobering statistic...over a third of the country now is functionally illiterate (in America) in adulthood and it is only rising. I know professors in college who tell me, "Mike...my students can't read or write. I've never seen anything like this." I'm not sure why this is happening but it is, and Ai is only going to make this problem worse as it will do things for a student so they don't actually have to learn. 

So how do you get a book in the hands of someone who can't read? You make it an audiobook. That's my writing advice to you if you want your book read. Make it available in audio as we are entering a phase of the United States where grift and scams are king and no one can read.

Thanks for visiting :).

Would you explore a different genre with your writing? Let us know with the Independence Day 2025 IWSG post.

Happy 4th of July, and below is my Insecure Writer's Support Group post. If you are interested in participating, please go HERE and sign-up. Now that I've got that out of they way, here's a little more regarding the IWSG:

What is the purpose of the IWSG: It is to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds.

When do you post? The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. So, that is when you post your thoughts on your own blog. You might want to talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Or, you could discuss your struggles and triumphs. While your at it, you could offer a word of encouragement for others who may be struggling, and who stumbled across your blog. 

To get the most out of the IWSG, you should plan to visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writers. As there are a lot, you should aim for a dozen new people each time. Returning comments is the best way to grow your following. This group is all about connecting.

What advice do you have? Be sure to link to the IWSG page and display the badge in your post and please be sure your avatar links back to your blog. Otherwise, when you leave a comment, people can't follow the online breadcrumbs back to your website.

The X (Twitter) handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

The awesome co-hosts for the July 2nd posting of the IWSG are Rebecca Douglass, Natalie Aguirre, Cathrina Constantine, and Louise Barbour!

Now, every month, the IWSG announces a question that members can answer in their post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. You are to include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. But please remember that the question is optional.

July 2 question - Is there a genre you haven't tried writing in yet that you really want to try? If so, do you plan on trying it?

Yes. I'd like to give fanfiction a try. In other words, I'd like to play in someone else's sandbox rather than one that I make up. Obviously, this can't be traditionally published but I'm letting go of the whole idea of making money at my writing. The following are the intellectual properties that I'd like to write fanfiction for: Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms setting, the Alien universe with xenomorphs and colonial marines, the Lovecraft universe with their Great Old Ones, the Hellraiser universe with the Cenobites and the Lament configuration box, and the Jurassic Park universe (I think a James Bond-esque spy thriller with raptors and T-Rexes would be awesome).

Anyway, stories set in all of those universes could be a ton of fun to write.

Just in time for summer of 2025 is my list of the books I read as a child that made me what I am today.

Father's Day is just around the corner, and the summer is heating up. That must mean that it's time to do the June 2025 Insecure Writer's Support Group. If you haven't heard of the IWSG, you can read about it HERE on the official blog.

What is the Purpose of the IWSG?: It's to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who've been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds.

When do you Post?: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. So, that's when you post your thoughts on your own blog. You could talk about your doubts and the fears you've conquered. You could discuss your struggles and triumphs, or you could offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. To get the most out of the IWSG, you should visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writers. Some people go for a dozen new faces each time, and just like any other social media, if you return comments you'll get comments back. Some advice: be sure to link to this page and display the badge in your post. And please be sure your avatar links back to your blog. Otherwise, when you leave a comment, people can't find you to comment back.

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

The X handle for the IWSG is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

The awesome co-hosts for the June 4 posting of the IWSG are PJ Colando, Pat Garcia, Kim Lajevardi, Melisa Maygrove, and Jean Davis!

Every month, the IWSG announces a question that members can answer in their post, but it is optional. That's what I'm doing this month. 

June 4th question - What were some books that impacted you as a child or young adult?

I'm going to skip the little Golden books and dive straight into the books that I really enjoyed that got me reading. They are 1) The Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander, 2) Mary MacLeod's version of the King Arthur stories of Malory's LeMorte de Arthur, 3) The Magicians of Caprona by Diane Wynn Jones, 4) The Belgariad by David Eddings, 5) Roger Zelazny's The Chronicles of Amber, 6) The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, 7) The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, 8) The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas, 9) The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, 10) The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, 11) The Colored Fairy Books by Andrew Lang, 12) anything Dungeons & Dragons (books and modules and adventures).

Now that I look at this list I think...damn...no wonder I turned out the way I did: always a daydreamer. These were/are great stories by the way. I think I just leapt from magical book to magical book.

In the May 2025 IWSG we all talk about our greatest writing fear.

How is everyone's May 2025 going? Here in Utah, it's been raining, which is great, because we don't get a lot of rain most of the rest of the year. And with Mother's Day approaching, it's time for me to start up the sprinklers and plant things in the dirt. It's also time for me to segway to talking about the Insecure Writer's Support Group, and our monthly post. If you've never heard of this blogfest, it was started by Alex Cavanaugh to provide a group to share ideas about writing. If this sounds interesting to you, you can sign up for it HERE.

What is the Purpose of the IWSG?: It's to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who've been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds.

When do you Post?: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. So, that's when you post your thoughts on your own blog. You could talk about your doubts and the fears you've conquered. You could discuss your struggles and triumphs, or you could offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. To get the most out of the IWSG, you should visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writers. Some people go for a dozen new faces each time, and just like any other social media, if you return comments you'll get comments back. It's a kind of "As Above, So Below" thing. Some advice: be sure to link to this page and display the badge in your post. And please be sure your avatar links back to your blog. Otherwise, when you leave a comment, people can't find you to comment back.

The X (formerly known as Twitter) handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

The awesome co-hosts for the May 7 posting of the IWSG are Feather Stone, Janet Alcorn, Rebecca Douglass, Jemima Pett, and Pat Garcia!

This month, I'm answering the question that's on the IWSG website. But you don't have to do that. I just find it easier because I've been doing this off and on for probably a decade now if not longer. 

May 7 question - Some common fears writers share are rejection, failure, success, and lack of talent or ability. What are your greatest fears as a writer? How do you manage them?

I think that my greatest fear I had as a writer has already come to pass: that writing could just be done by a computer. Now, a lot of people can rightfully say that ChatGPT (for example) is a bad writer. And it kind of is. It uses way too many emdashes in its fiction writing, and it leans heavily on bad dangling participles, gerunds, and weak verbs. It also uses the incorrect preposition from time to time. However, I'm actually really impressed with it.

I'm not one of those people that has a "knee-jerk" reaction to offensive things and just shut them down. I examine them carefully to see what's going on there. Some people who saw ChatGPT write something instantly hated it. They declared it would never replace a human, insulted it as plagiarizing (which it arguably does), and that it is a terrible writer. And then (of course) they walked away from it. I'm not like that. I play around with it all of the time, and if you will take my word for it...it's learning. It's getting better and better, and the kind of prose that it's able to produce is really starting to impress me. It's actually improving at such a rate that it depresses me for the future of writing.

The same goes for ai art. I'm just going to say that it's really starting to impress me as well. It's creating pictures that would take me a week or more to paint in just a minute. So, I guess my fear is this: I wanted to think that I have something special that can't be duplicated. That's a nice thought, but it's categorically wrong, and that's a bit unsettling. I do believe that there's a sliding scale of course. I'm a mediocre writer, but there are some (maybe that someone is you) who are truly great writers. Maybe you are the next George R.R. Martin, Truman Capote, Margaret Atwood, or J.K. Rowling (the equivalent of Mozart in music, no?) If so...I seriously cannot wait to read your books. There's nothing like sinking your teeth into truly great writing and stories. But for the rest of us who can't quite reach those stratospheric heights even on our best days, I think a.i. is going to make us irrelevant.

However, maybe there's a silver lining. With irrelevance does come a kind of freedom. If you know that you'll never make a living at writing, but you still truly like to write, you could always say "to hell with the money" and write whatever you want. I'm doing this by writing fan fiction that I post on websites that use all of the Dungeons & Dragons intellectual property stuff. I use their monsters, their spells, etc. and just make up characters to go through stories. I'm not selling anything, and I'm having fun. So maybe the future for people who like to write when you know you can't sell anything is to embrace your creativity and just write fanfiction. You ever felt like writing a story in the Star Wars universe? Go ahead and do it. Why the hell not. Throw it up on some website that hosts free stories and start collecting fan mail. It's actually pretty fun.

It's April Fools not quite as the IWSG post lands one day late in 2025.

With the arrival of April, my akebono cherry tree is in full bloom. Additionally, it is also time for the April 2025 edition of The Insecure Writer's Support Group. This is a monthly blogfest that has been going for more than a decade. It was started by Alex Cavanaugh, but I think it has kind of taken on a life of its own. If you are interested in participating, you can go HERE to sign up. Here's a rundown of what you can expect as a member of this elite writing club:

What is the purpose of the IWSG?: It is to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance, and it's a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds.

When do y'all post?: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. That's when you should post your thoughts on your own blog. Ideas for what to write about are 1) talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered, 2) discuss your struggles and triumphs, and 3) offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. To get the most out of your participation, you should plan to visit others in the group and connect with them. A good rule of thumb is to aim for a dozen new people each time and to return comments. This group is all about connecting. Be sure to link to their page and display their badge in your post. And please be sure your avatar links back to your blog. Otherwise, when you leave a comment, people can't find you to comment back. Makes sense, right?

The X (formerly Twitter) handle is @TheIWSG and the hashtag everyone uses is #IWSG.

The awesome co-hosts for the April 2nd posting of the IWSG are Jennifer Lane, L Diane Wolfe, Jenni Enzor, and Natalie Aguirre!

Every month a question gets announced that members can answer in their IWSG post. This is what I tend to do, as long ago I ran out of ideas on what to write about that concerned the nature of writing itself. These questions are a prompt for you to share advice, an insight, or a personal experience or story. But remember, the question is optional. Now here's the April 2nd question:

"What fantasy character would you like to fight, go on a quest with, or have a beer/glass of wine with?"

So, just to be clear we are talking me and my current physical abilities. Hmm. I definitely would not want to fight anyone or have a glass of wine with anyone. But a quest sounds kind of fun, as long as it wasn't too dangerous, and I was with an expert. I think I choose Indiana Jones (the 1980's version). I bet if I went on an adventure with him, even a small part, I'd see some stuff that I will never forget. But I'd want to tap out before the face melting or heart pulling episodes. Who am I kidding? I wouldn't want the bug scene either that was in Temple of Doom. But hey, that feast in Pankot palace was kind of wild.

Thanks for visiting, and see you next month.

An Insecure Writer's Support Group post and a goodbye to Patrick Dilloway

Hello. It's already March and being the first week of the month, it's time for the Insecure Writer's Support Group post. If you don't know much about this blogfest, it was started over a decade ago by Alex Cavanaugh, a talented author of science fiction and a player of guitars. If you are interested in participating, you can go HERE to sign up. But let me tell you a little about it first.

What is the purpose of the IWSG?: It is to share and encourage. Through the connections you build with other writers participating in this blogfest, you can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance.

When do y'all post?: Participants post on the first Wednesday of every month. This is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group Day. Ideas for content are 1) your myriad thoughts about writing, 2) your doubts and fears about writing, 3) your struggles and triumphs about writing, and 4) your words of encouragement to others who may be struggling.

Just like most social media, you can build your following on your blog by visiting others in the group and connecting with them that way. Think of it as reciprocity.  You want to make sure that your blog is running well so that they can follow your comment back to your blog and discover you.

The X (formerly known as Twitter) handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

The awesome co-hosts for the March 5th posting of the IWSG are Ronel Janse Van Vuuren, Pat Garcia, and Liza @ Middle Passages!

Every month, the IWSG announces a question that members can answer on their blogs. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. However, the question is optional. You can always write about something else, as long as it is about writing.

Here is the March 5th question: If for one day you could be anyone or *thing* in the world, what would it be? Describe, tell why, and any themes, goals, or values they/it inspire in you.

I think that I wouldn't need a whole day. Just an hour. I'd want to hop into the head of someone like Timothee Chalamet or Tom Holland just to see what it is like to walk in their shoes. I'd want to see how people behave around them from their point of view. It must be fascinating. I wouldn't want to stay long in that body though because I just feel like it would be uncomfortable and very disconcerting. I think an hour would be just right.

With that out of the way, I want to take a moment and say "Rest in Peace" to Patrick Dilloway. I came to know Patrick through blogging, and I (along with many others) discovered that he passed away from cancer in January. I had no idea he was even sick, so that should tell you that I really wasn't close to him at all. However, I did read several of his books, and he was a pretty decent writer (and I did meet him once when he came through Salt Lake City). There really isn't any obituary to read of him online, but you can google "Patrick Floyd Dilloway" and see a simple notification from a crematorium that obviously saw him to his final resting place. The reason for this (I think) is because obituaries need to be written by someone. I bet Patrick didn't have anyone in his family who was a writer like himself. I know that when my mom passed several years ago, I wrote her obituary, and many people who read it said it was one of the best that they had ever seen. That was a nice compliment. It's too bad that not everyone gets a well-written obituary. Most of us just pass and the world doesn't seem to care or register that a person was ever there. And writing an obituary is either a task that no one really wants to do, or people are just incapable of doing it.

So goodbye, Grumpy Bulldog (his online moniker). You were a cantankerous person. But I think that I shall miss seeing your comments.

The Insecure Writer's Support Group wants to know if I've written anything that I'd care to revisit.

Happy February. It's that time of the month again...time to air all our thoughts and fears about writing (or to pass on some advice). Who knows? Maybe February 2025 has got some love in store for us all. Before I get around to answering the Insecure Writer's Support Group monthly question, I need to tell you what it is.

What is the purpose of the IWSG?: It is to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds.

When do y'all post?: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting. Be sure to link to this page and display the badge in your post. And please be sure your avatar links back to your blog! Otherwise, when you leave a comment, people can't find you to comment back.

Where do I sign up?: You can go HERE and sign up.

The X (formerly Twitter) handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

The awesome co-hosts for the February 5 posting of the IWSG are Joylene Nowell Butler, Louise Barbour, and Tyrean Martinson!

Every month, the IWSG announces a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.

February 5 question - Is there a story or book you've written you want to/wish you could go back and change?

No, but I haven't written all that many books. I also have a lot more fun reading what other people have written. For example, the third book of the Rebecca Yaros trilogy just came out, so I can finally start that series and see what the hype is all about (I try not to start series that aren't finished anymore because I was burned so badly with George R.R. Martin).

And now onto the state of my blog. I think I'm going to pull back from my regular posting schedule and just post once a month for the IWSG. The state of the world doesn't seem good, and I don't think I'm the kind of writer to post fun things while the house is burning down. Checking in once a month sounds about right.