As we soldier on through the year and into a time when hopefully we will be free of all lockdowns, it's time to take our monthly stopoff and check in with each other for the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Hosted as ever by Alex J. Cavanaugh, the aim of the group is to offer a safe space where writers of all kinds can share fears and insecurities without fear of being judged. Today's co-hosts are PK Hrezo, Pat Garcia, SE White, Lisa Buie Collard, and Diane Burton.
I'm still trying to rewrite the ending to my trilogy after a technical issue meant I lost those few thousand words. My main insecurity is that it's not as exciting or well executed as the last time, but hopefully it will be ironed out in edits. Let's have a look at this month's IWSG question:
Are you a risk-taker when writing? Do you try something radically different in style/POV/etc. or add controversial topics to your work?
This is an excellent question. I do believe that as an artist it's important to take risks and keep moving forward in your work. Of course there are successful authors who stick with a tried and trusted formula and have a solid fanbase who keep coming back because they know what they're getting, but it's not exciting to me as a reader. I'd like to do something different with each book I write. My current WIP (separate to my series, but it might turn into another series) is told from first person (which I've tried before but not often) and from the perspective of a 16-year-old girl (which is completely new to me). It's an interesting journey, certainly - I've been hit and miss in terms of getting it right, and my female CPs have offered invaluable feedback. As for controversial topics, they have come up on a few occasions, but I don't plan these things in advance - it's whatever is needed to move the story forward. Like with taking risks, I think it will come across as inauthentic if these things are too contrived or put in there for the sake of it. Everything has to start from the story, and if it takes me into some bumpy territory, I won't hold back from it. I think doing what serves the story is a good rule of thumb for pretty much all aspects of writing.
Do you enjoy taking risks in writing? Dealing with controversial topics? See how many other writers have answered the question at the IWSG sign-up list here.
