Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Winners and Schedulers #IWSG

Welcome to another year. Say cheese as it flashes by.

Time to announce the winners of the third annual IWSG Anthology Contest!

Tick Tock: A Stitch in Crime.

Top honors go to Gwen Gardner for her story, A Stitch in Crime.

The other winning stories:
Gussy Saint and the Case of the Missing Coed - C.D. Gallant-King
Three O’Clock Execution - S. R. Betler
Until Release - Jemi Fraiser
Reset – Tara Tyler
Center Lane - Christine Clemetson
One More Minute – Mary Aalgaard
The Little Girl in the Bayou - J. R. Ferguson
The Tide Waits – Rebecca M. Douglas
Cypress, Like the Tree - Yolanda Renée
Special Mention: Heartless – C. Lee McKenzie


Thanks again to our official judges - Elizabeth S. Craig, Anne Hawkins, Candace Havens, Ion Newcombe, Patricia (Pat) Stoltey, and Mason Canyon.

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Don’t forget our next IWSG Twitter Pitch Party – Thursday, January 18th

The IWSG is now on Instagram

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This month’s question: What steps have you taken or plan to take to put a schedule in place for your writing and publishing?

My pathetic answer: Nope. No steps have been taken as of yet... Nada. None. I do have hopes and dreams and they are currently an amorphous jellyfish. One day at a time is pretty much all I can do at the moment. If I manage to squeeze out 50 words in a day, it's a victory. I have by no means given up. I will hunt down my focus soon... but not yet.

How about you? What are your writing plans for this year?
 

37 comments:

The Cynical Sailor said...

I don't think that's a pathetic answer at all, just an honest one. One day at a time is a good thing to strive for :-)

Happy New Year - Ellen

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Sometimes the writing is just on pause and that's all right.

Jennifer Lane said...

50 words a day is definitely progress! What a beautiful image. Here's to a great start to 2018!

Natalie Aguirre said...

Congrats to the winners! I hear you on writing and goals. Mine are pretty loose too. It's okay. It's a journey. Happy New Year!

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

You're right not to give up. You will find your focus...or it will find you. :)

Nick Wilford said...

Those jellyfish have some stamina, so hang in there! I'm trying to shake off that lazy feeling that tends to creep in during the holidays - must be all the food. You can do it!

Unknown said...

Good luck to you! Every word counts, no matter how few. All the best to you in the new year.

IWSG post: Taking Chances

L. Diane Wolfe said...

That's why today's IWSG Insgram challenge tickles me - I'm going to take a picture of a blank page. LOL

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

I'm in the same place, Lynda. And I don't feel stressed about it either. Rather hard to wake up on a specific day (Jan 1) and decide for the entire year. One moment at a time. Happy New Year.

Pat Garcia said...

Taking one day at a time is perfect. You know, I never start the year off running. I usually take all of January just to examine the path I will tread upon.
Wishing you all the best for 2018.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G

Unknown said...

Today's 50 words get you that much closer to... whatever your writing goal might happen to be. Keep chugging and don't give up. Thanks for the post. Happy writing, and happy 2018. May it give you ALL the words you need. :)

Jemi Fraser said...

You'll know when the time is right - we all go through the ebbs and flows of life & writing is just a part of that! Wishing you all the very best for 2018!

Cathy said...

I bought your devo and am excited to begin reading it.

I hope the amorphous quality to your goals will coalesce soon. I've taken the past couple of months to set up structures for 2018 ... and find myself wondering if it was a waste of time and I should've concentrated my efforts elsewhere, such as specifically on my writing.

I guess one can never know for sure. We take the next steps guided by the light that we have. And we see in a glass darkly, that is for sure.

cleemckenzie said...

We should collaborate on the Nada part of our plan. I have some ideas. Here's to 2018 and some great fun for all of us at #IWSG.

Pat Hatt said...

50 words is still 50 words, eventually they add up

Chemist Ken said...

Just try to write each day and don't worry about the number of words. They will eventually become a book.

Rosemary Johnson said...

Someone else has told me 'one day at a time' too. I feel very challenged by this writing prompt too.

Carol Kilgore said...

I finally corralled my goals, but I don't have a schedule yet. Here's to Real Life! Wishing you a happy 2018 :)

S.P. Bowers said...

No schedule. Life is in the middle of a transition so I'm playing it by ear. It's all good, as long as I make it a priority.

Denise Covey said...

Hi Lyn!

Congrats to the winners!

I like your 'one day at a time' attitude. My house is finally empty of guests and I can begin to focus on my writing again. But still a few parties to get through, (((sigh))). Not really. It is nice to catch up once a year with friends and rellies.

I can finally get back to yours in a few days.

Cheers and HNY!

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Lynda - you had a lot going on last year ... and your creative bug will return ... just enjoy the space right now - good luck for 2018 = cheers Hilary

Cathrina Constantine said...

Congratulations to all the winning stories!!! Wishing you all the best in 2018!!

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Cathy! That's wonderful! I hope you gain a lot from my devotional book as you read through it this year.

I'm sure my goals will coalesce soon.

Fundy Blue said...

Hi, Lynda! I'm excited for all the writers whose stories were selected for the IWSG anthology. I look forward to reading them. And thanks to all the administrators and judges worked to bring the anthology about. Wishing you all the best in 2018!

dolorah said...

I sort of made a plan - a list of what I want to acomplish. I'm hoping that's vague enough get most of it accomplished :)

Botanist said...

Sometimes a day at a time is all it takes. The most important part is simply showing up, day after day.

H. R. Sinclair said...

One day at a time works for me too. Some day maybe I'll have a plan, a schedule, but that's for tomorrow.

Stephen Tremp said...

Ha! Well, at least you are honest with your response. Here's to a healthy and prosperous 2018!

Victoria Marie Lees said...

Love the image you have here, Lynda! Darling, it's just the beginning of the year. You have time. You are an amazing writer and business person. You've got this. Slow and sure always wins acceptance. ...Okay...so I'm trying to convince myself of this, too. All best to you in 2018!

Carol Riggs said...

Great jellyfish photo! And jellyfish dreams are better than none at all. 50 words a day will inch you along and make progress too. Enjoy your victories, no matter how small!

DMS said...

Congrats to all of the anthology winners. :)

50 words a day is progress. Important to do whatever works for you and not do too much.

Wishing you a happy and healthy 2018.
~Jess

Crystal Collier said...

LOL! I think you and I are in the same boat. You have to find some sanity before you can start planning like a sane individual, eh? ;) Here's wishing you some.

Toi Thomas said...

One day at a time sounds pretty good to me. 50 words a day does too. Wishing you all the best in 2018.

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

sanity? What is this thing you call sanity?

Elizabeth Varadan, Author said...

I want to finish an MG novel I started years ago. It's been on the back burner because it stalled, so I wrote other things. Now I'm taking a class to help me get through what our teacher calls "the dreaded middle third". Cross fingers.

Mark said...

Congrats to all the winners! :)

TL said...

Huge congrats to the winners!

I've been delayed in setting goals, but I finally managed to put together my next release and the details for it. Next up is finishing the two in a series I'm writing.