Wednesday, April 7, 2021

April IWSG Post and my Risk-Taking Habit in Writing

 

I think it’s raining picture books for me. After I met my deadline of 31st March, I happily emailed my manuscript to my editor telling him I am sending it a day early. I had decided that I would take a week to ten-day break to catch up with my reading.

On day one of my break, I had few commissioned picture book offers heading my way from two editors. That was the end of my break. But I am not complaining. For a long time, I have been thinking of focussing on picture books. I have been writing very long books and I desperately needed a change. Hope all of you have loads of good news to share, because I am starved of good news, all I am hearing is Covid 19 news.

It’s time for another IWSG post. IWSG (Insecure Writers Support Group), an online group of writers posting on the first wednesday of the month. Our posts are usually writing related. IWSG members are each others’cheerleaders. Its great to belong to a community of writers who understand us and our problems and support us when our books are published. If you haven’t yet joined IWSG, do go through the IWSG website and click on the join button. I promise you, you won’t regret it.

IWSG is the brainchild of Ninja Captain Alex J Cavanaugh, author of Amazon Bestsellers: CassaStar, CassaStorm, CassaFire and Dragon of the Stars, with many more on the way.

 April 7 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?

I’m a big risk-taker when it comes to my writing. I try all kinds of things, from the style (trying new styles, mixing two styles to create something new), to making the anti-hero the main character, to even making non-animated objects as the character of my picture books, to playing with the time, by following a non-linear time frame. I play with the plot and settings, make some elements so quirky, that my editor messages me in alarm.  

What about you all? Do you like taking risks or playing safe?

 

 


16 comments:

  1. I love that you are such a risk taker in your writing! I've been taking a much needed break from writing. My job is more focused on the reading end of things. I'll be glad to jump back in soon.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good thing you sent it in a day early or you would've had no break. Glad you are excited about picture books.

    ReplyDelete
  3. A non-linear time frame in a picture book sounds like a book I would like to read!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Congrats on all your publishing successes! I'm less of a risk taker in my writing than you are.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Congrats on all the good news!! There is nothing much better than a good picture book!
    Risks takers always impress me - but I'm getting better at taking my own!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love that you're a big risk-taker. Keep it up!

    Congratulations on your commissioned picture book offers!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Rachna! I love your story risks. Flipping tropes is my fave!! Congrats on your PB offers!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. That's wonderful about the picture books.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm somewhere between Better Safe Than Sorry and Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Congratulations on all of those awesome picture books!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hats off to you, because, yes, I can see you are a real risk-taker in writing. I switch genres, but not as dramatically as you do. Good luck in your focus now on picture books.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Your risk taking is vast. That's awesome! I take only a few. And BIG congrats on your picture books.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Good for you for making your deadlines and taking some time off. And being able to explore all these different writing mediums is awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  14. When you find that you have lost your way, that there is no way out for you, know that your strength must be in the Lord. He will sustain you, He will lead you to green pastures 💖

    ReplyDelete
  15. I'm so happy for you. Like you, I'm starved for some good news from my writing friends.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Sounds like you enjoy mixing things up. I'm sure a lot of good things come out of being so inventive.

    ReplyDelete