I finally broke down and joined IWSG. I have been following several participants for a long time and I thought about posting before but ...I was too INSECURE. It's true!
It has been almost a year since I have been blogging and actually taking my writing seriously. When I started my blog, I really had no idea what to do with it once I got started. I want to write, but what do I write about??? This has led me into a serious identify crisis.
I have such a wide variety of interests and ideas that my struggle comes in choosing ONE and sticking to it long enough to get it down on paper. I start with one train of thought, then switch over to another. That causes a huge struggle for me to get anything accomplished.
Is there an ADD Writer's Support Group? Or a Dysfunctional Writers Support Group? These are the types of groups that I need to join! In the meantime, I am going to strive for FOCUS and continue on with IWSG.
Thanks to Alex for starting this group and thanks to the blogging community for the encouragement and inspiration every day.
With that being said, one thing I have managed to stick with so far is my Whale and Dolphin Wednesdays, so for now I will continue with that train of thought.
Last week I highlighted Ric O'Barry and the work he is doing to save dolphins in Taiji, Japan. If you missed it, check it out
The dolphin hunt in Taiji officially started on Saturday. Ric's Dolphin Project activists arrived on Friday. There are 32 people from 5 continents there to stop the dolphin slaughter in Japan. They also have 8 Japanese Nationals joining them this year, which is quite an accomplishment. The Japanese people face scrutiny from the Japanese government and the fishermen's union to take a stand against the hunt.
On September 1, groups from all over the world celebrated Dolphin Day and showed their support to stop the killing by holding rally's.
On September 2, the activists attempted to go to the Taiji Whale Museum, which is right around the corner from the cove. They were denied access to the museum. This museum houses whales/dolphins who were "saved" from killing by being forced to live a life in captivity instead. They also, ironically enough, sell whale meat in the museum gift store!
That evening Ric O'Barry arrived after being held up in court in a lawsuit after fighting the captivity of 12 Taiji dolphins to a casino/aquarium in Dominican Republic.
Yesterday the Major closed a Tsunami evacuation escape in an attempt to prevent documentation of the killing.
So far, there has been no killing in the cove this year but that is sure to change.
To sign the petition to help stop the dolphin hunt, click here
In news closer to home for me, a pod of 22 pilot whales were found stranded at Avalon State Park in Florida on Saturday. Sadly, seventeen of these whales died or had to be euthanized on the beach. Five were rescued and taken to Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Institute for rehabilitation. One of these five died in captivity on Monday.
The plan is to move them to Sea World for further rehabilitation when they have stabilized, and hopefully be released in the future.
Researchers are not sure what caused the stranding. They believe that the leader of the pod became ill and disoriented causing the rest of the pod to follow suit. Whales and dolphins stick together in their pods, which can sometimes lead to their demise, not only in this situation but also in the situation at Taiji.
Welcome to IWSG. An ADD one would be awesome, maybe you could start that? :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Anna! Hmmm...maybe I should consider starting that group :)
DeleteWelcome aboard the insecure train! I think we all have trouble focusing sometimes, especially if writing longer works like novels that require our attention for long periods of time. And that thrill you get when a new idea enters your head makes you want to drop everything and get it on paper. But it's important that we do our best to finish what we start! It's one of the marks of a true professional. You can do it! Good luck.
ReplyDeleteJ.W. Alden
Thanks so much J.W. I am thinking I should start on shorter works for now until I get gain a little more focus and control.
DeleteWelcome to the IWSG! You can be as dysfunctional as you want here. We don't judge.
ReplyDeleteDysfunctional I am! Thanks for this group. I'm not sure why it took me so long to join except for my own insecurities. I guess it's true what they say...admitting is the first step
DeleteIt's really nice that you have real world interests and don't just worry about things like what to name your mc (as some of us do). I saw a documentary on the dolphin killing in Japan and how the fisherman are selling mercury-laden dolphin meat and poisoning people. Yuck. :(
ReplyDeleteThanks for following Lexa. I have a difficult time naming my mc too. The documentary that you saw was probably The Cove. I wrote about that in my Whale Wednesday post last week. Horrible!
DeleteToo insecure to join IWSG? LOL! I love dolphins. Have you ever swum with dolphins, or would you consider that harmful to them? How sad about the whales.
ReplyDeleteI think if you keep writing you will hit on an idea you want to stick with. But it's not a problem to start many different projects--it's all great practice. The more you write, the better you get.
Thanks for the encouragement Jennifer. I find that the more I write, the more ideas I come up with, which is always a good thing. I just have a LONG way to go!
DeleteI have never swam with dolphins. I have mixed feelings about that. If they are in captivity I don't agree with it at all. If they are in their own environment I don't think that people should feed them to get them to swim with them. If they do it on their own, I guess it's ok. They are very social animals.
LOL - ADD support group! Maybe Procrastinators Anonymous too. :)
ReplyDeleteI think it was Alex that gave me (and others) the best advice about blogging - write about what you're passionate about. And that doesn't have to be one thing.
Yes, Procrastinators Anonymous works too! :)
DeleteI am passionate about many, many things so it's hard to buckle down and finish with just one, but I will press on!
Oh, I hope the killings of dolphins stops in Japan. So sad. And 22 whales stranded and so many dying? That's awful. :( I love dolphins and whales. Thank you for this post!
ReplyDeleteThanks Lyn. The killings in Japan and other parts of the world are horrific and I am so glad that more people are becoming aware. The US media should be all over it, but celebrities and politicians seem to take the lead. Very sad stuff going on in the world's oceans :(
DeleteI have enjoyed reading the whale and dolphin postings on Wednesday. I heard about the whales on the radio, very sad.
ReplyDeleteThank you. This is a busy time of year for anyone trying to protect whales and dolphins because all the hunts seem to happen now. I will keep passing on the news.
DeleteI think it's great you have so many ideas, Heather. The idea of an ADD group is a good one too! I didn't realise that the stranding can happen because the pod will follow a sick or injured leader. We have had some more strandings here recently, it is so sad.
ReplyDeleteHi! I've just posted my first IWSG post too. I felt exactly the same as you about the purpose of my blog but somehow it's starting to come together. Just takes a little faith and patience I think. New follower.
ReplyDeleteI hate seeing dolphin hunts!
ReplyDeleteSomehow I've managed to post every month for the Insecure Writer's Support Group since it began. It's a wonderful group.
Petition signed! I also saw the 17 whales on the news the other day, it's heartbreaking :(
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about having an identity crisis! When I first set up the blog, I thought it would provide a platform to write, but then I felt obligated to write about things I felt I "ought" to write about, instead of writing from the heart. After a near burnout, I decided to concentrate on my fiction and blog occasionally with updates to my progress. Not forgetting my #IWSG posts too! :)
Hi, Heather,
ReplyDeleteWELCOME to the IWSG!
Your post is so sad. I had no idea that Dolphins are being hunted. WHY ON EARTH would they be? I thought they were protected?
Such noble creatures. Thanks for sharing this.
And remember, we all have moments of ADD... So don't worry about it.
What a fascinating post, Heather. I love learning new facts... I shall follow your blog with interest. Best of luck!
ReplyDeleteWelcome to IWSG! And you don't necessarily have to focus on one thing. Just writing is the main thing. :)
ReplyDeleteThat's terrible about the whales and dolphins. :(
Glad you finally joined. I hadn't heard about the whales in Florida.
ReplyDeleteGlad you finally took the plunge! :) You'll get a lot of great support. That's so sad about the whales being stranded.
ReplyDeleteHey, I'm glad you finally joined the group. :) Thanks for the whale/dolphin updates too - so far so good w/ the dolphins. Poor, poor whales. It's good to know Sea World will be able to help the survivors.
ReplyDeleteHow sad about the pod of whales. I always hate to hear about whales beaching themselves. I've considered joining IWSG, but I have something I post on Wednesdays, so I'm just not sure. Urgh!
ReplyDeleteShannon at The Warrior Muse
Glad you joined!!! It's so sad and sickening how whales and dolphins are treated around the world - thanks for taking the time to make a difference!
ReplyDeleteHey! So nice to meet you! I am fairly new to the group also. This is my third month.
ReplyDeleteI have the same problem. I get going on an idea and end up with 4 or 5 manuscripts at the same time. But I enjoy it that way because many times, an idea will pop into my head while writing and it's perfect for the "other" WIP!
Talynn, from Ink in the Book!