A Writing Challenge

 Writing and stress has been worse this year than ever before.  Mostly because we have this Covid fiasco hanging over our heads day in and day out. I miss so many things like hugging, smiling at people in the grocery store (but not in a weird way,) going out to dinner, normal stuff we took for granted. 

Now back to writing... how to kick start the old writing muscle? 

Find a challenge. Yes, there are still ways to find a challenge and meet it even in this crazy land we're living in.  

I challenged my daughter, also a writer, to exchange chapters each week. So every Monday we send each other the chapter we finished that week. And yes! We are challenged to finish a chapter each week. We meet or facetime later in the week to discuss what we've read/edited. 

It's time to step up and inspire yourself. Find someone to challenge you. Make you produce a chapter a week and get that book written. 

Self Accountability & Your Art

Challenge for the New Year; Get things done.

What separates those who get things done from those who don't? Determination? Organization? Maybe a little of both?

Three ways to get things done;

1. Go to work
2. Stick to that schedule
3. Eliminate excuses

Make writing a job you go to at a specific time. Its a "Life Work," something that feeds your soul and if often shuffled off to the get to later file. The difference between Life Work and what we do for a living could be passion. That drive that makes a person write even when it might not go anywhere. That drive that comes from somewhere deep inside. It's just what you do, who you are. 

Sticking to that writing schedule. When I was producing the most writing, I was writing from 5:30 to 7 a.m. before that real life job. Then the schedule changed, work changed, and I let my mind get bogged down with the outside stuff. The first thing that went was my writing schedule. I can only wonder...why did I lose it? 

Excuses are ugly. I heard that quote somewhere, probably back in my karate days. (long time ago!) Millions of excuses are available if we chose to take them. Avoiding that urge is the key to getting things done. 

For Christmas, someone gave me this little notebook. The front of it says, SHE BELIEVED SHE COULD so she did. I have lots of notebooks. I'm kind of addicted to them, so what do I do with this one? Then I thought, maybe I need to start tracking productivity. Write it down, make it happen? 

Things to include?

1.  Writing time
2. Art time
3. Exercise time

What's your New Year's Challenge? 

Word Count Writing Challenge

After a crazy February where I didn't have time to think, its time to get back to writing.
Sometimes, after a short hiatus from a writing schedule, it's hard to get the mojo back. While talking to my daughter and fellow writer about getting inspired to rebuild that writer's schedule, we came up with a plan.

We were ready to challenge each other to make a word count.

Yeah, that would be easy to blow off. Oops! Didn't make my word count....and the challenge dies. Kind of like my NANO.

So we added prizes. We made a list of things we'd like and then went back and forth matching the prizes to the word count. This works on two levels; if you really like the prize, you might work harder to get it or if you lose that word count goal, you have to pay up.

Then we made up rules.

• It had to be a totally new story, not something you've been working on. 
• We agreed to start writing on a specific date. We started it on Monday, March 7th. (I was up at 4 a.m. so that worked for me.) 
• Every Wednesday we had to check in with each other on our word count. 
• If you hit the word count for a prize you must notify the other party immediately and send your work as proof. 
• Prizes must be sent as soon as possible.

Here's the prizes we chose: 

2,500 Notebook
5,000 Fancy Pen
7,500 The First Line Mug
10,000 Book about Writing
12,500 Writer's Game
15,000 Aqua Notes
17,500 Writer's T-Shirt/Tank Top
20,000 On Writing by Stephen King
22,500 Writing Wall Art
25,000 Writer's Digest Subscription
27,000 Writing Jewelry
30,000 Tea Basket
32,500 Writing Book
35,000 Snack Basket
37,500 Travel Coffee Mug
40,000 Wish List Surprise!
42,000 Full Book Editing with one week turnaround
45,000 Writer's Throw
47,500 Writer Movie Gift Basket
50,000 Amazon Gift Card $100

I hit 2520 words this past Wednesday and won the notebook. Yay! 

Seek inspiration and write on, my friends. The next great novel is inside you. 

Back!

Wow, I just realized I haven't blogged in a month...A WHOLE MONTH! Where have I been? It seems the time just slipped past...
I've been busy at work, non stop busy! Then at home I'm trying to do 60,000 words for the Liberty State Writers Mayke it Happen challenge. (I'm up to 27,000 so far) I'm using every spare minute to finish that story. It's about an angel.
Then there's my other creepy serial killer story I've been working on for the last few months.
From serial killers to angels....maybe I have a problem sticking to one subject? I think that's why I wanted to do this challenge. I'm hoping it gives me the sticktoitiveness (is that a real word??? lol) to finish something to submission status. I have lots written. A few completed books, some too long, one too short and some just right. Some I have no idea where to send it. (Know anyone looking for a refreshing story about a woman who makes a deal with God to be reincarnated as a petite blond but comes back as a long haired chihuahua? (well, she is a petite blond, isn't she?) I really like this story and wish I could find a home for it. Last year at the NJRWA convention I heard an editor speak and thought she might go for it...then I forgot her name...oops!
During the past month I've stopped by some blogs, read how peeps were doing and then just couldn't think of anything to say here. I try to keep this blog about writing and the pursuit of publication but sometimes I feel I'm repeating myself. And I don't want to say when I'm sending out cause I think I might jinx it. Ever feel like that?
So how's everyone else out there in blogland?

Life as a challenge.

What do you want from life? Do you see this "want" as a dream? A wish? or a challenge?
I have one daughter who loves a challenge. No matter what she sets her sights on she never looks at it as a wish.
She wanted to be a lifeguard. After rigorous testing and pushing herself to her limit. Poof! She was a lifeguard.
She wanted to be drum major in the band. Work, work, work...poof! She became drum major.
Learn piano? guitar? Poof!
Although she makes it look easy I know how much work she puts into these things. I see the agony and energy she goes through for her goals. Some are harder then others, sure, but she pushed herself just as hard every single time. She seems to live for the challenge.
Everything is a challenge to be met, overcome and accomplished. She amazes me. She has also taught me a lot about challenges:
Stay focused.
Believe in yourself.
Work hard.
Never give up.
Do I want to be a published writer? Is this my dream? Or is it a challenge to be overcome, overtaken and accomplished?
J.A. Konrath once asked, "What do you call a writer who never gives up?"
---PUBLISHED!
He should know. It took him years to become an overnight sensation. His story is one of hard work and determination. (You can read his story in a book called, "HOW I GOT PUBLISHED".)
Was it his dream? Or his challenge?
What's yours?