# The Official February Writing Challenge Thread.



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

Here is the original thread proposing the challenge. There is still time to sign up, and if you only feel up to running the half-marathon, we can encourage that, too.

I'm not going to keep an update of everyone's progress (no time!) but each participant can edit their status within their first reply. I warmed up my fingers this morning so I didn't have to face the blank page of my first chapter tomorrow.

Day 0 (-1?) - 0,700 words. Total: 0,700.
Day 1 - 2,000 words. Total: 2,700.
Day 2 - 2,000 words. Total: 4,700.
Day 3 - 2,000 words. Total: 6,700
Day 4 - 2,200 words. Total: 8,900
Day 5 - 2,100 words. Total: 11,000
Day 6 - 2,200 words. Total: 13,200
Day 7 - 2,000 words. Total: 15,200
Day 8 - 2,100 words. Total: 17,300
Day 9 - 2,100 words. Total: 19,400
Day 10 - 2,000 words. Total: 21,400
Day 11 - 2,200 words. Total: 23,600
Day 12 - 2,300 words. Total: 25,900
Day 13 - 2,100 words. Total: 28,000
Day 14 - 2,100 words. Total: 30,100
Day 15 - 2,100 words. Total: 32,300
Day 16 - 2,100 words. Total: 34,400
Day 17 - 2,200 words. Total: 36,600
Day 18 - 2,100 words. Total: 38,700
Day 19 - 2,000 words. Total: 40,700
Day 20 - 2,100 words. Total: 42,800
Day 21 - 2,100 words. Total: 44,900
Day 22 - 2,200 words. Total: 47,100
Day 23 - 2,000 words. Total: 49,100
Day 24 - 2,300 words. Total: 51,400
Day 25 - 2,300 words. Total: 53,700
Day 26 - 2,300 words. Total: 56,000
Day 27 - 2,100 words. Total: 58,100








(Sheila Guthrie)


----------



## unkownwriter (Jun 22, 2011)

Hey, everybody, where are ya? I hope you are busy typing/penciling away at your manuscripts. 

I'm just getting started for the day, but will update later.

I re-sized the logo, for use as an avatar or in the signature line:





And the original, which you can change as needed:



If you want to use any (or all) of these, click on the image, which takes you to a Photobucket album I made. Click on the image thumb under whichever one you want and save it to your computer. Then you can update your profile, or signature, or use on your blog.


----------



## michaelabayomi (Dec 13, 2011)

Is it just me, or has the law of diminishing returns started to set in already?

Day 1: 2,400 words. Total: 2,400.
Day 2: 2,100 words. Total: 4,500.
Day 3: 2,200 words. Total: 6,700.
Day 4: 2,100 words. Total: 8,800.
Day 5: 1,200 words. Total: 10,000.
Day 6: 1,800 words. Total: 11,800.
Day 7: 2,200 words. Total: 14,000.
Day 8: 2,100 words. Total: 16,100.
Day 9: 1,600 words. Total: 17,700.
Day 10: 3,300 words. Total: 21,000.
Day 11-13: 0 words. Total: 21,000.
Day 14: 1500 words. Total: 22,500.
Day 15: 1500 words. Total: 24,000.
Day 16: 1500 words. Total: 25,500.
Day 17: 1500 words. Total: 27,000.
Day 18-19: 3,000 words. Total: 30,000.
Day 20: 2,500 words. Total: 32,500.
Day 21: 2,500 words. Total: 35,000.
Day 22: 3,000 words. Total: 38,000.
Day 23-24: 4,500 words. Total: 42,500.
Day 25-26: 2,500 words. Total: 45,000.
Day 27-29: 5,000 words. Total: 50,000.


----------



## pamclaughton (Feb 21, 2011)

I'm diving in tonight. I've been averaging 500 pages a day, so it's going to be an interesting challenge to up it to 2000. I'm debating whether to continue with the WIP which is about 15 pages in and not really fleshed out, or to dive into a totally new project that is more plotted out for this month. Any suggestions? Do most of you plot first or figure it out as you go?


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

pamclaughton said:


> I'm diving in tonight. I've been averaging 500 pages a day, so it's going to be an interesting challenge to up it to 2000.


That _is_ an ambitious target.


----------



## unkownwriter (Jun 22, 2011)

Pam, 500 _pages_? 

I quit.


----------



## cblewgolf (Jan 3, 2011)

Thanks for the reminder.  Haven't written anything new in a while so I need a good kick in the arse.


----------



## Mel Comley (Oct 13, 2010)

yay! I managed 2078, but feel a failure already as I have to take the day off tomorrow, It's my Mum's birthday and she needs pampering big time! ;-)


Happy writing guys and gals!  As Ty Pennington says 'Let's Do It'  

Day 1 - 2078
Day 2 Relatives b'day D/O
Day 3 - 2002   Total 4080! 
Day 4 - 2035   Total 6115!
Day 5 - 1300   Total 7415!
Day 6 - 1030   Total 8445. Had a visitor and needed to do some research for tomorrow's writing.  
Day 7-10 1591 Total 10,101  Life got in the way this week, sorry! 
I didn't report in daily as I've had an horrendous past few weeks. However I managed to get 26,737 words completed. That means I'm 17,000 away from the end of my novel. I hope to have it completed in a couple of weeks. So I'm very happy.


----------



## Colin Taber (Apr 4, 2011)

I'm done for day 1. 

I managed to still have a bit of gas in the tank (I'm in the middle of a fight scene) so ran up to 2,300 words.

I imagine tomorrow I'll spend most of my quota finishing off said fisticuffs.  

EDIT - Here's my updates

Day 1 - 2,300 words - Total: 2,300
Day 2 - 300 words - Total: 2,600 (a full day at work then hijacked by an evening work function)
Day 3 - 800 words - Total: 3,400 (again, a full day at work then hijacked by an evening work function, but I expect to eventually make it up)
Day 4 - 1,300 words - Total: 4,700
Day 5 - 3,300 words - Total: 8,000 

PS - must remember hash tag: #60kinFeb


----------



## KevinMcLaughlin (Nov 11, 2010)

Writing away right now!  I'll edit in a tally once I'm done for the day.


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

Whew, I made it! That first day is brutal. I scraped out 2,000 just before I ran out of time. Off to the doctor and then I've got a bunch of other work to do. Nice to see people coming along.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

.....and I'm done! 

Day 1: 2,100 words.

Did it over two sessions of about an hour, roughly the same word count each time. Did about an hour of prep before the first session (it's a historical and I'm only part way through the research for this sucker!), and about twenty minutes before the second.

I don't feel tired, I feel great! Let's see how that keeps up!

Congrats to everyone else. Let's keep on truckin'


----------



## pamclaughton (Feb 21, 2011)

Sheila_Guthrie said:


> Pam, 500 _pages_?
> 
> I quit.


Yes, I write 500 pages a day, and plan to write 2000 tonight, I'll win this thing in a few hours at that rate!

That was a typo, should have been words. I average 500 words a day.

Would love to hear people's insight on how they plan to approach this challenge. If you can write 2000 words a day, how much of the story do you know going in, is it planned/outlined ahead or do you wing it?


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

pamclaughton said:


> Would love to hear people's insight on how they plan to approach this challenge. If you can write 2000 words a day, how much of the story do you know going in, is it planned/outlined ahead or do you wing it?


I'm working on a historical novel that I started writing in March 2010. However, I stopped writing it after 2000 words or so, being full of doubt etc. (I was still querying at the time) and won't be using anything I wrote before (it wasn't great). Then I started self-publishing in April, and got sidetracked by other projects.

I had done a lot of the research (read a couple of history books, made extensive notes), and already had a rough outline of the first half of the book, and a very, very sketchy outline of part of the second half, which I bulked up a bit yesterday.

Because it's historical, and I haven't finished the research and the research I have done isn't fresh, I have to do a lot of prep before each session. The 2k words only took a two one-hour sessions, but I had to do a lot of prep work before the first session and a bit before the second, so it was probably 3.5 hours of time total.

I'm using that Freedom program someone recommended (for blocking the internet), and it's fantastic.


----------



## unkownwriter (Jun 22, 2011)

Pam! I figured it was a typo, but dang, that was an awesome amount of work while it lasted. Man, you could work one day a week and still have 52 books at the end of the year.

:::tears down idol of Pam, retrieves keyboard from trash:::

I'm working on a novel that is already started, though I did have an outline of the main events and when they should happen. Something seemed off about the days, though, and in going back and double checking, I am not liking what I see. I found two large hunks of time when nothing happens, even though the events are supposed to be fairly time-sensitive.

Enter the _other_ secondary plot. Ta-da!

Oh well. Back to work.


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

ARRRGH, my 11 yo son is home sick (just a little). He is a relentless PITA, poor lovable sweetheart, and I'm trying to tune him out groaning about the homework I'm making him do. Why should I be the only one to suffer?

Aarrrrrgh. I've only hit 100 words so far. This time yesterday I was already at 2K. 

But I'm in California, so there's still time. There's always the XBox.


----------



## MGalloway (Jun 21, 2011)

pamclaughton said:


> Would love to hear people's insight on how they plan to approach this challenge. If you can write 2000 words a day, how much of the story do you know going in, is it planned/outlined ahead or do you wing it?


For this, I'm winging pretty much everything...which is something I haven't done for about ten years or so. I'm already in the middle of writing a bunch of short stories, whose very basic plots/ideas I wrote down several months ago. As I wrote here I'm pretty much making a giant "compost pile" of stories/ideas that I will then push aside for a few months after the month is over. When I return to the pile, I'll pick out a dozen of the best ideas and rework/edit them into something publishable. I have no idea how well this will work...


----------



## Tony James Slater (Feb 1, 2012)

Hello there Kindle Board types!
I rather like what you're up to!
So much so in fact, that I've joined Kindle Boards to get some action...
Okay, that came out wrong. A piece of the action, that's what I'm after!

I read about this grand endeavour in David Gaughran's blog and it spurred me on to take up the challenge - well, if you'll have me.
Like Dave I am a glacially slow writer - I have only one book out and it took me six years to write!
Apparently that's not good for business, so I'm in desperate need of a kick up the proverbial - otherwise there's a very real chance I'll die before I complete book 2. And I'm only 33.

I'm coming pretty late into this and you folks must be flat out with your own efforts (or flat out suffering from the headaches caused by those efforts) so I'll stop waffling and get to the point.

I write comedy travel adventures. Silly ones. I've done one (set in an Ecuadorian animal refuge) and the next one (set in Thailand) is 20k words in because I've been forcing myself to do 1,000 words a day.

I'm gonna go for it - the whole bag of rice, 60,000 words... because that will bring the next book within an easy decade of completion :0)

Oh, and if it's allowed I might sprinkle a few of my words around on other projects (don't worry, if I make a mess I'll wipe it up) - I'm doing a short adventure, designed to take advantage of KDP Select, which just needs another 10k doing to it. "_Just_ another 10k?" I must be mad. But then, I _am_ talking to myself... so. I'm Tony. Lovely to meet you all. Today I wrote 2,305 words across 3 projects, and now I'm going to shut up and let you all go to sleep. Or maybe that's just me... anyone else here in Australia (where it's already the 2nd as of 2 hours ago?)

Thanks guys (n gals)!
Tony

Ps. I have no profile here yet as this is my first post. If I make myself a profile tomorrow, will those words count? Yes, desperation is setting in already...


----------



## JoshuaPSimon (Jun 24, 2011)

I admit starting mine a bit early, writing 8615 words from Saturday through Tuesday.  However, I know those technically don't count.   

Day one result - 2,234 words (broken out over two sessions, before work and during lunch).  I'm glad I got this in early since I won't have time to write tonight.


----------



## unkownwriter (Jun 22, 2011)

Oh, hey, we've got a new vict --er, member! Welcome, Tony. Good to have you join us on the boards, and in our challenge. No one is going to beat us if we don't make the goal. Well, I'm pretty sure that won't happen. 

Speaking of which, I'd better get off here and get back to my novel.


----------



## Sybil Nelson (Jun 24, 2010)

Update:

Day1: 1,242
Day2: 2,087
____________
Total: 3,329

I didn't get the 3,000 words I wanted to yesterday but I'm still in this thing. The good news is that I've started to find my main character's voice. I'm planning three 1k word writing sessions today. I've also decided that when I hit 15k words, I'm going to treat my self by ordering a cover for the book. That will be great motivation. And once I have a cover, it might even be more motivation.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

I've been struggling to get back into the rhythm after moving into the new house, so I'm gonna use this as my kickstarter. I'm even going in on a handicap: 0 writing today. Starting tomorrow, time to get butt in gear. I can hit 60k. I will hit 60k. Oh yeah.


----------



## Gregory Lynn (Aug 9, 2011)

I haven't done squat today and am taking my wife to the doctor in a moment so I am not sure I'll even be back in front of a keyboard until six or so.

Can I do 2100 words tonight?

Yeah, I think so. I have the story in mind and pretty much just need to make it leak out my fingers.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

I still have a lot of energy, and was thinking of writing more, but maybe it's best to conserve for a tricky chapter tomorrow. Is that the best way to approach this? I've never done a challenge like this before...

...oh and there is a hashtag, #60kinFeb


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

If you've got more energy I say go for it. It's nice to bank a few hundred or thousand words because there's bound to be a day when you're definitely not feeling it.


----------



## Nathan Lowell (Dec 11, 2010)

Ok. I'm in. 

So far this month: 0
I'll start tomorrow.

I need something to get my sick and lazy butt moving again. 

Feb 2: 1100 as of 7am.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Nathan Lowell said:


> Ok. I'm in.
> 
> So far this month: 0
> I'll start tomorrow.
> ...


*high-fives*

We're lazy 0-on-day-1 writers, and we're here to say: the internet had some interesting stuff on it.


----------



## NRWick (Mar 22, 2011)

Hey everyone!

2/1 It's 2pm here where I am and I've gotten 1,555 words written thus far, but not of the actual novel... That was the chapter outline. XD But, I still have 5 hours before my Husband gets home and 4 before I have to stop and get dinner started. So, I should be able to write more between now and then. My productivity lowers to almost nothing once he gets home, though.

Thanks for doing this! It's really motivational!

Good luck!

2/1 Edited: Ended up writing 2,500 words total today and 1,000 of those were towards the actual novel on top of the 1500 for the chapter outline.

2/2 Edited: Going to try and write more, but may not get to.

Day 1 Total: 2,555
Day 2 Total: 2,307


----------



## lacycamey (Apr 25, 2011)

Love the hashtag : #60KinFeb about to tweet! Everyone else like it?

So, listening to a "man hater" playlist...trying to get to know my new character Maycee for this 3rd book who has a "vlog" dedicated to empowering women who have been screwed over by cheaters. Alanis Morissette...Beyonce...Christina Aguilera...The Ting Tings...

Anyone else do that when you're working with a new character?  

Okay, break's over.  Back to writing. Just want to say hi to you all and tweet u!  I'm @lacycamey

Will be back to post my numbers. Good luck all of you!


----------



## Courtney Milan (Feb 27, 2011)

Total so far: 5080.

*Feb. 1*: I got 1245 over lunch on Secret Project B. Hoping for about that much again later tonight. Tuesdays/Thursdays are hard days for me so I'm going to have to get a little more on other days to make up for that. 8:40 PM: I'm now at 2200. I want another 300 or so words tonight, to bring me to 2500 for the day, so that I don't get behind tomorrow. 10:14 PM: 2514 total, not including the 500 or so words I deleted. That sets me up great for tomorrow, which is a substantially busier day at work. Goal for tomorrow: 1700.

*Feb. 2*: 8 AM: 770 before work. I'm going to try for 1000 over lunch. 1:03 PM: Whee! A fantastic lunch. 1791. That puts me at 2561 for the day, and 5080 total for the month. I'm 1/12th of the way to 60K! I have editing stuff to do tonight on another project, so I probably won't get any new words done for the day, but I'm ahead of schedule.


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

First of all, welcome to KB, Tony.

My stats: the Xbox and a Monster LoCarb got my son out of my hair. I helped him with his homework (writing a report, ironically, with a minimum word count) and then he coached me on mine. Go Mom!

So, for today: 2,291

Yay me. I'm writing seat-of-my-pants on this one. No outline. Lots of dialogue. Changing major background events in the middle of a scene and making a note (Scrivener sidebar rocks) to go back later.

In other words, writing like it's NaNoWriMo.

As a cosmic reward, right after I finished I went to pick up three small children from school, a teacher informs me my rear tire is flat. Miles from home or a gas station. It looked like a cartoon flat, smooshy but not blown. So, naturally, I risked life and limb and drove home with three very wide-eyed kids in the back hoping we didn't die.

I hate adventures. That's why I write.

Anyway, we all survived to write another day. Best of luck everyone!


----------



## ChadWilliamson (May 31, 2011)

Day 1 --> 2,395 words (quite possibly a personal one-day best).

Like Gretchen, I'm writing a TON of dialogue, though I do have a rather solid outline to go with this project (also realizing that if I make the 60K, I'll have finished this in half the time I've budgeted myself, which means I'm going to have to start plotting the second novel in the series NOW). I am also giving myself permission to just write and acknowledge that a lot of this is probably going to be crap that will be massively rewritten come March.

However, the xBox is going to be my reward and now I can play ARKHAM CITY and GOTHAM CITY IMPOSTERS feeling no guilt.


----------



## MGalloway (Jun 21, 2011)

Monks, clocks, and binary code. 1,100 words and still climbing...

Updated: 2,443 for the day. Longhand.


----------



## Rachel Schurig (Apr 9, 2011)

Oh, hell. I'm behind already. But it's only 8:30 here and I do my best writing at night. Actually, I do my only writing at night, day job and all that. Onward and upward...


----------



## Gregory Lynn (Aug 9, 2011)

Is it a bad idea to write with a can of frosting sitting next to the keyboard?


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Gregory Lynn said:


> Is it a bad idea to write with a can of frosting sitting next to the keyboard?


Not if you have a straw. Keeps the hands free for typing.


----------



## Gregory Lynn (Aug 9, 2011)

Gretchen Galway said:


> Not if you have a straw. Keeps the hands free for typing.


I have a spork :-(

Any of y'all on G+?


----------



## CaedemMarquez (Mar 23, 2011)

Ugh. I didn't think I'd still be in the middle of rewrites. CRAP.

Still gonna do it, though. I'm just going to lose about a week.

Caedem


----------



## CaedemMarquez (Mar 23, 2011)

By the way, is there a widget on KB or can somebody do this on their blog where we can write our name, post our daily numbers and it keeps a running tally? It would help keep things a little organized and we can all see at a a glance, what others are doing.

Then, it would be cool if someone could post that once a week. (I'm not suggesting people don't post on here, far from it, but it would be kind of cool to see that weekly update.

Caedem


----------



## NoCat (Aug 5, 2010)

I only got 2230 words done, but I published a novella and drew a map! That's got to count for something, right?


----------



## Alan Petersen (May 20, 2011)

I'm working on my manuscript for my first book which I got back from the editor. I'm also working on the marketing side of the book but I need to work on my second book ( I haven't touched in a while) so this might be the kick in the pants I need.

I'm in. Let's see it's 8:00 PM and I'm at zero words... better get busy.


----------



## GGKeets (Jan 2, 2012)

I'll definitely participate in this.

My total for today . . . (drum roll please) . . . A whopping 0 words! I know. I know. Bet you all are seething with jealousy.  

Really though, I'd taken a break from working on my book and had been reacquainting myself with the work I had done on it these last couple of weeks. I'm dedicating all of Saturday to start cranking out that word count, though I may get in about 1000 Friday afternoon after work.

Good luck everyone!

Feb 1: 0

Total so far: 0


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

Starting out slow today. I'm just now done with my daily word count.

Feb 1: 1736 (not what I wanted, but I'll take it)



Total: 1736


----------



## cidneyswanson (Feb 1, 2011)

#60KinFeb
Yay! I'm happy it's being adopted!  

Nathan and Half-Orc: glad to have you in! Tony, welcome to KB!

2018 words today on pointe shoes, hobgoblins, and Russian food. 

Nom-nom,
Cidney


----------



## Alex Owens (Mar 24, 2011)

Cripes on a pogo-stick. Day 1 and I don't even know what I'm writing about. I did manage to pub a SS, take an obligatory 2 hour phone call from my Mom (who lives 5 minutes away), deal with 2 different wedding contracts/ inquiries (I'm a photographer as well) and a whole bunch of other Shite that is too mundane to list. 

But I'll do better, I promise! I'll even take my laptop to work tomorrow so I can write while I should be working. Any one have a spare plot laying around? 

jk... I've got a whole trunk-full of plot orphans. Now to just pick one!

Day1: Goose egg. Nada, Zilch. 
Day2: (can't be any worse than day 1, now can it?)


----------



## LucyFrancis (Sep 8, 2011)

Well, I see I'm not the only one who had a hard time getting underway today...or didn't at all  

I'm sick, so I wasn't highly motivated anyway...and then it was the hubby's day off, and ladies, we all understand that we can't accomplish beans with a man underfoot, right? That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

It wasn't a total loss, but not nearly what I anticipated for the day.

Day 1: 677.


----------



## David Wisehart (Mar 2, 2010)

Progress report for _Man in the Maze_:

Day 1: 4,307 words

Was trying hard for 5,000, but I'm calling it a day.

David


----------



## JRTomlin (Jan 18, 2011)

Day 1: The bad news is I only wrote 509 words. The good news is I did write 509 words. 

59,491 to go.


----------



## BuddyGott (Feb 4, 2011)

Day 1: 1,368 words. Not as much as I'd hoped to do, but I'm happy with it. 

About half of the words were written for the novella I've been working on, but the other half were written for a short story that I got an idea for while sitting at a red light tonight. I love when ideas hit you like that from out of nowhere.


----------



## Ben White (Feb 11, 2011)

Despite busy-busy daughters, new comics, proofing that demands to be done, forgetting how to write after two months of nothing but outlining and editing and the ever-present siren song of Dark Souls, I managed 5,000 words for my first day.  I'll probably try to do another two and a half thousand before sleeping, it's only ten-thirty after all.


----------



## unkownwriter (Jun 22, 2011)

Hey, everybody, looks like we picked up a few new participants. Welcome!

Crashed from the meds last night (caught a stupid cold, right after getting over an upper respiratory infection--yay, me), and didn't update with my word count, so here it is:

Day 1:  900 words  

I had found a major plot hole, which made the whole rest of the novel junk, so I made a timeline listing events and plot points. Then I wrote some transition scenes so everything makes sense now. I hope. This also had the added benefit of tightening up the events into a shorter period, which makes the plot move faster. 

If I could count blogging and forum postings, though, I think I got about 2000 words, at least, so I don't feel too bad, considering.


----------



## unkownwriter (Jun 22, 2011)

I've been looking for a word count tracker that would keep up with everybody in the challenge, but haven't found one (yet). I did find a couple of places you might want to look at to make one of your own.

http://www.sally-apokedak.com/file/meter.htm

This is one I put on my blog. It's plain, but you can choose your bar color. I changed the size from 193 pixels wide to 150, and it fits well in my sidebar.

http://www.tickerfactory.com

This one lets you select your bar and slider from lots of options. This is where I got the one in my siggie. Use the BBC code option after you finish if you want to put your ticker in your signature.

Hope this helps. Now get back to work!


----------



## ChadWilliamson (May 31, 2011)

David Wisehart said:


> Progress report for _Man in the Maze_:
> 
> Day 1: 4,307 words
> 
> ...


Show off 

Wow ... why do I feel like such a piker now?


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

CaedemMarquez said:


> By the way, is there a widget on KB or can somebody do this on their blog where we can write our name, post our daily numbers and it keeps a running tally? It would help keep things a little organized and we can all see at a a glance, what others are doing.
> 
> Then, it would be cool if someone could post that once a week. (I'm not suggesting people don't post on here, far from it, but it would be kind of cool to see that weekly update.
> 
> Caedem


A Google Docs spreadsheet might work - anyone would be able to access it and update their totals. Then we could just cut and paste every so often to show the running total.

I'm just about to start my writing session, but if no-one has jumped on that idea (or come up with a better one), I'll try and figure it out this evening.


----------



## David Wisehart (Mar 2, 2010)

ChadWilliamson said:


> Show off
> 
> Wow ... why do I feel like such a piker now?


I recently quit my job to write full-time. So that helps.

David


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Kpfowler said:


> Day1: Goose egg. Nada, Zilch.
> Day2: (can't be any worse than day 1, now can it?)


You could end up editing and deleting something you've already wrote, going into negatives.


----------



## Alex Owens (Mar 24, 2011)

David "Half-Orc" Dalglish said:


> You could end up editing and deleting something you've already wrote, going into negatives.


Don't tempt me. I may just do that to claim the Worst Progress Award straight away. Momma always told me, if you're going to screw up, do it royally  Or maybe that was the Stay Thirsty guy. idk.


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

David "Half-Orc" Dalglish said:


> You could end up editing and deleting something you've already wrote, going into negatives.


I think David needs a new nickname - Sunshine.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

jillmyles said:


> I think David needs a new nickname - Sunshine.


I was simply answering a question she asked, which was whether or not she could do worse today. If I really wanted to be sunshine, I could also mention viruses and hard drive failures, rendering her potentially thousands of words into the negatives, as well as out a ton of money and pretty much doomed to compete in any meaningful way of the Feb challenge.

But I won't. Because I'm a nice guy.

Stop laughing.


----------



## Alex Owens (Mar 24, 2011)

Already had that problem, thank you very much. I even had to shell out some coin for a new laptop to get me over the bridge. Thankfully all my writing is backed up via cloud. I lost my NaNo project from 2 years ago when my Mac died, so I always operate under "impending doom" nowadays


----------



## Courtney Milan (Feb 27, 2011)

David "Half-Orc" Dalglish said:


> I was simply answering a question she asked, which was whether or not she could do worse today. If I really wanted to be sunshine, I could also mention viruses and hard drive failures, rendering her potentially thousands of words into the negatives, as well as out a ton of money and pretty much doomed to compete in any meaningful way of the Feb challenge.
> 
> But I won't. Because I'm a nice guy.
> 
> Stop laughing.


Sunshine. Overhead. In the Sahara. At noon. Without a canteen or sunglasses.

Yup, that's you.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Courtney Milan said:


> Sunshine. Overhead. In the Sahara. At noon. Without a canteen or sunglasses.
> 
> Yup, that's you.


Just call me the Tan-Maker. I'm a big hit in Jersey.


----------



## pamclaughton (Feb 21, 2011)

I'm off to a pitiful start. Didn't even hit my usual 500 words yesterday. Only managed 144 and hate them, which is part of the problem, have taken a wrong turn. Need to get back on track...


----------



## B Sheridan (Dec 5, 2011)

Well...I'm already behind. Go me. That's ok, I'm not sure I'd know what to do if I wasn't careening wildly towards some deadline or another.

Day 1: 0 
Day 2: 572

Total so far: 572.

Yeah, that's right. I'm totally owning that number. I did that between coffee and shower this morning, and it meant I sacrificed time usually spent on my hair. Frizzy hair? Yeah, take _that_, writing challenge!

Hopefully I can update this later tonight to add more to the total.


----------



## B Sheridan (Dec 5, 2011)

David "Half-Orc" Dalglish said:


> ...I could also mention viruses and hard drive failures, rendering her potentially thousands of words into the negatives, as well as out a ton of money and pretty much doomed to compete in any meaningful way of the Feb challenge.


Oh boy. This is bringing back nightmare flashes. Technically, I started the year 57,000 words in the hole.(It still hurts to say that out loud.) I wrote 31,000 in January, which still leaves me -26000 for the year. So putting it like that, maybe my Feb. challenge should be for...86000 words?

Ha. Cue maniacal laughter.

But if I knew how to insert a video, this would be a great spot for a How I Met Your Mother _challenge accepted._


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

Blake Sheridan said:


> Oh boy. This is bringing back nightmare flashes. Technically, I started the year 57,000 words in the hole.(It still hurts to say that out loud.) I wrote 31,000 in January, which still leaves me -26000 for the year. So putting it like that, maybe my Feb. challenge should be for...86000 words?
> 
> Ha. Cue maniacal laughter.
> 
> But if I knew how to insert a video, this would be a great spot for a How I Met Your Mother _challenge accepted._


Get a free dropbox account. You can open it like any folder on your hard drive, but it's stored online.


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)




----------



## Courtney Milan (Feb 27, 2011)

Blake Sheridan said:


> Oh boy. This is bringing back nightmare flashes. Technically, I started the year 57,000 words in the hole.(It still hurts to say that out loud.) I wrote 31,000 in January, which still leaves me -26000 for the year. So putting it like that, maybe my Feb. challenge should be for...86000 words?


Ouch.

Personal service announcement: Every author should have MORE THAN ONE automatic backup system, and one of those backups should save various versions. I have both Dropbox and an Apple Time Capsule, and that Time Capsule has saved my behind a bunch of times. Having a backup system is like making your computer buy life insurance.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Day 1: 0.
Day 2: 2,513.

Feels good to be back in the flow, though I wasted way too much time trying to figure out where the heck I told the backstory of a character in an earlier novel.


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

David "Half-Orc" Dalglish said:


> Day 1: 0.
> Day 2: 2,513.
> 
> Feels good to be back in the flow, though I wasted way too much time trying to figure out where the heck I told the backstory of a character in an earlier novel.


That's the problem with series. I spent a bunch of time this morning trying to figure out how old some kid was. It didn't much matter when I wrote him in the first place, but all of a sudden his age became very important.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1: 2,100 (I think I deleted two thats to make it even).
Day 2: 2,673

Yesterday was easy peasy. Today was awful. An uphill battle the whole way. Then it just flowed for the last twenty minutes. Phew. I'm very happy with my total because it doesn't include around 800 words that I wrote this morning, before deleting it all as it was _complete_ garbage.

If every day is as hard as today, I think I'll totally lose it before the end of this challenge.


----------



## B Sheridan (Dec 5, 2011)

Jill--yes! Thank you. How I Met Your Mother references FTW.

As for backing up, yeah. I know. That's a good point for all. What happened to me was a combo of bad luck and what I think was my own really stupid mistake. I was trying to free up space in my dropbox folder and, as far as I can think looking back, a folder inside a folder inside a folder (I was also trying to reorganize b/c it was getting crazy up in there) got accidentally moved out of my dropbox folder. It shouldn't have been the end of the world because dropbox was my second backup source, but then about a month later my 'puter and backup drive went KABLOOM. So then it _did_ kind of feel like the end of the world when I couldn't find that folder in my dropbox account (it's possible there might have been resulting tears, an embarrassing amount of ice cream, and an Anne of Green Gables and Pride and Prejudice marathon). On the bright side, it was because of dropbox that I didn't lose the 28,000 words I did on another project that month and hadn't emailed or printed out before the tech meltdown (I wrote a crazy ton in Dec., the benefit of being on break).

So what Courtney said--having more than one automatic backup system is key, because even if you think it won't happen, it's possible to lose your computer system and one backup at the same time.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Yeah, I had a hard-drive meltdown during college - losing my entire Master's Thesis. One expensive data-recovery operation later, and I'll got back was a bunch of disks with garbled text on them - completely unintelligible.

I learned the hard way, and back everything up now a number of ways: emailing it to myself, thumb drives, dropbox, the works.


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

dgaughran said:


> Day 1: 2,100 (I think I deleted two thats to make it even).
> Day 2: 2,673
> 
> Yesterday was easy peasy. Today was awful. An uphill battle the whole way. Then it just flowed for the last twenty minutes. Phew. I'm very happy with my total because it doesn't include around 800 words that I wrote this morning, before deleting it all as it was _complete_ garbage.
> ...


That's how I felt today, David. Yesterday was tough--the first day of a new book always is--but I was convinced today would be easier. I knew the scene I was going to write. It took three hours and I desperately wanted to throw in the towel when I hit the first thousand. I barely made it to the daily minimum. And I have no idea what happens next.


----------



## michaelabayomi (Dec 13, 2011)

dgaughran said:


> If every day is as hard as today, I think I'll totally lose it before the end of this challenge.


Yeah. I know what you mean. I personally try ending my sessions in the middle of a scene. That way, I'll immediately have something to latch onto in the subsequent session.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

MichaelWallace said:


> That's how I felt today, David. Yesterday was tough--the first day of a new book always is--but I was convinced today would be easier. I knew the scene I was going to write. It took three hours and I desperately wanted to throw in the towel when I hit the first thousand. I barely made it to the daily minimum. And I have no idea what happens next.


Yesterday, I made a couple of pages of notes - bullet points - on what I wanted to do with the chapter, and it worked a treat.

I decided to try winging it today. Big mistake. While the word count was higher, the time spent getting there was much, much greater, and it just wasn't enjoyable.

I don't think the stuff was as good either, but at least I dealt with some structural issues (yes, already) and moved some stuff around to give myself a better framework for tomorrow. I had been playing with a non-linear opening, but thought better of it.



michaelabayomi said:


> Yeah. I know what you mean. I personally try ending my sessions in the middle of a scene. That way, I'll immediately have something to latch onto in the subsequent session.


I've never had the discipline to do that. I always have to finish the scene! Also, I've a brain like a sieve. If I don't get it down now, it could be lost forever.


----------



## Courtney Milan (Feb 27, 2011)

michaelabayomi said:


> Yeah. I know what you mean. I personally try ending my sessions in the middle of a scene. That way, I'll immediately have something to latch onto in the subsequent session.


 This never works for me! I'm jealous of the people who can do this. If I end in the middle of the scene, I just lose all the good stuff.


----------



## cidneyswanson (Feb 1, 2011)

dgaughran said:


> Yeah, I had a hard-drive meltdown during college - losing my entire Master's Thesis. One expensive data-recovery operation later, and I'll got back was a bunch of disks with garbled text on them - completely unintelligible.


In the Pleistocene Era, my dad's completed Master's Thesis burned in a college fire. He hadn't typed on carbon paper b/c it was expensive. And did Moses break the first chiseled set of commandments, or am I remembering something from an irreverent cartoon?

Back it up, baby.
Cidney


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Today's update: 2,032 words. Phew!


----------



## NRWick (Mar 22, 2011)

Due to an unfortunate mandoline accident, I've only written 1977 today, even though my goal was 2100. Luckily I was ahead from yesterday.

Gonna go down some aspirin and nurse my poor thumb.

EDIT: Ended up getting in a bit more writing before the end of the day. My total came to 2307.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Courtney Milan said:


> This never works for me! I'm jealous of the people who can do this. If I end in the middle of the scene, I just lose all the good stuff.


My favorite college professor had this saying: quit writing when it's easy. His argument was that if you quit when you're having trouble with a difficult scene, you'll just delay coming back to it, and take forever to start up again even when you do. If you know you're at a scene you could write in your sleep, that's when you should take a break.

I've done this occasionally, especially when I know a tough scene is lurking only 1000 words away. Works pretty good, long as you're not stopping for the day after, like, ten minutes.


----------



## unkownwriter (Jun 22, 2011)

Well, I am slowly recovering from this blasted cold, but I did have a good day at the keyboard. I finally got the storyline straightened out, and now I'm rolling into new territory. So, drum roll, please...

Today's total:  2647

I am so happy. Now I can collapse on the couch and veg out.  

Congratulations to everybody, no matter how many words you got today. You are working, instead of avoiding, so it's all good.


----------



## Cheryl Douglas (Dec 7, 2011)

I'd planned to start on Feb. 1, but I'm editing a novella right now, so my new goals is 3000 words a day for 20 days. It's a lofty goal, but we'll see...


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

Stupid question time - is it okay to create a new post for today's progress? Or are we supposed to update the old one? I'm confused.

(I have 1170 so far either way.)


----------



## Courtney Milan (Feb 27, 2011)

David "Half-Orc" Dalglish said:


> My favorite college professor had this saying: quit writing when it's easy. His argument was that if you quit when you're having trouble with a difficult scene, you'll just delay coming back to it, and take forever to start up again even when you do. If you know you're at a scene you could write in your sleep, that's when you should take a break.
> 
> I've done this occasionally, especially when I know a tough scene is lurking only 1000 words away. Works pretty good, long as you're not stopping for the day after, like, ten minutes.


 I write entirely out of order, so I never get stuck on a hard scene until I hit the end of a book, when I have to write 15 hard scenes in a row. Then I whine and bitch and moan and hate the world.


----------



## Courtney Milan (Feb 27, 2011)

jillmyles said:


> Stupid question time - is it okay to create a new post for today's progress? Or are we supposed to update the old one? I'm confused.
> 
> (I have 1170 so far either way.)


 I want to know this, too. I have been updating my old post, but I don't look at anyone's old updates, so if this were all about my own personal convenience, I'd rather see new posts so that I can keep abreast of other people's progress.

Can it be about my own personal convenience?


----------



## cidneyswanson (Feb 1, 2011)

Courtney--ha! Made me smile.

Word count: 2111 ballet and goblins and coffee beans

And that's a wrap.
Cidney


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

Courtney Milan said:


> I want to know this, too. I have been updating my old post, but I don't look at anyone's old updates, so if this were all about my own personal convenience, I'd rather see new posts so that I can keep abreast of other people's progress.
> 
> Can it be about my own personal convenience?


I hope so! That would be my personal convenience too!


----------



## JoshuaPSimon (Jun 24, 2011)

Day 1 - 2234
Day 2 - 2732

Good pace so far.  Would like to do more, but I've got other things to take care of.


----------



## Rachel Schurig (Apr 9, 2011)

Man, starting this book is like pulling teeth for me. I'm not sure why, as I have a solid outline and I'm really excited about the story. It's been a tough week of work, which makes me feel drained when I get home. That's probably not helping.

Here's hoping for a VERY productive weekend!


----------



## Courtney Milan (Feb 27, 2011)

Okay, so I ended up writing another 1000 words once I got home.

That puts me at:

Day 1: 2511
Day 2: 3541

I'll take it, Fred. Especially since I thought I'd be under today. But I do have to get in front of the pack because I have to travel next week, and next Tuesday is packed with meetings.

Total: 6052.


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

Got a few more pages, but I'm starting to lose objectivity on this scene. It might have to go in the AM. Gah. I hate rewriting entire scenes. If I didn't like it the first time, I wouldn't have wrote it, yanno?

Day 1: 1736
Day 2: 2272

Total: 3997 
Almost up to par, but since this has been cobbled from a variety of projects, I'm hoping to put this one to bed so I can zoom straight ahead on my novel for the rest of February.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Courtney Milan said:


> I write entirely out of order, so I never get stuck on a hard scene until I hit the end of a book, when I have to write 15 hard scenes in a row. Then I whine and bitch and moan and hate the world.


Ooooh. So you're just a masochist. 

And I say we just keep posting here instead of updating old. Screw efficiency, I want to be able to just click my "new" tab!


----------



## Marilyn Peake (Aug 8, 2011)

I arrived here via David Gaughran's blog. I'd love to participate in this challenge, but I just started walking 5 miles per day and am trying to increase that after years of sitting and writing, along with a whole lot of other stuff I fell behind in like cleaning my house.    This writing challenge is such great motivation, though, I'm going to try to semi-participate, meaning just see what I can do. Today, I wrote about 420 words in a YA Paranormal novel I've outlined - not even close to the amount in this challenge, however.    I'm also arranging a book cover for a short story I finally finished writing a few days ago.


----------



## Gregory Lynn (Aug 9, 2011)

850 yesterday and 1818 today for a total of 2668. That puts me well behind schedule but I have two scheduled off days coming up where I can probably get in enough words to catch up.

Plus, today I was able to call someone a scabrous drunkard with a penis too small to satisfy a goat, so I've got that going for me.


----------



## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

Man, I'd love to give it a shot, but I have to get book 3 up in the next few days which means going over edits. And I just got my final, final movie contract from my lawyer (if this one is to both parties liking they send it to me to sign).  
I do have around 1500 words in, so I'll give it a shot. It's okay if I lose--I guess I still win anyway.

Congrats to David on the new house. Here's a virtual plant. I think it's a ficus.


----------



## Courtney Milan (Feb 27, 2011)

David "Half-Orc" Dalglish said:


> Ooooh. So you're just a masochist.


Aren't we all?


----------



## LucyFrancis (Sep 8, 2011)

Better day today. I'm still behind, but that's okay, there's plenty of time to catch up. And I did figure out that the scene would actually work if I put it in the hero's POV rather than the heroine's. Flowed very nicely after that.  

Day 1: 677

Day 2: 1,679

Current total: 2,356


----------



## Ben White (Feb 11, 2011)

Around 5k for day two, putting me up over ten thousand. No major snags so far, a few fun surprises, and a nice bit of pleasantly subtle far-distant foreshadowing disguised as a throwaway gag.  Ahahaha.  The biggest problem that I can see is that this thing could be far, far too long.  But oh well.  I'm having a good time, that's the main thing


----------



## David Wisehart (Mar 2, 2010)

Day 1: 4.307
Day 2: 3,909

Total: 8,216

David


----------



## MGalloway (Jun 21, 2011)

Day 1: 2,443
Day 2: 1,814

Starting on story #3 today...


----------



## Sybil Nelson (Jun 24, 2010)

Courtney Milan said:


> I write entirely out of order, so I never get stuck on a hard scene until I hit the end of a book, when I have to write 15 hard scenes in a row. Then I whine and bitch and moan and hate the world.


OMG. I do this too. I write all the fun scenes first. Since my novels are always around 50k, at about 35k I hit this wall where all the fun scenes are finished and I have to write the annoying scenes that I didn't want to write in the first place.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Sybil Nelson said:


> OMG. I do this too. I write all the fun scenes first. Since my novels are always around 50k, at about 35k I hit this wall where all the fun scenes are finished and I have to write the annoying scenes that I didn't want to write in the first place.


I have no clue how people do this. My brain is sooo not wired that way. That, and I never, ever, ever stick close enough to my outline to know for certain how later scenes will go.


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

Sybil Nelson said:


> OMG. I do this too. I write all the fun scenes first. Since my novels are always around 50k, at about 35k I hit this wall where all the fun scenes are finished and I have to write the annoying scenes that I didn't want to write in the first place.


Wow. This would drive me insane. I'm so linear that the thought of doing this makes me break out in mental-writer-hives. I'm totally jealous, though. Because i'm so linear, I really struggle with revisions. I can't shuffle scenes around, or modify conversations without having to fight the "WRONG WRONG THIS IS WRONG" feeling.


----------



## Courtney Milan (Feb 27, 2011)

jillmyles said:


> Wow. This would drive me insane. I'm so linear that the thought of doing this makes me break out in mental-writer-hives. I'm totally jealous, though. Because i'm so linear, I really struggle with revisions. I can't shuffle scenes around, or modify conversations without having to fight the "WRONG WRONG THIS IS WRONG" feeling.


You've probably also never written the ending to a book first, and then, after writing the first third, written an amazing, awesome scene that COMPLETELY changes the 20,000 words of ending your wrote.

I don't claim that this method keeps me from not being driven insane. It's just what I do.


----------



## Courtney Milan (Feb 27, 2011)

David "Half-Orc" Dalglish said:


> I have no clue how people do this. My brain is sooo not wired that way. That, and I never, ever, ever stick close enough to my outline to know for certain how later scenes will go.


I don't either. I just end up deleting the ones that don't work. But if I wrote everything in order, I'd end up writing a scene that would require me to delete half the book that came before just so I could write the scene I just wrote. My method is: Write a bunch of scenes. Delete the crappiest ones. Write scenes connecting the halfway decent ones. Write a scene that kills half of what I've written before. Rewrite a bunch of other scenes.

Weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth interspersed as necessary.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Courtney Milan said:


> I don't either. I just end up deleting the ones that don't work. But if I wrote everything in order, I'd end up writing a scene that would require me to delete half the book that came before just so I could write the scene I just wrote. My method is: Write a bunch of scenes. Delete the crappiest ones. Write scenes connecting the halfway decent ones. Write a scene that kills half of what I've written before. Rewrite a bunch of other scenes.
> 
> Weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth interspersed as necessary.


I've changed my mind. I'm not even sure the word Masochist goes far enough to describe this.


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

Courtney Milan said:


> You've probably also never written the ending to a book first, and then, after writing the first third, written an amazing, awesome scene that COMPLETELY changes the 20,000 words of ending your wrote.
> 
> I don't claim that this method keeps me from not being driven insane. It's just what I do.


I have had to add a subplot in book 1 that made me have to discard about 70 pages of book 2?

But yeah, that still isn't as bad as your method. I'm sorry.


----------



## Coral Moore (Nov 29, 2009)

The way I write depends on the story I'm sorry to say. Some of them come out almost perfectly in order and some are all over the place. I always have to go back and change stuff I wrote first though, because I learn about my characters and my world as I'm writing them. Unlike most writers, my subsequent drafts are always longer than the previous ones, sometimes by as much as 10%. Most of my description and world building gets added between the second and third drafts because until I've written the whole book I just don't have enough knowledge about the world to do it justice.


----------



## Courtney Milan (Feb 27, 2011)

Just to bring this totally back to the February Writing Challenge thingy, I just wrote 1397 words. I deleted a handful, too.

This brings me to: 7334 for the month so far.

I think I should challenge someone to a duel this weekend.


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

I could never write like that, either. The big, fun scenes are the ones I hold out as a reward. If I ate the ice cream first, I'd never get on the treadmill.

In my early books I used to write myself into a corner a lot more than I do now. I do occasionally have to scrap scenes that don't work, but it has been a while since I've gone back and trashed a third of a book because it didn't do its job for the rest of the book. I've also got a much better sense of how to weight the different sections as I'm working so the book ends up roughly as long as I'd like it to be.

As for the challenge, today was a little easier, but I still stopped the instant I hit 2,000 words.


----------



## JoshuaPSimon (Jun 24, 2011)

David "Half-Orc" Dalglish said:


> I have no clue how people do this. My brain is sooo not wired that way. That, and I never, ever, ever stick close enough to my outline to know for certain how later scenes will go.


I'm the same way. I start with a pretty solid outline, but it always shifts and changes based on what is and isn't working in the story. Writing out of order would cause WAY too much work.

BTW,

Day 1 - 2234
Day 2 - 2732
Day 3 - 2507...Might try to do more tonight if I have time, but I kind of doubt I will.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Day 1: 0.
Day 2: 2,513.
Day 3: 2,691.

Trending upward.


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

Courtney Milan said:


> Just to bring this totally back to the February Writing Challenge thingy, I just wrote 1397 words. I deleted a handful, too.
> 
> This brings me to: 7334 for the month so far.
> 
> I think I should challenge someone to a duel this weekend.


I am intrigued by your challenge. What sort of duel?


----------



## NoCat (Aug 5, 2010)

Been lazy today. But need to get this novella done, so I'll probably write all evening.

Day 2 total was 2312 words.


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Glory glory H, this has been the most productive week in a very long time. A person could publish a lot of books writing this fast all the time, lol.

Yesterday: 2,032
Today: 2,023

Perhaps tomorrow I'll write 2,302 or 3,220 words. Just so long as it's not 0,223. I hate the weekends now that I have kids. Whoops: bad mommy moment.

<begin rant>But seriously, stay/work at home parents: didn't you think when your kid finally got old enough to school that you'd have time to get things done? Like work? Maybe it's just California, but our kids only have about 35 days of school a year, and half of those are early release. The other half, they're sick.</rant>

As for writing scenes out of order, I have enough problems. Don't give me any ideas.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1: 2,100
Day 2: 2,673
Day 3: 1,900

Total: 6,604 _(Yeah, I know it doesn't add up.)_

A bit under target today, but that's cool, I had a little reserve from yesterday, and I'm still ahead of where I should be. I had a lot of things pulling me away from writing today, and had to work in short bursts. Even so, it was a lot more pleasant than yesterday.

I've five whole chapters written now (with only a couple of gaps to fill in here and there), and while I haven't re-read most of it, I feel good about it. It's a little workmanlike in places, but nothing that can't be fixed on the next draft.

After tomorrow, the first section of the book should be done, which is cool.


----------



## B Sheridan (Dec 5, 2011)

Yesterday wasn't too bad, though I barely managed another 600 words before falling into bed last night. I decided to give myself the day off (mostly) to write today. 

I think that was a stellar idea, because I wrote 6333 words today. That brings my total to 7521. I wish I could take a day off every week!


----------



## Courtney Milan (Feb 27, 2011)

jillmyles said:


> I am intrigued by your challenge. What sort of duel?


To the pain!

Or, you know, whoever writes the most words on Saturday and Sunday...


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

Courtney Milan said:


> To the pain!
> 
> Or, you know, whoever writes the most words on Saturday and Sunday...


You are on! Especially since I need to catch up and I have a fridge full of Lean Cuisines (so my husband won't starve).


----------



## Courtney Milan (Feb 27, 2011)

jillmyles said:



> You are on! Especially since I need to catch up and I have a fridge full of Lean Cuisines (so my husband won't starve).


I would trash talk, but I need to conserve my valuable word count for leaving you in the dust.


----------



## Andrew Dzeguze (Feb 3, 2012)

I didn't hear about this earlier, but I'm up for the challenge.  I did 2900 yesterday, but it was a on a one-off children's story that really took no effort on my part.  Nothing on the first or today (playing Mr. Mom today - both kids off from school), so it'll be hard for me to make the 60k, but it'll give me an excuse to get back in rhythm with the sequel I'm trying to write.  Thanks for the idea/motivation.


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

Courtney Milan said:


> I would trash talk, but I need to conserve my valuable word count for leaving you in the dust.


That's fine. I wouldn't hear you - I'd be too busy writing!


----------



## lacycamey (Apr 25, 2011)

Day 1: 990 (Was very short on time)
Day 2: 2074
Day 3: 1362 
-----------------
Total :4426

(Courtney, I write that way too, at times! I find it helps whenever I'm stuck. It helps keep my creativity flowing. I'm wanting to say  I think I've read where Maya Banks writes like that, as well.) 

I'm still in my light outlining stage and opening chapter which I'm trying to write for the first time in present tense with two POV's. First time for me to write with two POVS. Trying to write from a man's POV and keep asking my husband, "Would a guy think this? Would a guy say this?" So, basically, I'm trying to think like a man. It's taking too much out off my creative flow! (JK  ) Men are easy right (IDK...we'll see.) Anyway, excited about getting a lot done tomorrow and smoothing out my writing from the past few days. (I'm edit as I write and find I work way better this way versus writing out a huge first draft then going back. Made that mistake with my book that's coming out next month, "The Last Name Banks.") I enjoy seeing how other writers write, which is why I'm sharing my writing process with numbers  

Everyone's numbers look great! Off to a movie with hubs.


----------



## ChadWilliamson (May 31, 2011)

Day 1: 2395 words
Day 2: 766 words (not real thrilled there)
Day 3: 2164 words
TOTAL: 5325 words

If I could have maintained output like this, I might have made it all the way through a NaNoWriMo!


----------



## Alan Petersen (May 20, 2011)

After two bad days, I feel like I'm in a roll now.  

Feb 1: 0 words
Feb 2: 642 words
Feb 3: 2,832


----------



## MGalloway (Jun 21, 2011)

Day 1: 2,443
Day 2: 1,814
Day 3: 92


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

Day 1: 1736
Day 2: 2272
Day 3: 770 (not a good day)

Total: 4778

Tomorrow will be a better day for writing.


----------



## cidneyswanson (Feb 1, 2011)

Day 3: 2058 Can't remember earlier days!

Loving the discipline. The "don't even think of taking a break for breakfast 'til your first 1000 are down."

Cheers, all!
Cidney


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Funny how it's the famous romance authors who immediately turn to violence.


----------



## Gregory Lynn (Aug 9, 2011)

2318 today for a total of 4806.


----------



## unkownwriter (Jun 22, 2011)

Just getting this in under the wire--almost went to bed without checking in! 

Hello to all the new folks. Welcome! And don't feel bad about totals. Every word counts.

Day 1: 900
Day 2: 2647
Day 3: 2183
Total: 5730

Not too bad. I've been having trouble with this book, as I've mentioned, with weird plot problems and being sick all of January. I think everything is going to pick up now. Knock on wood, rub lucky rabbit's foot, etc.


----------



## Courtney Milan (Feb 27, 2011)

Day 1: 2511
Day 2: 3541
Day 3: 2086
--------------

Total: 8041 (there was some deletion in there, too)


----------



## Sybil Nelson (Jun 24, 2010)

I'm just getting further and further behind. And I don't see any time soon when I can catch up. I have company this weekend.

Day1: 1,242
Day2: 2,087
Day3: 1,400
____________
Total: 4,729


----------



## LucyFrancis (Sep 8, 2011)

Now things are starting to flow. I'm not exactly writing linearly...mostly, just with occasional spots that I write "heroine scene in which x happens" or some such placeholder. That way I don't screech to a halt when I hit a tough spot.

Day 1: 677

Day 2: 1,679

Day 3: 5,949

Current total: 8,305


----------



## David Wisehart (Mar 2, 2010)

Day 1: 4,307
Day 2: 3,909
Day 3: 1,819

Total: 10,035

David


----------



## Ben White (Feb 11, 2011)

Another day, another 5k, taking me up to just over 16,000 words and Episode One is finished. Kind of longer than I expected or wanted, but that's what editing's for


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

Wow, you guys are kicking my butt. I need to bump my game.


----------



## Mel Comley (Oct 13, 2010)

Just updated my figures on the front page. Total 6115.

Great to see everyone's figures. I'm enjoying the experience so far, I'm trying hard to keep up the pace! 

Think I might even enroll in NaNo this year.


----------



## michaelabayomi (Dec 13, 2011)

MichaelWallace said:


> Wow, you guys are kicking my butt. I need to bump my game.


You and me both. Good thing the point of this challenge is to write 60,000 words in February, not write 60,000 words as fast as you can. Or at least that's what I thought.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Gretchen Galway said:


> Funny how it's the famous romance authors who immediately turn to violence.


Bwhahahahah


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

I'm starting early! 350 so far. I shall take no prisoners!

(and I shall talk a big game in the hopes of actions following hot air)


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Saturday morning, usually my worst day of the week. Family everywhere, chores, yoga class. Yet the competitive/encouraging/shaming spirit of this Challenge shall drive me up and over the great 2K mountain. Yes!

Better call in MacFreedom (yes, I installed it, because of this thread, and it is Awesomeness.) Bye folks, write on.


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

I had my first day over 2,000 words, reaching 2,200 today. Up to 8,900 total, counting my semi-cheat early start.


----------



## michaelabayomi (Dec 13, 2011)

It was distractions galore today, Saturdays being what they are. I only managed 855 words between all the noise and errands. It's still evening though, so I might strive to get down some more words between now and bedtime. Would update later if that turns out to be the case.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1: 2,100
Day 2: 2,673
Day 3: 1,900
Day 4: 2,500
-------------
Total: 8,425 (Not even close to adding up.)

I started the day with a quick-and-easy 1k. Then broke my rule and re-read everything I had written so far. This is the first time I've written fiction straight-to-laptop (I'm an unreformed long-hander), and I was worried that it might be a little dry. I then chopped about 800 words, and rewrote 'em. Problem solved. The rest was surprisingly good. I'm not converted to this way of working, but it's promising. Wrote another 800 or so this evening before getting press-ganged into helping with my girlfriend's thesis.

Despite many deletions, just keeping my nose in front of the target, which is good, because it looks like I'll get zero done tomorrow.

P.S. Last one to 60k is a rotten egg!


----------



## Rachel Schurig (Apr 9, 2011)

Whew, actually got my 2000 words in today. Hopefully tomorrow while everyone else is watching football I can make up for all the suckage that was Wednesday through Friday. The good news is that I just got to a point where I'm excited to write what happens next. That always helps.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Day 1: 0.
Day 2: 2,513.
Day 3: 2,691.
Day 4: 2,631.

Total: 7,835.

Well...I'm consistent.


----------



## MGalloway (Jun 21, 2011)

Day 1 - 2,443
Day 2 - 1,814
Day 3 - 92
Day 4 - 2,709


----------



## michaelabayomi (Dec 13, 2011)

It's almost midnight, and I somehow managed to meet up with the daily quota of 2,000+ words. New total for day 4: 2,100.


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

I won't get away with this all weekend days, but I squeaked it today.

It is quite impressive how fast the book builds when you write 2K/day. I've just driven my characters into one sudden plot twist after another, not knowing any more than them what's going to happen next. For instance, Hero and Heroine are now in their first clinch scene. Who knew that was coming? Not me!

So: (no running totals because I'm building on a book already underway)
Feb 1: 2291
Feb 2: 2032
Feb 3: 2023
Feb 4: 2135


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Gretchen Galway said:


> It is quite impressive how fast the book builds when you write 2K/day.


Amen.


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

Gretchen Galway said:


> It is quite impressive how fast the book builds when you write 2K/day. I've just driven my characters into one sudden plot twist after another, not knowing any more than them what's going to happen next. For instance, Hero and Heroine are now in their first clinch scene. Who knew that was coming? Not me!


Best thing about a writing sprint is piling up the pages. At the end of every day I go into page view and squeeze all the pages onto one preview screen. I love to see it all laid out like that and to be able to tangibly see just how much progress I've made.


----------



## Ursula_Bauer (Dec 12, 2010)

So far I'm only going over the first 15K edits after my crit group review. Starting gun for me fires off the Monday after superbowl sunday. Lately I write in cram sessions - 7 - 10K at a pop. Gonna have to boogie this month.


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

MichaelWallace said:


> Best thing about a writing sprint is piling up the pages. At the end of every day I go into page view and squeeze all the pages onto one preview screen. I love to see it all laid out like that and to be able to tangibly see just how much progress I've made.


I can totally imagine you gazing at the screen, rubbing your hands together, muttering: my precious, my preciousss...


----------



## JoshuaPSimon (Jun 24, 2011)

Day 1 - 2234
Day 2 - 2732
Day 3 - 2507
Day 4 - 2530...had to do it in three sessions today....


----------



## NRWick (Mar 22, 2011)

Ugh, I wrote hardly anything yesterday. I never can seem to get anything written on days that I work. Which is why I haven't written much today either. But, I got off work early, so maybe I can hit my goal before bed.



Gretchen Galway said:


> It is quite impressive how fast the book builds when you write 2K/day.


Too true! If I could maintain 2k a day, I'd finish the rest of this darn book in 10 days. But alas, work gets in the way. Time to buckle down!

----
Here's my update...

Day 1: 2,555
Day 2: 2,307
Day 3: 194
Day 4: 990 (Not as much as I wish, but ended up finishing this chapter, so yay!)

Overall Total: 6,046


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Harper Alibeck said:


> So this thread inspired me. I'm in editing hell with my second book, so because procrastination is ALWAYS better than doing, I decided to get back to writing my 3rd book, which is 10K underway, but I haven't touched since November!
> 
> 1200 words today. I'll catch up on my missing 6800 words over the next few days and even out to 2K/day.


Welcome, Harper! You can do it! my personal philosophy is: everything resets at midnight. Don't try to catch up, just begin as you mean to go on.

This works great with Scrivener, which will reset your midcount daily for you so you don't have to do any math.

And God knows you don't want to do math. It's hard enough counting to 2,000.


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

Day 1: 1736
Day 2: 2272
Day 3: 770 
Day 4: 2731

Total: 7509

Sadly only 1k of this is in the new novel. I am ripping out a scene I am editing in a novella for the fourth time in a row. But I think I've had a breakthrough. The problem is that it's driving me insane. Still, hoping to finish it again tomorrow and do more writing in my novel, which is starting to feel neglected.

I hate edits. Hate.


----------



## Sybil Nelson (Jun 24, 2010)

Day1: 1,242
Day2: 2,087
Day3: 1,400
Day4: 1,000
____________
Total: 5,729

Had an extremely busy day. Still managed to squeeze out a few words. No telling what will happen tomorrow. I might be up half the night with my sick kid. Plus there's the Super Bowl and all.


----------



## David Wisehart (Mar 2, 2010)

Day 1: 4,307
Day 2: 3,909
Day 3: 1,819
Day 4: 802

Total: 10,837

David


----------



## Courtney Milan (Feb 27, 2011)

Day 1: 2511
Day 2: 3541
Day 3: 2086
Day 4: 1976
--------------

Total: 10017

Not a bad day, but not exactly a fantastic one, especially since I'm engaged in a duel with Jill Myles, and she's kicking my behind. But the good news is that 9000 of those words laid out a Draft Zero of a project, which means that something I was worried about finding the time to do, I've now got the framework in place for. Also--writing a 15,000 word short is completely different from writing a 30,000 word novella, which is completely different from writing a 90,000 word book.

That leaves only two more big projects to go for things I want to finish in the spring of 2012! Uh, three, if you count the one I'm editing now.

I'm not counting the words I wrote that are just me ranting about something, but if I did, I would totally add another 2500 to my total.


----------



## Alan Petersen (May 20, 2011)

Feb 1: 0 words
Feb 2: 642 words
Feb 3: 2,832
*Feb 4: 2,124*

Total: 5,598


----------



## unkownwriter (Jun 22, 2011)

I got nothing for yesterday. The weather changed and put my sinuses in an uproar due to all the congestion I still have. Add in the phone calls asking if I'm feeling better and the whole day was pretty much a loss.

What little I did get down, I hated so much I just deleted it and went back to bed.  The truth is, I didn't understand it, and it certainly didn't make sense for the book. 

But it's good to see how everyone else is doing.

Day 1: 900
Day 2: 2647
Day 3: 2183
Day 4: 0
Total: 5730


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

Sheila_Guthrie said:


> I got nothing for yesterday. The weather changed and put my sinuses in an uproar due to all the congestion I still have. Add in the phone calls asking if I'm feeling better and the whole day was pretty much a loss.
> 
> What little I did get down, I hated so much I just deleted it and went back to bed.  The truth is, I didn't understand it, and it certainly didn't make sense for the book.
> 
> ...


For me the danger time is right after I've had a disappointing day. Make sure you jump back into it, forgetting about day four and not trying to make up lost ground, especially not at first. You can do it!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Today will be a zero day for me, day of rest and all (plus football!).


----------



## Colin Taber (Apr 4, 2011)

I've had some busy days because of work and related wage slave evening functions I've had to attend (you can tell which days). My totals are below:

Day 1 - 2,300 words - Total: 2,300
Day 2 - 300 words - Total: 2,600 
Day 3 - 800 words - Total: 3,400 
Day 4 - 1,300 words - Total: 4,700
Day 5 - 3,300 words - Total: 8,000 

So I'm a little behind overall, but not too much. We'll see how the coming week pans out.


----------



## AnneEJohnson (Jan 6, 2012)

Hi, I'd like to jump in here. I won't be doing 60K this month, but I'm sure can average 600 per day if I combine my novel stats with my short stories. 

Day 1. 300
Day 2. 1000
Day 3. 600
Day 4. 300

Total: 2200


----------



## Mel Comley (Oct 13, 2010)

Managed to do 1300 words before I ran out of steam! 

Here's my running total 

Day 1 - 2078
Day 2 Relatives b'day D/O
Day 3 - 2002  Total 4080!
Day 4 - 2035  Total 6115!
Day 5 - 1300  Total 7415!

I've tweeted the thread and utilised the hashtag!


----------



## JRTomlin (Jan 18, 2011)

I'm behind but not so much I can't make it up. Haven't posted in a couple of days but that doesn't mean I wasn't writing. I had one 0 day when I had a family emergency and my production has been below my target, but it's still doable.

1. 509
2. 0
3. 906
4. 1547

Month Total: 2,962
Words to goal: 57,038


----------



## Gregory Lynn (Aug 9, 2011)

David "Half-Orc" Dalglish said:


> Today will be a zero day for me, day of rest and all (plus football!).


Yes, this. Yesterday was also crap as I was shopping for today much of the day.

I am not confident in my ability to reach 60k.


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

Hit 2,100 for a total of 11,000. I can never match the big numbers other people can put up, so I have to erode the mountain the steady drip of rain, day after day.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Big fat zero today, and I doubt that's going to change.


----------



## unkownwriter (Jun 22, 2011)

Well, doing lots better today--2296 so far, may be able to add to that later. Had an epiphany about what to put in to get rid of a nothing happens section, which also helps to ratchet up the tension. 

I've got to take something for this blasted headache, which will knock me out for a couple of hours, so we'll see how much more I get.

I hear you, Michael, about the hitting the keyboard hard after a down day. And the dripping away at the mountain. Bit like water torture, sometimes, isn't it?


----------



## Alex Owens (Mar 24, 2011)

The past few days have been a crapshoot. I'm making some progress, just not enough. I think I have discovered a way to avoid the distractions of tv/ hubby/ kid... headphones! After keying up the Alt. Rock playlist on my iphone last night, I stuffed those little gel-filled buggers in my ears and like magic, out popped almost 4000 words. Granted, it was on a novel I was editing, but words are words at this point. 

Now if I can crank out a few thousand more words before the game & company screw up my night!

Day 5: 5000-something. Idk, it's in my sig. (Most written yesterday)


----------



## Ben White (Feb 11, 2011)

Welp, I'm up over 20k so I must have written five thousand words yesterday. Certainly didn't feel like it, though.


----------



## JoshuaPSimon (Jun 24, 2011)

Day 1 - 2234
Day 2 - 2732
Day 3 - 2507
Day 4 - 2530
Day 5 - 1149...Ugh, I just could not get it going today.   The scene I'm on is giving me fits big time.  I know what needs to happen, but the words just won't come.  This took me almost 2.5 hours to do.  I won't be able to try more later so I'll just have to be angry and make sure I hit it hard tomorrow.  I'm glad I had a bit of a cushion already built up.


----------



## michaelabayomi (Dec 13, 2011)

I just hit the 10,000 word mark, even though I only managed 1,200 words today. But that's a lot of words in five days. At least by my usual standards. So yeah, bring it on! 50,000 words to go.


----------



## Courtney Milan (Feb 27, 2011)

I am at 3944 for the day and still chugging along. I think I can do another 1000 or so? I'm really hoping to finish off the edited version of this manuscript. Final updates at the end of the day.


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

You win! I spent all day wrestling edits into shape. The bad news is that I spent all day on the edits, but the good news is that I'm done. I think I got some word count in there, but I didn't count it. I'm back to my main project tomorrow (and so, so relieved).

This was not how I intended on spending my weekend, but I'm just so thankful to have the fricking project done that I don't care.


----------



## Courtney Milan (Feb 27, 2011)

jillmyles said:


> You win! I spent all day wrestling edits into shape. The bad news is that I spent all day on the edits, but the good news is that I'm done. I think I got some word count in there, but I didn't count it. I'm back to my main project tomorrow (and so, so relieved).
> 
> This was not how I intended on spending my weekend, but I'm just so thankful to have the fricking project done that I don't care.


Congratulations on finishing the editing! That's much more important than anything else. Maybe we should pick a weekend later in the month when we both have time and are raring to go on a project? That way, it'll be way more representative.

I'm almost done with round two of my edits on this novella, and I'm still hoping that I'll be able to send it off to my editor tonight. But I envy your being finished!


----------



## Courtney Milan (Feb 27, 2011)

Day 1: 2511
Day 2: 3541
Day 3: 2086
Day 4: 1976
Day 5: 3944
--------------

Total: 13961

I thought I was still chugging along earlier, but apparently I lied to myself. I'm not chugging anywhere at all. Stared blankly into space and distracted myself ten different ways before I had to admit that I'd reached my limit for the day.


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

This was, by far, the hardest day yet. I almost stopped at 2,001 (as well as at 0 and many points in between) without even finishing the sentence I was typing. It was that forced.

I don't even watch football. But Sundays are tough. Here's to tomorrow being easier.

Feb 1: 2291
Feb 2: 2032
Feb 3: 2023
Feb 4: 2135
Feb 5: 2010


----------



## DerekEdgington (Dec 18, 2011)

Hey everyone,

Jumping in a little late here, but here goes nothing. Trying to get back into the groove after my long editing run.

Feb 1-5: 5,402
Feb 6: 2,028
Feb 7: 2,000 
Feb 8: 2,000
Feb 9-15: 2,400
Feb 16: 1,000
Feb 17-26: 10,000
Feb 27-28: 3,400
Feb 29: 1,500
*Total:* 29,900

Dammit- as my birthday was the 10th and my Dad's the 11th, a real setback occurred (possibly also due to the fact that we were up at northstar snowboarding/skiing). Will venture to pick up some slack on the weekend *hopefully*

Slower than I'd like to be moving, but movement is prevalent, nonetheless. I doubt I'll ever be satisfied with how fast I can grind out these things. *BUT*, once I'm out of high school, my time will be far less limited, thank god. Angling to finish the draft before graduation and publish in the summer. It appears its going to be a wild ride.

Let's go February! I'm committing to making next month even better.


----------



## David Wisehart (Mar 2, 2010)

Day 1: 4,307
Day 2: 3,909
Day 3: 1,819
Day 4: 802
Day 5: 1,037

Total: 11,874

David


----------



## Alan Petersen (May 20, 2011)

I woke up sick as a dog this morning. Finally came around this afternoon but then I watched the Super Bowl. So I have a big fat zero for today. Might see if I get inspired here before I go to bed.


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

Courtney Milan said:


> Congratulations on finishing the editing! That's much more important than anything else. Maybe we should pick a weekend later in the month when we both have time and are raring to go on a project? That way, it'll be way more representative.
> 
> I'm almost done with round two of my edits on this novella, and I'm still hoping that I'll be able to send it off to my editor tonight. But I envy your being finished!


I'm about to sink back into my current novel (20k in, 70k to go) so I'm ready any other weekend this month. Just let me know!

And yeah, the longer I do this, the harder editing gets. I think my standards get higher over time. Either that, or I'm far more neurotic about turning in a finished piece than I used to be.


----------



## Alex Owens (Mar 24, 2011)

After the super bowl company left last night I managed to get over 3000 more words in bringing my day five total to over 8k ( see sig for actual #) so I'm catching up quickly. I hope to fire off another 4 k tonight so maybe one of these days I'll no longer be behind


----------



## Mainak Dhar (Mar 1, 2011)

As I'd mentioned earlier, I am on holiday for a few days in Feb so started my own 30 day challenge a bit earlier with the same goal- writing 60K words in a month. My 30 days ended yesterday, and my grand tally is 54143. That's not quite 60K but far beyond what I would normally have achieved. To be honest, was a bit more behind but wrote 3000+ words each in the last couple of days to catch up  

Feel a bit exhausted, yet exhilarated. Never imagined I could have the first draft of a novel done in less than 40 days (that's when I think I'll polish off the rest). Then a holiday where I celebrate growing a year older, and forget about the draft till I'm back. Then I read it with fresh eyes, edit, proofread myself and then hand over to an editor…..and then of course, on to the next 30 day challenge (once you're hooked, it's hard to slow down!).

Good luck on your own challenges.


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

Mainak Dhar said:


> As I'd mentioned earlier, I am on holiday for a few days in Feb so started my own 30 day challenge a bit earlier with the same goal- writing 60K words in a month. My 30 days ended yesterday, and my grand tally is 54143. That's not quite 60K but far beyond what I would normally have achieved. To be honest, was a bit more behind but wrote 3000+ words each in the last couple of days to catch up


Mainak, 54k in 30 days is amazing no matter the month! Congratulations. It's a great feeling.


----------



## Mel Comley (Oct 13, 2010)

Day 1 - 2078
Day 2 Relatives b'day D/O
Day 3 - 2002  Total 4080! 
Day 4 - 2035  Total 6115!
Day 5 - 1300  Total 7415!
Day 6 - 1030  Total 8445. Had a visitor and needed to do some research for tomorrow's writing.  

My updated figures.


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

2,200 words. I'm now at 13,200. It took me forever to get the first seven or eight hundred words and I probably would have given up if not for the public nature of the challenge. Interestingly enough, right at around a thousand I got into an interesting stretch of dialog and burned through the last 1,200 words in about 45 minutes.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Day 1: 0.
Day 2: 2,513.
Day 3: 2,691.
Day 4: 2,631.
Day 5: 0.
Day 6: 2,728.

Total: 10,563.


This is gonna be cutting it pretty close...


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1: 2,100
Day 2: 2,673
Day 3: 1,900
Day 4: 2,500
Day 5: 0
Day 6: 1,090
-------------
Total: 9,515 

Bad couple of days. Got some serious catching up to do now.


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Feb 1: 2291
Feb 2: 2032
Feb 3: 2023
Feb 4: 2135
Feb 5: 2010
Feb 6: 2126

Oh my. All those 2's are so pretty lined up like that.

Never would've happened without this thread. Best wishes, everyone.


----------



## michaelabayomi (Dec 13, 2011)

Day 6: 1800 words. Have to stop for today; need to save the cool battle scenes for tomorrow. Okay... that's a big fat lie. Have to stop because I can barely stay awake any longer. In fact, it's a miracle I am still able to post this reply.


----------



## Rachel Schurig (Apr 9, 2011)

Everyone seems to be doing so well! I'm only at 6,000 words, well behind pace. Sigh. I need a monster day of writing where my day job doesn't interfere.


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

Day 1: 1736
Day 2: 2272
Day 3: 770
Day 4: 2731
Day 5: Donut
Day 6: 992

Total: 8501

I usually catch up on weekends, so not stressing over being behind. It'll come.


----------



## Sybil Nelson (Jun 24, 2010)

Day1: 1,242
Day2: 2,087
Day3: 1,400
Day4:  500
Day5: 1,078
Day6: 1,429
____________
Total: 7736


I've got some catching up to do.


----------



## NRWick (Mar 22, 2011)

Spent the last two days writing the outline for chapter 10 and waitressing, but here's my update.

Day 1: 2,555
Day 2: 2,307
Day 3: 194
Day 4: 990 (Not as much as I wish, but ended up finishing this chapter, so yay!)
Day 5: 824
Day 6: 1,301

Overall Total: 8,171

My husband and I are going on a lunch date tomorrow, but afterwards we're intending to get a bunch of writing done together. It'll be so much fun, I think! Maybe I can catch up then.

It's been really interesting seeing everyone's numbers and seeing how people work based on those numbers.


----------



## Courtney Milan (Feb 27, 2011)

Day 1: 2511
Day 2: 3541
Day 3: 2086
Day 4: 1976
Day 5: 3944
Day 6: 2220
--------------

Total: 16,181

Today I hit "send" to my editor on the novella that leads off my new series, so that is pretty awesome. So far, I have managed to hold my own, but I'm traveling later this week, and so this is really my compensating for all that time lost. (Actually traveling is either great for writing or horrible--depending on circumstances.) And tomorrow is indeed a Day of Doom, so I don't know if I'll be able to do 2,000 words.

Still to do this month:

1. Write second novella for an anthology that I'm doing with Carolyn Jewel and Sherry Thomas. (I'm about 1/3 of the way into this.)
2. Get most of the major scenes done for the full-length book I'm working on. (I'm at the 10% mark.)
3. Convert the short story I wrote earlier this month from "draft zero" form into "draft one."


----------



## MGalloway (Jun 21, 2011)

Day 1 - 2,443
Day 2 - 1,814
Day 3 - 92
Day 4 - 2,709
Day 5 - 0
Day 6 - 112


----------



## B Sheridan (Dec 5, 2011)

I missed a few days updating, but I did get some (a little) writing done.

Day 1: 0
Day 2: 1188
Day 3: 6333
Day 4: 991
Day 5: 1743
Day 6: 1201
Day 7: 789 

Total:12245

Looks like I'm barely hanging on. I'd like to step it up, and focus mainly on consistency. I'm not sure if that's possible due to my schedule, but that's my goal for the next couple weeks. (here's where I chant: which I will not achieve by sacrificing workout time...)


----------



## B Sheridan (Dec 5, 2011)

Courtney Milan said:


> 3. Convert the short story I wrote earlier this month from "draft zero" form into "draft one."


I am curious what the difference between draft zero and draft one is. Or maybe I'm curious about naming it draft zero and not...one? Just curious.


----------



## Colin Taber (Apr 4, 2011)

I've had to stop today to chase some _exciting _ stuff up for my accountant, but at least I got 2,000 words done!

Day 1 - 2,300 
Day 2 - 300 
Day 3 - 800 
Day 4 - 1,300 
Day 5 - 3,300
Day 6 - 1,300 
Day 7 - 2,000 
-------------
Total - 11,300


----------



## unkownwriter (Jun 22, 2011)

Week one into the challenge, and everybody is doing great! It's good to see those numbers adding up, isn't it?

I had a zero day yesterday, which I figured was going to happen. Between grocery shopping and running errands, I was wiped out when I got home. I've been designing some stuff for my craft booth this morning, so this afternoon is slated as Writing Time.

Keep your chin up and pound those keys.


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

Another day, another 2,000 words in the bank. I really want to finish this scene before I call it quits for the day, but I'm supposed to turn in my other book to my editor in six days and I'm trying to make one more pass to smooth out the language.


----------



## Ben White (Feb 11, 2011)

I've been fiddling and faddling and faffing like a mad faffer, but somehow I've got 30k.  Onwards!


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1: 2,100
Day 2: 2,673
Day 3: 1,900
Day 4: 2,500
Day 5: 0
Day 6: 1,090
Day 7: 0
-------------
Total: 9,515 

Not so good in the last few days, but I had little time to write. I'm about 5k behind now. I hope to make that up over the next week. Or just bump my daily target to 2.3k. Either works. I have a good block of time tomorrow...


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Feb 1: 2291
Feb 2: 2032
Feb 3: 2023
Feb 4: 2135
Feb 5: 2010
Feb 6: 2126
Feb 7: 2113

Very happy about my progress, though now I'm in the sagging middle of the book (I already had 20K in the bank when this challenge started) and I've hit that _it sucks_ stage. Glad I'm here under pressure to finish, because that's a dangerous spot to tread.

Good luck to everyone!


----------



## cidneyswanson (Feb 1, 2011)

Gretchen Galway said:


> Feb 1: 2291
> Feb 2: 2032
> Feb 3: 2023
> Feb 4: 2135
> ...


Ah, the _It Sucketh_ stage. I find it especially potent when combined with reviewer-didn't-like-my-novel and the bestselling-book-fell-off-the-genre-lists. I bet it looks better to you tomorrow, Gretchen. 

On other fronts: my total is now an astonishing 22137. 
Especially astonishing b/c our family just lost a beloved friend, far too early (45) to heart attack. I was too bamboozled to write at first. Now I'm finding a great deal of comfort/escape in sitting at the keyboard for that daily total. Life's just hard sometimes, but I still love words and writing.
Cidney


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Day 1: 0.
Day 2: 2,513.
Day 3: 2,691.
Day 4: 2,631.
Day 5: 0.
Day 6: 2,728.
Day 7: 3,141.

Total: 13,704.

Course, no clue if they're any *good*, but at least they're in existence. And you people already into the 20-30ks are just astounding.


----------



## JRTomlin (Jan 18, 2011)

*sigh* I am way behind and struggling but not giving up.

1. 509
2. 0
3. 906
4. 1547
5. 0
6. 2064
Still writing today.
---------
5,026

Edit:

Finished 

7. 2,087

------------
7,113

Sometimes having to do research really slows things down, especially when you are unreasonably picky about details.


----------



## michaelabayomi (Dec 13, 2011)

Day 7: 2,200 words.

Total: 14,000 words.

Just finishing my session. Today's battle scene turned out way more emotional than I anticipated.  What happened to all the guts and glory?


----------



## cidneyswanson (Feb 1, 2011)

David "Half-Orc" Dalglish said:


> And you people already into the 20-30ks are just astounding.


Or hungry. 

Cidney


----------



## Gregory Lynn (Aug 9, 2011)

michaelabayomi said:


> Day 7: 2,200 words.
> 
> Total: 14,000 words.
> 
> Just finishing my session. Today's battle scene turned out way more emotional than I anticipated.  What happened to all the guts and glory?


Guts are slippery and glory is generally heaped upon people by people who have never seen other people's innards.

Also, I like the word innards.


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Cidney, I'm sorry for your loss. 45--how awful. I'm glad the writing is bringing you some comfort. You're doing some seriously amazing page-making.


----------



## MGalloway (Jun 21, 2011)

Day 1 - 2,443
Day 2 - 1,814
Day 3 - 92
Day 4 - 2,709
Day 5 - 0
Day 6 - 112
Day 7 - 1,795


----------



## Gregory Lynn (Aug 9, 2011)

I did 2576 today putting me at 8259 for the month. That's well off pace but if I can get a few more days like today I just might make this thing.


----------



## JoshuaPSimon (Jun 24, 2011)

Day 1 - 2234
Day 2 - 2732
Day 3 - 2507
Day 4 - 2530
Day 5 - 1149
Day 6 - 2584 - forgot to post yesterday's numbers
Day 7 - 2289 - today was a lot of small sessions.

Total 16,025 words.


----------



## Rachel Schurig (Apr 9, 2011)

Day 1: Many words written and deleted
Day 2: 402
Day 3: Goose egg
Day 4: 1998
Day 5: 1500
Day 6: 2100
Day 7: 2093

Total: 8,093

At least things are heading in the right direction. I usually do best on weekends, so hopefully I'll catch up soon!


----------



## dalya (Jul 26, 2011)

Feb 3 6k
Feb 4 6.5k
Feb 5 5.5k
Feb 6 7k
Feb 7 4k
Total about 30k so far

Working from a very detailed outline.


----------



## Courtney Milan (Feb 27, 2011)

Day 1: 2511
Day 2: 3541
Day 3: 2086
Day 4: 1976
Day 5: 3944
Day 6: 2220
Day 7: 559
--------------

Total: 16,740

As suspected: I was in meetings all day, and since I have a flight leaving tomorrow at 5 AM, spent all evening getting ready to go. This is why I pushed to have extra words earlier--so that I wouldn't fall behind. 

I am *not* going to feel badly about today's take. I worked. I wrote. And some days that is as good as it gets.


----------



## David Wisehart (Mar 2, 2010)

Day 1: 4,307
Day 2: 3,909
Day 3: 1,819
Day 4: 802
Day 5: 1,037
Day 6: 0
Day 7: 551

Total: 12,425

David


----------



## Alan Petersen (May 20, 2011)

It's been a bad couple writing days. But I'm working on the manuscript I got back from my editor so I can get my first book published soon.

Feb 1: 0 words
Feb 2: 642 words
Feb 3: 2,832
Feb 4: 2,124
Feb 5: 1,002
Feb 6: 0
*Feb 7: 678*

Total: *7,278*


----------



## michaelabayomi (Dec 13, 2011)

Courtney Milan said:


> I am *not* going to feel badly about today's take. I worked. I wrote. And some days that is as good as it gets.


Yeah. I feel that way most days too. The important thing here is that we are all working towards a goal. And each writing session takes us closer to that goal, whether we ended it writing 10,000 words, or a measly 10.


----------



## Colin Taber (Apr 4, 2011)

Busy work day today, could only do 1,000 words. I can see I'll be all about catching up on the weekend!

Day 1 - 2,300  
Day 2 - 300 
Day 3 - 800 
Day 4 - 1,300 
Day 5 - 3,300
Day 6 - 1,300 
Day 7 - 2,000
Day 8 - 1,000 
-------------
Total - 12,300


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

No writing yesterday. I didn't get home from the day job until very late and then had to do an emergency proposal write-up.

There will be words tonight, hopefully. February seems to be conspiring against me.


----------



## Colin Taber (Apr 4, 2011)

jillmyles said:


> No writing yesterday. I didn't get home from the day job until very late and then had to do an emergency proposal write-up.
> 
> There will be words tonight, hopefully. *February seems to be conspiring against me.*


Agreed, but I'm happy to perservere.


----------



## Gregory Lynn (Aug 9, 2011)

If I leave a note in my manuscript "This section sucks" do those three words count in my word count?

Because they should


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Gregory Lynn said:


> If I leave a note in my manuscript "This section sucks" do those three words count in my word count?
> 
> Because they should


Every word counts


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

I scratched out 2,100 another words this morning. It's starting to add up.


----------



## MartinGibbs (Jun 20, 2011)

Colin Taber said:


> Busy work day today, could only do 1,000 words. I can see I'll be all about catching up on the weekend!
> 
> Day 1 - 2,300
> Day 2 - 300
> ...


I'm not keeping a daily total, just a before/after in each project and a total in notepad. I'm at about 11k. Gotta get cracking! The month is already flying by.


----------



## JoshuaPSimon (Jun 24, 2011)

Day 1 - 2234
Day 2 - 2732
Day 3 - 2507
Day 4 - 2530
Day 5 - 1149
Day 6 - 2584 
Day 7 - 2289
Day 8 - 2438

Feels good to be this productive.


----------



## michaelabayomi (Dec 13, 2011)

Just finished my 2,100 words for today. One week down and it looks like I'm still in this thing.


----------



## Gregory Lynn (Aug 9, 2011)

2497 today for 10756 for the month. I'm still well behind pace but I'm almost a thousand words closer to it than I was two days ago.


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Feb 1: 2291
Feb 2: 2032
Feb 3: 2023
Feb 4: 2135
Feb 5: 2010
Feb 6: 2126
Feb 7: 2113
Feb 8: 2072

This challenge is just what I needed. I wish I could write like this every day of every month. It does feel great. Except for the head cold and the Nyquil hangover, I feel fantastic.

And I think all notes, even or especially "this section sucks" comments, should count. Twice, even.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Day 1: 0.
Day 2: 2,513.
Day 3: 2,691.
Day 4: 2,631.
Day 5: 0.
Day 6: 2,728.
Day 7: 3,141.
Day 8: 2,542.

Total: 16,246.


----------



## Sybil Nelson (Jun 24, 2010)

Day1: 1,242
Day2: 2,087
Day3: 1,400
Day4:  500
Day5: 1,078
Day6: 1,429
Day7: 792
Day8: 1287
____________
Total: 9815

I really want to do some more writing tonight. We'll see what happens.


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

Day 1: 1736
Day 2: 2272
Day 3: 770
Day 4: 2731
Day 5: Donut
Day 6: 992
Day 7: Donut
Day 8: 1414

Total: 9915

So close to 10k! I think I'm getting there, though. Momentum, I needs it.


----------



## unkownwriter (Jun 22, 2011)

Ack! Forgot to post yesterday. Been busy today, unfortunately not writing (helping my brother with something on his workman's comp case) so not much to brag on. Still, it's words, baby!

Day 7:    667
Day 8:  1115

I'm at 9811 so far for the challenge, and almost 30,000 on the book. Which sounds good, but I'm about 4/5ths of the way through, and I was anticipating about 60,000 words total to make it a short novel.  

I already have a subplot, and I'm not sure what else I could reasonably throw in. I do write lean, so once I go over the complete manuscript, maybe I can pick up some description and dialog to flesh it out. 

Maybe one of my characters should be kidnapped or go over to the dark side?


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Correcting my numbers. I had a rare burst after dinner and wrote a couple more pages while the kid was in the spa bath. (a rare treat.)

Feb 1: 2291
Feb 2: 2032
Feb 3: 2023
Feb 4: 2135
Feb 5: 2010
Feb 6: 2126
Feb 7: 2113
Feb 8: 2557


----------



## cidneyswanson (Feb 1, 2011)

Added another 2020 today for a nice round total of

24,150

No idea what my dailies have been prior. I have column-of-numbers envy for those of you with those cool day 1, day 2, day 3 .. . 
Cidney


----------



## David Wisehart (Mar 2, 2010)

Day 1: 4,307
Day 2: 3,909
Day 3: 1,819
Day 4: 802
Day 5: 1,037
Day 6: 0
Day 7: 551
Day 8: 2,406

Total: 14,831

David


----------



## Ben White (Feb 11, 2011)

I'm not sure where I am on the dailies, but I've got thirty-five thousand words over here.  Today about three paragraphs of outline exploded into around six thousand words of actual first draft, I just kept bumping into little 'oh, actually I need to say that now, actually this needs to happen, actually it'd make a whole lot of sense for those two to have a scene together to set up that later bit' things.


----------



## lacycamey (Apr 25, 2011)

Day 1: 990
Day 2: 2074
Day 3: 1362
Day 4: 0 (was saturday and decided I just HAD to organize my digital photos from the past 2 1/2 years of marriage (I.E. back them up to hardrive, organize folders...then had a recording event for my hubs = NO WRITING!   )
Day 5: 0 (The Superbowl...= Church, running around to Target buying home decor stuff when I'm supposed to be buying chips etc. lol, hosting the party at our house = NO WRITING  
Day 6: 1191
Day 7: 0 - No excuse  
Day 8: 1214
Day 9 2601 but will write later tonight in another session to catch up! 
___________
Total : 9,432 I'll catch up! 

You guys are all doing great! So happy this challenge was created because it's very motivating seeing everyone's numbers each day. Happy writing!


----------



## ChadWilliamson (May 31, 2011)

My dailies are off because I lost a day or two of writing with various crisises but with eight days (starting writing for Day 9) I've got 11,581, which puts me DRAMATICALLY behind where I need to be but ahead of what my normal writing schedule would be, so I can't gripe too much.


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

I'm up to 19,400 with today's work. I've hit (barely) the challenge minimum each day so far. Currently battling a cold but it still comes if you put your butt in the chair and block yourself from the internet. Each day may be difficult, but it's still amazing to see the pages piling up at this rate barely more than a week into the month.


----------



## JoshuaPSimon (Jun 24, 2011)

Day 1 - 2234
Day 2 - 2732
Day 3 - 2507
Day 4 - 2530
Day 5 - 1149
Day 6 - 2584 
Day 7 - 2289
Day 8 - 2438
Day 9 - 2198...probably done for the day since I need to do some more planning for tomorrow and Saturday's sessions.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1: 2,100
Day 2: 2,673
Day 3: 1,900
Day 4: 2,500
Day 5: 0
Day 6: 1,090
Day 7: 0
Day 8: 0
Day 9: 2,496
-------------
Total: 12,009

Ok, this kinda went off the rails. I'm about 6.5k behind.

I had a bad few days, but it couldn't be helped - sometimes life gets in the way. I'm back on it. After a slow start, today's session was great - I think I had begun to doubt the whole book while I wasn't writing it, strangely.

If I can keep to 2.5k days for the rest of the month, I'll beat the total. I'll aim for more than that every day though, just in case any more crises pop up and ruin the flow.


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Feb 1: 2291
Feb 2: 2032
Feb 3: 2023
Feb 4: 2135
Feb 5: 2010
Feb 6: 2126
Feb 7: 2113
Feb 8: 2557
Feb 9: 2060

Butt in chair, Internet blocked, it's doable. The novel is not destined to be an immortal classic, but the push is creating some interesting twists and turns I wouldn't have found writing from a fully-mapped synopsis. Anne Stuart calls them "the girls in the basement" -- the voices sending up ideas, driving the story wherever it goes.

Which may be into a brick wall, but I haven't hit it yet


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

Everyone is doing great. I'm glad to see people recover from a bad day or two.


----------



## Gregory Lynn (Aug 9, 2011)

MichaelWallace said:


> Everyone is doing great. I'm glad to see people recover from a bad day or two.


I seem to have recovered from a good couple days, unfortunately.

The words don't want to come.


----------



## unkownwriter (Jun 22, 2011)

I'm going to go ahead and post what I've done today. I'd like to think I might get in some more, but who knows. The way this year has been going, I'm happy if I get anything done.

So, drum roll, please...

Day 9:  3047

Total so far:  12,858 (total on project so far:  32,504)

I like how the story is coming along, I just wish I knew what's going to come up to add about 15,000 words to reach my goal for the book. Of course, since my main character got a little tipsy at lunch with her coworker--Who She. Is. Not. Going. To. Date.--things are starting to look up.  

I agree, Michael, it's amazing to see how some of us are coming back from the down days. Of course, some are going gangbusters, congratulations and keep it up.  

Butt in chair. Yep.


----------



## NoCat (Aug 5, 2010)

Zomg. Where did the time go?

Day 9 already? Eek.  I'm at 14,200 words for the month. I need to get cracking.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Day 1: 0.
Day 2: 2,513.
Day 3: 2,691.
Day 4: 2,631.
Day 5: 0.
Day 6: 2,728.
Day 7: 3,141.
Day 8: 2,542.
Day 9: 1,589.

Total: 17,835.

Short day. Spent a ton of time running around today, and still have to cook dinner for my parents swinging over for a movie. Hopefully I can make up for it tomorrow.


----------



## michaelabayomi (Dec 13, 2011)

Yet another day where I fell below the 2000+ word daily goal. I only added some 1,600 words today. But between falling asleep in the middle of one of my sessions, and having to pay a visit to my in-laws later in the day, I think I see what went wrong. Still, I'm happy I'm putting down words.


----------



## Gregory Lynn (Aug 9, 2011)

Today was like pulling teeth if the teeth were made out of gummi bears and you were pulling them with salad tongs.

I ended up with 2069 for a monthly total of 12825. They weren't the greatest words I ever wrote but they weren't the worst either, and on a day like today I'm gonna chalk that up as a win.

And now I'm going to go finish reading Shotgun Gravy.


----------



## Alex Owens (Mar 24, 2011)

Today I only managed to add another 1,500 to my total. And I am sooo counting those words that went into promo for the coming-soon novel. Actually, I did a long Character interview that was such a different format than what I'm used to, it was hard to get going. But whatever. Words are words. And at this point, I've got to count all that I can. 

I'd like to make excuses for myself. I've had the worst snotty-nosed cold all week (haven't had one of these in years) and its been so busy at that-thing-I-Do-for-money that I couldn't take any time to recuperate. Someone had to handle that massive Daughtry order. And I had a lot of girl scout cookies that needed eating. 

I could tell you all those things, but I won't. I'll just say I suck and leave it at that. 
Here's hoping for a weekend of Not Sucking!


----------



## dalya (Jul 26, 2011)

37k on my WIP.  It's going out under a different name though, as it's a little more "grown up" than my regular stuff.  I'm in a rush to finish this one quickly, because I need to get back to my main body of work.


----------



## David Wisehart (Mar 2, 2010)

Day 1: 4,307
Day 2: 3,909
Day 3: 1,819
Day 4: 802
Day 5: 1,037
Day 6: 0
Day 7: 551
Day 8: 2,406
Day 9: 593

Total: 15,424

David


----------



## Mel Comley (Oct 13, 2010)

Life has got in the way a little this week but I've tried to write at least a couple of hundred words each day.

Day 1 - 2078
Day 2 Relatives b'day D/O
Day 3 - 2002  Total 4080! 
Day 4 - 2035  Total 6115!
Day 5 - 1300  Total 7415!
Day 6 - 1030  Total 8445. Had a visitor and needed to do some research for tomorrow's writing.  
Day 7-10 1591 Total 10,101  Life got in the way this week, sorry! 

This means I'm 28,000 through my 60,000 novel. 

Hopefully next week will be a lot better.


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

I'm up to 21,400. Darn this cold, it's making this harder than it has to be.


----------



## JoshuaPSimon (Jun 24, 2011)

Day 1 - 2234
Day 2 - 2732
Day 3 - 2507
Day 4 - 2530
Day 5 - 1149
Day 6 - 2584 
Day 7 - 2289
Day 8 - 2438
Day 9 - 2196
Day 10 - 2054

Total - 22,713

I've noticed the past few days have been pretty difficult in getting the last 700-800 words each day.  I'm pushing through, but honestly, I keep thinking about everything I need to go back and fix.  lol.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Day 1: 0.
Day 2: 2,513.
Day 3: 2,691.
Day 4: 2,631.
Day 5: 0.
Day 6: 2,728.
Day 7: 3,141.
Day 8: 2,542.
Day 9: 1,589.
Day 10: 2,531.

Total: 20,366.


----------



## michaelabayomi (Dec 13, 2011)

Wow. It's day 10 already. Well, I really surprised myself today by doing 3,300 words, bringing my present total to 21,000 words. The best part is I just completed Book 4 in my work-in-progress, Guardians and the Lost Paradise. I'm a bit tempted to kick back and relax at this point. But there's still Books 5, 6, and 7 to be written. I might be taking the weekend off though. Lord knows I need the rest and time to catch up on other neglected activities. Happy writing everyone.


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Feb 1:  2291
Feb 2:  2032
Feb 3:  2023
Feb 4:  2135
Feb 5:  2010
Feb 6:  2126
Feb 7:  2113
Feb 8:  2557
Feb 9:  2060
Feb 10: 2077

My OCD is so happy with all those 2's lining up. This is nuts (*hi, that's me*) but the pleasure in seeing a consistent row like that is as inspiring as pleasing my dozens of potential fans with a finished sequel.

It's not the long-term payoffs that work for me; I need immediate rewards. Kindergarten was the highlight of my school years, you could say.

Here's to a long and productive weekend... erk, with hours of bonus screen time for the children.


----------



## Gregory Lynn (Aug 9, 2011)

2033 today. I fall further behind but only by 36 words which I can live with.


----------



## JRTomlin (Jan 18, 2011)

I missed posting for a couple of days, but I have been writing.  

1. 509
2. 0
3. 906
4. 1547
5. 0
6. 2064
7. 2087
8. 3513
9. 3600
10. 3507 (Yay for catching up--or close anyway   )

Total: 17733

32,667 to go.


----------



## HezBa (Jan 24, 2012)

Day 1: 2314 (looking good)
Day 2: 3183 (I doing it!)
Day 3: 1086 (oh, bad day...sad face. No worries though, I'll make it up tomorrow)
Day 4: 651 (uh oh)
Day 5: 256 (I hate myself...where are the cookies?)
Day6 : 1787 (Okay, back on track today.)
Day 7: 646 (Or not)
Day 8: 1934 (Let's see what's going on on CNN today)
Day 9: 2208 (Ok...for really real this time, I'm back on track)
Day 10: 325 (F#$" @$€ and @#% some *$&€ pickles!!!!)

For a grand total of :14390 (ouch)
Okay, so admitting my daily count was not easy for me but it needed to be done. I've been deluding myself for...well most of the month, into thinking that I would be okay and make it up eventually. Procrastination is my favourite past-time and with the way it's going...it just wasn't going to happen.

The worst part is, I don't have a good reason. Unlike so many people on this thread, there was no emergency or tough day at the office. I was a lazy asshole. 
So I'm getting back to it today (and this time I mean it!) But I'm not going to be satisfied with a measly 2000 words...oh noes, now I have to kick it up a couple notches if I want to break even at the end of the  month. So my goal for today is 3000 words. 
Yea...let's see how that goes.


----------



## David Wisehart (Mar 2, 2010)

Day 1: 4,307
Day 2: 3,909
Day 3: 1,819
Day 4: 802
Day 5: 1,037
Day 6: 0
Day 7: 551
Day 8: 2,406
Day 9: 593
Day 10: 1,022

Total: 16,046

David


----------



## Colin Taber (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1 - 2,300  
Day 2 - 300 
Day 3 - 800 
Day 4 - 1,300 
Day 5 - 3,300
Day 6 - 1,300 
Day 7 - 2,000
Day 8 - 1,000
Day 9 - 0
Day 10 - 2,450
Day 11 - 2,250 
-------------
Total - 17,000

I'm going along okay, the last 2 days have certainly been good. For now I'm heading out for dinner with friends so am signing off for Saturday on 2,250 words, but may very well clock up some more depending on what time I get home.


----------



## Sybil Nelson (Jun 24, 2010)

Day1: 1,242
Day2: 2,087
Day3: 1,400
Day4:    500
Day5: 1,078
Day6: 1,429
Day7:    792
Day8: 1287
Day9:  800
Day10: 1547
____________
Total: 12162

I'm planning a mini writing marathon tonight so that I can catch up. I might even skip a college basketball game in order to do it. I love college basketball, but sacrifice must be made! I might also have to kick my husband and children out of the house...that is not a sacrifice though. More like a vacation. 

My goal is to get at least 5,000 words today.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1: 2,100
Day 2: 2,673
Day 3: 1,900
Day 4: 2,500
Day 5: 0
Day 6: 1,090
Day 7: 0
Day 8: 0
Day 9: 2,496
Day 10: 1,234
-------------
Total: 13,243

Very little time yesterday, so I was pleased I got anything down. I should be able to do some catching up this weekend, and have a healthier total by Sunday night. First things first, though, United are about to hammer Liverpool!

Researching a historical _while_ writing it, is certainly an interesting experience. I feel like I'm cramming for finals. I have five books on my desk open at various pages - a biography of my MC, a general history book on US intervention in Central America, a history of the red-light district of New Orleans, a book on the gangs of the city, and a book on Victorian America.

My girlfriend thinks I am crazy. She might be right. But hey, it's fun!


----------



## melissafmiller (Feb 17, 2011)

So, I have been distracted by getting the second book in my series up, which I finally did on Monday, but you know how it is---it's still not in my sig, then I had to update the website, yada yada. So I *have* been writing but not really doing a daily tally.

I finally checked today and wish I hadn't!  

I am using the challenge to crank out a draft of book 3, which was already in progress. On Feb 1, that draft was 29,081 words. Today it is . . . Drumroll . . . 18,466 words. So, it appears I have written approximately -10,500 words. 

The edit as you go method of writing really isn't condusive to daily word counts!  
Onward and upward!


----------



## Gregory Lynn (Aug 9, 2011)

HezBa said:


> Day 1: 2314 (looking good)
> Day 2: 3183 (I doing it!)
> Day 3: 1086 (oh, bad day...sad face. No worries though, I'll make it up tomorrow)
> Day 4: 651 (uh oh)
> ...


Pickles?


----------



## HezBa (Jan 24, 2012)

Day 11: 3166 (Woot!!!)

And yes pickles! Creative cursing is a hobby of mine. I swear so much that the usual, run-of-the-mill stuff tends to lose its flavour after awhile.


----------



## Ben White (Feb 11, 2011)

I had to go back and rewrite the first episode because it was just too slow.  I ended up ripping out everything that wasn't absolutely necessary to the story, which was pretty fun actually, but now I'm back to 15k.  Oh well, eighteen days to go, onwards and upwards!


----------



## Gregory Lynn (Aug 9, 2011)

Ben White said:


> I had to go back and rewrite the first episode because it was just too slow. I ended up ripping out everything that wasn't absolutely necessary to the story, which was pretty fun actually, but now I'm back to 15k. Oh well, eighteen days to go, onwards and upwards!


If you go back and rip words out because you're editing and it's what needs to be done, I don't think you should be taking those off your total. The goal is to write 60k, not to end up with 60k.

Also, this amused me so I felt I had to share:


----------



## Ben White (Feb 11, 2011)

I'd just feel wrong counting anything I didn't actually use. Besides, it's more fun this way.  Maybe I'm just perverse but going from 35k back to nothing is exciting, makes it more of a challenge!  It was the same with NaNo this year, my first story turned out to only be 40k long so I had to write another one  that WAS over 50k, that was very fun


----------



## Zelah Meyer (Jun 15, 2011)

I'm unfortunately out for the month now, as I have to do more work on my edits.  I'm still coming up with ideas though and typing those up, so I'm adding to my prospective wordcount for some point in the future!  For now though, I am mostly researching all things gramatical.  Oh well, there's always Scriptfrenzy in April and then hopefully Camp NaNo again this summer.  

Well done to everyone working on this.  Good luck to you all!


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

Day 1: 1736
Day 2: 2272
Day 3: 770
Day 4: 2731
Day 5: 0
Day 6: 992
Day 7: 0
Day 8: 1414
Day 9: 0
Day 10: 0
Day 11: 4495

Total: 14410

I'm about 7600 behind. Lord. Hoping tomorrow I get some decent wordcount in. I am having a bad month, it seems.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1:  2,100
Day 2:  2,673
Day 3:  1,900
Day 4:  2,500
Day 5:  0
Day 6:  1,090
Day 7:  0
Day 8:  0
Day 9:  2,496
Day 10:  1,234
Day 11:  1,334
-------------
Total:  14,577

I'm about 8k behind, but far from giving up. Just finished a tricky section. The next few chapters should be much, much easier to write, so hoping or a big day tomorrow.

Really impressed by the people with a big, consistent row of 2k+ days.


----------



## JoshuaPSimon (Jun 24, 2011)

Day 1 - 2234
Day 2 - 2732
Day 3 - 2507
Day 4 - 2530
Day 5 - 1149
Day 6 - 2584 
Day 7 - 2289
Day 8 - 2438
Day 9 - 2196
Day 10 - 2054
Day 11- 2368


----------



## Alan Petersen (May 20, 2011)

Big fat zero for me the last three days! But I've been working on my manuscript for book #1 which I got back from my editor. I'm hoping to self publish in March so writing book #2 took a backseat to that the last few days. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Zero day. Ended up spending time with some friends, and buying a whole ton of various board games. Isn't helping I've hit my first of two major hurdles (1/3 and 2/3 through a novel I feel like I'm writing utter crap). Will just push through again on Monday.


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

jillmyles said:


> Day 11: 4495
> 
> Total: 14410
> 
> I'm about 7600 behind. Lord. Hoping tomorrow I get some decent wordcount in. I am having a bad month, it seems.


But that's a heck of a Day 11! Wow.


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Whoops, forgot to post my numbers. This took several sessions broken out during the day, but I got it. I think I checked my word count total three hundred times during those last three hundred words.

Feb 1:  2291
Feb 2:  2032
Feb 3:  2023
Feb 4:  2135
Feb 5:  2010
Feb 6:  2126
Feb 7:  2113
Feb 8:  2557
Feb 9:  2060
Feb 10: 2077
Feb 11: 2069


----------



## Sybil Nelson (Jun 24, 2010)

Day1: 1,242
Day2: 2,087
Day3: 1,400
Day4: 500
Day5: 1,078
Day6: 1,429
Day7: 792
Day8: 1287
Day9: 800
Day10: 1547
Day11: 5004
____________
Total: 17166

Can't believe I somehow squeezed out 5000 words in 4 1/2 hours. I'm going to hate myself when I have to go back and fill in all those areas where I wrote [put fight scene here]


----------



## Courtney Milan (Feb 27, 2011)

Day 1: 2511
Day 2: 3541
Day 3: 2086
Day 4: 1976
Day 5: 3944
Day 6: 2220
Day 7: 559
Days 8-11: Don't know yet, but at least 4052.
--------------

So, as I said earlier, I was out of town for the last half of the week. I did get writing done, but it was all entirely in longhand and I never had the time to transcribe it at the end of the day. I've been working on that today. I'm about 2/3 done typing stuff in. I don't think I'm actually behind--or, rather, I don't think I will be behind, once I type everything in. But I'm definitely glad I got ahead early, or I'd be playing significant catch up right now.

Total: 20,792 [+ about 6-ish handwritten pages]

Edited to add: I also did a bit of research today. I had to figure out how to transfer shares of stock in a capital company in 1846, and then figure out what the deed stamp would cost. Answer, in case anyone cares to know: 6 pence per 100 pounds of the value of stock transferred, which back then, comes out to .00275%. Whew. Not that bad.

I still have a crapload of research I need to do to figure out where the underlying company needs to be constructing its railway, but hey, we are getting there.


----------



## Colin Taber (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1 - 2,300  
Day 2 - 300 
Day 3 - 800 
Day 4 - 1,300 
Day 5 - 3,300
Day 6 - 1,300 
Day 7 - 2,000
Day 8 - 1,000
Day 9 - 0
Day 10 - 2,450
Day 11 - 2,250 
Day 12 - 3,300
-------------
Total - 20,300

I might also get some more done tonight, but for now I've promised to go to the store and get some ingredients to make a tasty dinner.


----------



## JRTomlin (Jan 18, 2011)

Spent the entire day at a Highland Dance competition. Didn't write a word. Major catchup day tomorrow.


----------



## David Wisehart (Mar 2, 2010)

Day 1: 4,307
Day 2: 3,909
Day 3: 1,819
Day 4: 802
Day 5: 1,037
Day 6: 0
Day 7: 551
Day 8: 2,406
Day 9: 593
Day 10: 1,022
Day 11: 1,119

Total: 17,165

David


----------



## Tony James Slater (Feb 1, 2012)

Wow, you guys have really kept up with this!
I figured this thread would be a barren wasteland, what with everyone writing like fury to get their words done in time.
Thanks for the welcome by the way, though it already feels eons ago!

By pure chance I've kept a tally myself in the same format as you all have, so here it is:

I've been splitting my words between A short adventure (called 'The Grand Adventure') and my second book (called 'That's NOT My Monkey!'). Then I realised I have some blogging commitments, so I decided to hive off a few words for those too. That way I'm not robbing Peter to pay Paul, as my Grandma used to say.
So, ultimate goal:
Grand Adventure - 10k (complete, as already stood @ 10k)
That's NOT My Monkey - 40k (60% complete, as already stood @ 20k)
Assorted Blogging - 10k

Wow. Marvel at my grasp of advanced mathematics!

Here's the chart (I've been meaning to make an Excel spreadsheet for it since Day One, but... time, anyone?!)


Date Day Total	        Blog GA TNMM	Running Total
1 Feb	  2,305 0 2,305 0 2,305
2 Feb	  3,374 1,179 2,195 0 5679
3 Feb	  1,240 1,240 0 0 6919
4 Feb	  1,043 0 1,043 0 7,962
5 Feb	  2,985 0 2,985 0 10,947
6 Feb	  1,153 0 1,153 0 12,100
7 Feb	    930 930	(On 'other projects'!) 13,030
8 Feb	  1,000 1,000  (On promo of free days!)	14,030
9 Feb	      0 **SCREWED  THE  POOCH** 14,030
10 Feb 2713 829 0 1,884 16,743
11 Feb 1,083 558 (a fantasy story!)	525 17,826

I'm being a bit sneaky and letting myself do other bits and bats, and 'counting' their words against the challenge. But surely that's in the spirit of the law? Regardless, I'm still playing catch-up  
Well, best of luck everyone. I've had my share of difficult days, as most of you have it seems, so I'll be encouraged by your determination. Let's do this, eh!

Tony


----------



## unkownwriter (Jun 22, 2011)

Okay. I haven't checked in for a couple of days, so here's my catch-up post!

Day 1: 900
Day 2: 2647
Day 3: 2186
Day 4: 0
Day 5: 2296
Day 6: 0
Day 7: 667
Day 8: 1115
Day 9: 3047
Day 10: 0
Day 11: 945
Total: 13803

I'm proud of myself for not deleting what I wrote yesterday (like I did once before), even though it feels dry and boring. Seriously, it's crap. But I can fix it. Who's idea was it to have two characters in a museum, anyway? 

It may look to some of us that we're not making it to the goal numbers, but we're trying. In my case I feel like I'm accomplishing what I set out to do, which is to sit down every day and write. I'm pulled in so many directions that I was letting _weeks_ go by without making any progress on this novel, and it was depressing me so much.

Now I'm actually writing most days, and I feel a lot better.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

@Sheila

That's exactly how I feel. Look at it this way: if you keep up this pace for the rest of the month, you will have over 36,000 words down - and that's not to be sneezed at. I'm about as far behind as you, and I would be happy with that total (very happy!). I'm going to try and push on and do more, though, starting today! Good luck!


----------



## unkownwriter (Jun 22, 2011)

Thanks, David! And good luck to you, as well.  

Yeah, 36000 wouldn't be anything to sneeze at, for sure! It would be enough for the word count I'm aiming for on this novel.

I'm working on tying up some half-finished projects, and then I can focus more on getting this book done and out the door so I can work on the next one up in the publication list.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

All right! Go Team Slowcoach!

... and remember, the tortoise beat the hare!


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

I don't think fast or slow matters nearly as much as consistency. It's so much easier to sink back into a book that you put down just last night and continue on writing. It's a lot harder to come back to it after 3 or 4 days off and try to pick up naturally.

I'm struggling with the book in progress. There's so much plot and so many characters to juggle (why oh why did I ever write a series?) that I'm constantly stopping and starting, trying to get the characters from Point A to Point B. I've started up a side project as an encouragement/writing exercise. I find that it really helps me to work on a mini-project that is totally unrelated and so much easier to write. I treat it as the reward - get my pages in the main project and I can work on the other. Or if that doesn't work, I write in the side project first as a warm-up, and then I'm ready to continue on.

It sounds weird to say that adding more work to the pile is energizing, but you'd be surprised.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

That's funny, Jill, I'm doing something similar - toying with an SF short story when the world of historical fiction just gets a little research heavy. It's kind of like a literary sorbet!


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

Exactly! And a great warm-up. 

(And now I want sorbet...)


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

I had a champagne flavor sorbet in Italy once. It felt like the bubbles were popping in my mouth. Hmmmmmm...

...ok, enough procrastination...


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

Day 12 - 2,300 words. Total: 25,900

In some ways this was my best day of the challenge. It took some time to get rolling, but I ended in a great place to pick up tomorrow and I started to reveal a mystery that I introduced in book #3 and carried through and deepened book #4, which was fun.


----------



## Courtney Milan (Feb 27, 2011)

Day 1: 2511
Day 2: 3541
Day 3: 2086
Day 4: 1976
Day 5: 3944
Day 6: 2220
Day 7: 559
Days 8-11: 5710
--------------

Total: 22,450.

For today, I at least want to get caught up to where I should be, which is 24,828. I'm pretty sure I can manage 2,377 words.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1:   2,100
Day 2:   2,673
Day 3:   1,900
Day 4:   2,500
Day 5:   0
Day 6:   1,090
Day 7:   0
Day 8:   0
Day 9:   2,496
Day 11: 1,334
Day 12: 3,131
----------------
Total:   17,108

Suddenly it's easy again! Hope I can keep this pace up and close the gap. I'm on an "easy" part of the book now (i.e. one I have actually researched in advance).

Flow my words, the hack writer said!


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

dgaughran said:


> Day 12: 3,131
> 
> Suddenly it's easy again!


Congratulations, David! I was rooting for you.

And great job to everyone else, too. I'm writing a contemporary romance set in places I've lived for decades, so my research is a breeze compared to you folks. My notes are like, "chihuahua eye infection" Nothing about historical, foreign legal procedures. Thank the lord.


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

Day 1: 1736
Day 2: 2272
Day 3: 770
Day 4: 2731
Day 5: 0
Day 6: 992
Day 7: 0
Day 8: 1414
Day 9: 0
Day 10: 0
Day 11: 4495
Day 12: 5401

Total: 19811

Good count today, except this book is kind of turning into a hot mess. I'm correcting plots as I go (but not going back and fixing them), switching things around, and just came up with an ongoing subplot that I'll need to go back and somehow work in to the first 25k of the book...

But that's what draft 2 is for!


----------



## JoshuaPSimon (Jun 24, 2011)

Day 1 - 2234
Day 2 - 2732
Day 3 - 2507
Day 4 - 2530
Day 5 - 1149
Day 6 - 2584 
Day 7 - 2289
Day 8 - 2438
Day 9 - 2196
Day 10 - 2054
Day 11- 2368
Day 12 - 1718

Man, Sundays are such a hard day to write or get much of anything else done for me.  Both times I dipped below 2K, it was Sunday.


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Forgot to put my numbers in my last post.
Feb 1:  2291
Feb 2:  2032
Feb 3:  2023
Feb 4:  2135
Feb 5:  2010
Feb 6:  2126
Feb 7:  2113
Feb 8:  2557
Feb 9:  2060
Feb 10: 2077
Feb 11: 2069
Feb 12: 2094

Joshua, I know what you mean about Sundays. I had four elementary-school-aged children at my house today while I was trying to write the big love scene between my two main characters. I can't imagine what subtle messages I put in the prose as I wrote (Other than: wear a condom! heck, use two!)


----------



## JRTomlin (Jan 18, 2011)

Day 12: 1911

Total: 19644

I have a lot of catching up to do.


----------



## Colin Taber (Apr 4, 2011)

Another good day today. I have a good run of shifts over the coming week, so hopefully I'll average 2,000 words a day until next week.

Day 1 - 2,300  
Day 2 - 300 
Day 3 - 800 
Day 4 - 1,300 
Day 5 - 3,300
Day 6 - 1,300 
Day 7 - 2,000
Day 8 - 1,000
Day 9 - 0
Day 10 - 2,450
Day 11 - 2,250 
Day 12 - 3,300
Day 13 - 3,200
-------------
Total - 23,500


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

Day 13 - 2,100 words. Total: 28,000

Almost halfway there!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Day 1: 0.
Day 2: 2,513.
Day 3: 2,691.
Day 4: 2,631.
Day 5: 0.
Day 6: 2,728.
Day 7: 3,141.
Day 8: 2,542.
Day 9: 1,589.
Day 10: 2,531.Day 11: Fail.
Day 12: More fail.
Day 13: 2,058.

Total: 22,424.


----------



## Sybil Nelson (Jun 24, 2010)

Day1: 1,242
Day2: 2,087
Day3: 1,400
Day4:    500
Day5: 1,078
Day6: 1,429
Day7:    792
Day8: 1287
Day9:  800
Day10: 1547
Day11: 5004
Day12: 1,184
Day13: 1,684
____________
Total: 20,034


Edited to add Day 13. I'm off to bed now.

YAY! I'm over 20k! Woohoo!


----------



## Ben White (Feb 11, 2011)

I'm up to ... some amount of words, having written ... look, I've got a lot going on right now, I don't really know where I am with this.  What?  Check?  Clearly you have me confused with someone who isn't a lazy person.  I'm between 20k and 30k.  Probably.

Actually I mostly just wanted to say that you people hitting 2k/day consistently are doing great, well done!


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Feb 1:  2291
Feb 2:  2032
Feb 3:  2023
Feb 4:  2135
Feb 5:  2010
Feb 6:  2126
Feb 7:  2113
Feb 8:  2557
Feb 9:  2060
Feb 10: 2077
Feb 11: 2069
Feb 12: 2094
Feb 13: 2093

Keep on writin', keep on writin'...


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1:  2,100
Day 2:  2,673
Day 3:  1,900
Day 4:  2,500
Day 5:  0
Day 6:  1,090
Day 7:  0
Day 8:  0
Day 9:  2,496
Day 10: 1,234
Day 11: 1,334
Day 12: 3,131
Day 13: 2,623
----------------
Total:  19,686

Tough going today, but reasonable total. Closing the gap. 6.9k behind, and the wind is picking up!


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

Day 1: 1736          Day 11: 4495
Day 2: 2272          Day 12: 5401
Day 3: 770          Day 13: 1550
Day 4: 2731
Day 5: 0
Day 6: 992
Day 7: 0
Day 8: 1414
Day 9: 0
Day 10: 0


Total: 21361
I will probably remain at least 5-7k behind for a while. As long as consistent word count keeps coming, though, I'm good with that.


----------



## cidneyswanson (Feb 1, 2011)

Wow, everyone! Fan-freaking-tastic! 
I finally took the time to pull up all my daily saves and tally the word counts because I really wanted a nice column like Gretchen's.  

Day 1: 3965
Day 2: 2613 (657
Day 3: 1118 (7696)
Day 4: 1359 (9055)
Day 5: 2159 (11214)
Day 6: 2024 (1323
Day 7: 1766 (15004)
Day 8: 2038 (17042)
Day 9: 3020 (20062)
Day 10: 2075 (22137)
Day 11: 4023 (26160)
Day 12: 2117 (28277)
Day 13: 2045 (30322)

I have to have this ready (ie, first draft completed) by 3/3 for a plot master class with Cheryl Klein. (Any fans? Anyone going?)
Cidney


----------



## Courtney Milan (Feb 27, 2011)

I wrote...some stuff yesterday that I still haven't typed in, but I think it's close to 2k words.

I have done nothing today but babysit my husband filling out forms. You wouldn't think it would be necessary, but no. I feel like a mom forcing her kid to do spelling homework! And tomorrow is a Tuesday, and those are notoriously bad... But I really can't make any more excuses. I just have to make word count tomorrow. Period.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

30k already, Cidney? Wow.


----------



## David Wisehart (Mar 2, 2010)

Day 1: 4,307
Day 2: 3,909
Day 3: 1,819
Day 4: 802
Day 5: 1,037
Day 6: 0
Day 7: 551
Day 8: 2,406
Day 9: 593
Day 10: 1,022
Day 11: 1,119
Day 12: 0
Day 13: 2,881

Total: 20,046

David


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

I wrote a post about how I write the first draft of a novel that is inspired by the challenge. In case you're interested: How to eat an elephant.


----------



## Ursula_Bauer (Dec 12, 2010)

finally starting in on new words (finished w/the old ones):
1,230 K last night
57k "n" change to go.


----------



## Colin Taber (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1 - 2,300  
Day 2 - 300 
Day 3 - 800 
Day 4 - 1,300 
Day 5 - 3,300
Day 6 - 1,300 
Day 7 - 2,000
Day 8 - 1,000
Day 9 - 0
Day 10 - 2,450
Day 11 - 2,250 
Day 12 - 3,300
Day 13 - 3,200
Day 14 - 4,100
-------------
Total - 27,600

I'm really enjoying the chapters I'm writing at the moment, which of course makes the challenge that much easier.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Wow - over 10k in 3 days. Nice work.


----------



## Colin Taber (Apr 4, 2011)

dgaughran said:


> Wow - over 10k in 3 days. Nice work.


Gosh, you're right. 

I hadn't really been looking at the numbers so much, just trying to keep at doing over 2,500 per day so I've got a chance of hitting the 60K.

I am really enjoying what I'm working on at the moment. That's making the time fly. Over the last few days I've probably averaged about 3.5-4 hours writing time per day.


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

Another day down. I finished the day at 30,100 words, so I'm halfway there.


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Feb 1:  2291
Feb 2:  2032
Feb 3:  2023
Feb 4:  2135
Feb 5:  2010
Feb 6:  2126
Feb 7:  2113
Feb 8:  2557
Feb 9:  2060
Feb 10: 2077
Feb 11: 2069
Feb 12: 2094
Feb 13: 2093
Feb 14: 2237

Happy love day, everyone. I'm in too much back pain (b/c of all this writing? I hope not) to enjoy a stroll with my husband, but I'll eat extra chocolate to compensate.

Here's to the halfway mark *waving tulips* *drinking heavily*


----------



## michaelabayomi (Dec 13, 2011)

I'm back from a much needed break. The original plan was to take the weekend off. Funny how two days off quickly turns into three. It would have in fact turned into four, if I hadn't forced myself to write something today. I just began a new book in a series, book 5 of 7, hence why it was somewhat tough getting the creative juices flowing again. But at least I'm back and still pushing forward.

Day 14 - 1500 words, Total - 22,500.


----------



## JoshuaPSimon (Jun 24, 2011)

Day 1 - 2234
Day 2 - 2732
Day 3 - 2507
Day 4 - 2530
Day 5 - 1149
Day 6 - 2584 
Day 7 - 2289
Day 8 - 2438
Day 9 - 2196
Day 10 - 2054
Day 11- 2368
Day 12 - 1718
Day 13 - 2045
Day 14 - 2360...Killed two characters today as well.  I'd say that's productive.  lol

Total 31,204


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1:  2,100
Day 2:  2,673
Day 3:  1,900
Day 4:  2,500
Day 5:  0
Day 6:  1,090
Day 7:  0
Day 8:  0
Day 9:  2,496
Day 10: 1,234
Day 11: 1,334
Day 12: 3,131
Day 13: 2,623
Day 14: 1,954
----------------
Total:  21,640

A bit short today. Tomorrow should be better.


----------



## cidneyswanson (Feb 1, 2011)

dgaughran said:


> 30k already, Cidney? Wow.


Well, I have these five non-writing days coming up real soon. So I've been motivated. Also, writing is my full time job. I have no excuse. 
Today was another 2008. I wonder if my subconscious is saying something to me. Something like: remember 2008 when you weren't a full time writer? Aren't you glad you took that crazy leap? 
Day 1: 3965
Day 2: 2613 (657
Day 3: 1118 (7696)
Day 4: 1359 (9055)
Day 5: 2159 (11214)
Day 6: 2024 (1323
Day 7: 1766 (15004)
Day 8: 2038 (17042)
Day 9: 3020 (20062)
Day 10: 2075 (22137)
Day 11: 4023 (26160)
Day 12: 2117 (28277)
Day 13: 2045 (30322)
Day 14: 2008 (32,330)
A big woot to the everyone here for hanging in past halfway! (It is past noon everywhere by now, isn't it? 14 1/2 days?)

Cyberhugs and chocolate,
Cidney


----------



## cidneyswanson (Feb 1, 2011)

MichaelWallace said:


> I wrote a post about how I write the first draft of a novel that is inspired by the challenge. In case you're interested: How to eat an elephant.


Lovely post, Michael! Thanks for linking here.
Cidney


----------



## Courtney Milan (Feb 27, 2011)

Okay... 814 no good, very bad terrible words today, but at least I'm forcing something down.. I'll pull up the word count at some later point but right now I can't be bothered. 

Part of the problem is that I just finished off one secret project and I'm casting about trying to work on either of the other two things I need to do, and...the words are just not coming for either of them. I think there's something fundamentally wrong with my conception for both, and I'm fighting myself on writing them. I need to go back to the drawing board. Part of my word count for the month is a 15K word short that I'm doing on a project for friends, and it was...like, just there, sexy and bittersweet all at once, without any work on my part.

Now it's back to clay. Gah.

Need to fix this idea....


----------



## Sybil Nelson (Jun 24, 2010)

Wrote 1,247 words today. Better than nothing, but I've written my self into a sort of hole. I have my main character going to school in France. I know nothing about France. Now I'm going to have to set out some time to do research. I can't change the France thing because it is a prequel to the Priscilla the Great books. In those books, Marco lived in France for two years. It is what it is.


----------



## unkownwriter (Jun 22, 2011)

Hey, we've made it past the half-way point! Way to go, everybody, regardless of the word-counts, we're still writing!

So, my update:

Day  1:    900
Day  2:  2647
Day  3:  2186
Day  4:      0
Day  5:  2296
Day  6:      0
Day  7:    667
Day  8:  1115
Day  9:  3047
Day 10:      0
Day 11:    945
Day 12:  1017
Day 13:      0
Day 14:    964
Day 15:  (haven't started yet )

Total so far:  15,784

I was doing really well on Sunday, the words just gushing out. I was doing a scene between my MFC and her family, and I love those. Then my brother called and needed help with his workman's comp stuff, and there you go. Still, it was almost a thousand words.

I'm really disappointed in those zero days. But overall, it's been a great month for me. I've actually been butt in chair more consistently these last two weeks than I have in the last two months (or more, really). It took me a long time to get the first 20,000+ words on the novel, and now I'm pushing 36,000. 

And Sybil, I get you about the France thing. My novel is set in New York City, and I've never been there. All I really know about NY is what I've seen on Law and Order.    I just write things like "at the museum", and make a note to go back and fill in details after I look it up.


----------



## Colin Taber (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1 - 2,300  
Day 2 - 300 
Day 3 - 800 
Day 4 - 1,300 
Day 5 - 3,300
Day 6 - 1,300 
Day 7 - 2,000
Day 8 - 1,000
Day 9 - 0
Day 10 - 2,450
Day 11 - 2,250 
Day 12 - 3,300
Day 13 - 3,200
Day 14 - 4,100
Day 15 - 2,600
-------------
Total - 30,000

I struggled today, but was determined to make 30K. I might schedule a lighter day for Friday to give me a bit of a break.


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

_Day 15 - 2,100 words. Total: 32,300_

Great job, everyone. I was worried we were losing a few people, but it looks like almost everyone is still hanging tough.


----------



## michaelabayomi (Dec 13, 2011)

Another evening with the in-laws = little productivity

Day 15: 1,500 words. Total: 24,000.

That 60k is starting to feel like a pipe dream right about now. I really need to start turning in some more 3,000+ word days to stay in this thing. Whatever happens though, I have officially written more words this month than I did last year.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Day 1: 0.
Day 2: 2,513.
Day 3: 2,691.
Day 4: 2,631.
Day 5: 0.
Day 6: 2,728.
Day 7: 3,141.
Day 8: 2,542.
Day 9: 1,589.
Day 10: 2,531.Day 11: Fail.
Day 12: More fail.
Day 13: 2,058.
Day 14: 1,390.
Day 15: 2,556.

Total: 26,010.

Really sucking lately. Need something to snap me into things.


----------



## Courtney Milan (Feb 27, 2011)

Day 1: 2511
Day 2: 3541
Day 3: 2086
Day 4: 1976
Day 5: 3944
Day 6: 2220
Day 7: 559
Days 8-11: 5710
Days 12-14: Some ~2800 words, all of which I will eventually delete, so I'm not counting them.
Day 15: 2196.
--------------

Total: 24,646.

I finally figured out what was wrong with one of my projects. I was trying to write a heroine who started out in a bad place, feeling like it was her fault, and being a little mousy. I can't write that kind of heroine. I switched to a heroine who started out in a bad place, who thinks everyone else is crazy and she's basically right, and who is a little shy but definitely not mousy.

Instant, immediate change. I'm hoping I can add another 1,000 words tonight, but suddenly SO much of this book has become clear! If I counted the words I'm deleting, I wouldn't be that behind. In fact, I probably wouldn't be behind at all, since I did a good bit of editing and I'm sure I dropped more than a few thousand words while doing that. But I'm only counting words that I keep.

So I am behind, but I can definitely catch up now that I have the thread of this book again. Whee!


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Feb 1:  2291
Feb 2:  2032
Feb 3:  2023
Feb 4:  2135
Feb 5:  2010
Feb 6:  2126
Feb 7:  2113
Feb 8:  2557
Feb 9:  2060
Feb 10: 2077
Feb 11: 2069
Feb 12: 2094
Feb 13: 2093
Feb 14: 2237
Feb 15: 2069

Total thus far: 31,986 (I could go back and type fourteen more words to break 32K... but that would be a little too obsessive, even for me.)

Over the hump. Leaving a trail of inconsistent plot threads in my wake. Sore back and shoulders, dirty house. Happy.


----------



## CaedemMarquez (Mar 23, 2011)

Feb 1:  0
Feb 2:  0
Feb 3:  0
Feb 4:  0
Feb 5:  0
Feb 6:  0
Feb 7:  0
Feb 8:  0
Feb 9:  0
Feb 10: 0
Feb 11: 0
Feb 12: 0
Feb 13: 0
Feb 14: 0
Feb 15: 260 - Now, time to go eat.

Total suckage.

Caedem


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

CaedemMarquez said:


> Feb 1: 0
> Feb 2: 0
> Feb 3: 0
> Feb 4: 0
> ...


A journey of a thousand miles beings with the first step. And at this rate, you'll have taken the first step by the end of February.


----------



## CaedemMarquez (Mar 23, 2011)

MichaelWallace said:


> A journey of a thousand miles beings with the first step. And at this rate, you'll have taken the first step by the end of February.


Michael - I'm not too worried. I can still make it. But if I hit the 25th of this month and I'm still hovering around the same spot, then I will start biting the fingernails. 

Caedem


----------



## Ben White (Feb 11, 2011)

Right!  I have actual numbers today, since I've caught up on the necessary changes and I'm shirking my proofing duties on an unrelated project.  So, 5,124 words written today, bringing the total up to 41,324.  All right I made up that 324 at the end but the 41K is pretty accurate.


----------



## cidneyswanson (Feb 1, 2011)

Day 1: 3965
Day 2: 2613 (657
Day 3: 1118 (7696)
Day 4: 1359 (9055)
Day 5: 2159 (11214)
Day 6: 2024 (1323
Day 7: 1766 (15004)
Day 8: 2038 (17042)
Day 9: 3020 (20062)
Day 10: 2075 (22137)
Day 11: 4023 (26160)
Day 12: 2117 (28277)
Day 13: 2045 (30322)
Day 14: 2008 (32,330)
Day 15: 2002 (34,332)

Just squeaked in over 2K. It was hard going today. Hit my wall at 1300 and had to push, push, push. Oh, and eat a slice of that delicious chocolate ganache cake with ginger-infused whipped cream filling from yesterday. Whatever works, right?

Cidney


----------



## David Wisehart (Mar 2, 2010)

Day 1: 4,307
Day 2: 3,909
Day 3: 1,819
Day 4: 802
Day 5: 1,037
Day 6: 0
Day 7: 551
Day 8: 2,406
Day 9: 593
Day 10: 1,022
Day 11: 1,119
Day 12: 0
Day 13: 2,881
Day 14: 0
Day 15: 908

Total: 20,954

David


----------



## Lefty (Apr 7, 2011)

Well, it's a start.

Days 1-15: Goose egg.
Day 16: 673


----------



## Ursula_Bauer (Dec 12, 2010)

WOW! I am seeing some astounding numbers from folks and it's really intimidating (and impressive)

I'm still at the 1.2K so far, but the weekend is coming so I'm hoping to crank about 5 - 10K.


----------



## Savannah_Page (Feb 16, 2012)

Ooo this looks like fun! And I need the challenge (not just me pushing and pushing myself) 

I'm new to Kindleboards per the recommendation of Rachel Schurig, author of the "Three Men and a Baby" trilogy. Loving it already. Looks like a fun community of writers and book/Kindle-lovers!

Funny my writing for book #2 started on the first of Feb. (Day 1 of a month just seems like a good idea.) 
Here's my progress. Let's all write-write-write!

Day 1: 0 (kinda just stared at the screen and drank coffee all day-- sad start)
Day 2: 10,800 (found the best starting groove which was way cool)
Day 3: 4,400
Day 4: 0
Day 5: 0
Day 6: 7,100
Day 7: 10,300
Day 8: 0
Day 9: 4,600
Day 10: 0
Day 11: 0
Day 12: 0
Day 13: 3,900
Day 14: 8,000
Day 15: 4,200

Savannah Page
www.savannahpage.com


----------



## Colin Taber (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1 - 2,300  
Day 2 - 300 
Day 3 - 800 
Day 4 - 1,300 
Day 5 - 3,300
Day 6 - 1,300 
Day 7 - 2,000
Day 8 - 1,000
Day 9 - 0
Day 10 - 2,450
Day 11 - 2,250 
Day 12 - 3,300
Day 13 - 3,200
Day 14 - 4,100
Day 15 - 2,600
Day 16 - 1,000 (a little exhausted today, so hitting the sack early).
-------------
Total - 31,000


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1:  2,100
Day 2:  2,673
Day 3:  1,900
Day 4:  2,500
Day 5:  0
Day 6:  1,090
Day 7:  0
Day 8:  0
Day 9:  2,496
Day 10: 1,234
Day 11: 1,334
Day 12: 3,131
Day 13: 2,623
Day 14: 1,954
Day 15:  315 (don't ask)
----------------
Total:  21,955

Sigh. Yesterday was a washout. But I had to write a couple of articles that were overdue - 2k words worth, and was tapped when it came to my stuff.

I'm on the case today. Propmise.


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

_Day 16 - 2,100 words. Total: 34,400_

Started slowly, but the last 1,000 words came along at a good clip.


----------



## michaelabayomi (Dec 13, 2011)

Day 16: 1,500 words. Total: 25,500.

I'm not very happy with my output of late. But hey, my current 3-day string of 1,500-word days sure beats my previous 3-day string of 0-word days. On the bright side, I did spend the better part of the day doing research that would (hopefully) boost my word count in the days to come; and of course, fighting sleep. I'm heading to bed right away.


----------



## unkownwriter (Jun 22, 2011)

Hey, everybody! Looks like we've got some new folks coming in to the challenge. Welcome!

Day 1: 900
Day 2: 2647
Day 3: 2186
Day 4: 0
Day 5: 2296
Day 6: 0
Day 7: 667
Day 8: 1115
Day 9: 3047
Day 10: 0
Day 11: 945
Day 12: 1017
Day 13: 0
Day 14: 964
Day 15: 410
Day 16: 3272

Total so far: 19,466

That's almost my entire output last year. I'm so happy, you can't imagine. Thanks for suggesting the challenge, Michael. 

Yesterday was a bad day word-wise, because I was at a point where I needed more info than I had, and the story just stalled. My characters are getting ready for a road trip, and I had to send them _somewhere_. I don't know NY, so it was Google time!

But, I'm almost 40,000 words in on the novel, and with the remaining scenes, and the fleshing out everything will get in editing, I should easily make my 60,000 word goal. Hooray!

Anyway, I'm happy to see everybody working towards the challenge goal, no matter how far away it seems. Remember, every word is precious!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Day 1: 0.
Day 2: 2,513.
Day 3: 2,691.
Day 4: 2,631.
Day 5: 0.
Day 6: 2,728.
Day 7: 3,141.
Day 8: 2,542.
Day 9: 1,589.
Day 10: 2,531.Day 11: Fail.
Day 12: More fail.
Day 13: 2,058.
Day 14: 1,390.
Day 15: 2,556.
Day 16: 2,819.

Total: 28,829.


----------



## Cheryl Douglas (Dec 7, 2011)

I'm waaaay behind on this as I got caught up in editing and preparing for a blog tour later this month. So far, I'm about 15,000 words in. Hoping to get to at least 30k by the end of the month...


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Welcome, Savannah!

Feb 1:   2291
Feb 2:   2032
Feb 3:   2023
Feb 4:   2135
Feb 5:   2010
Feb 6:   2126
Feb 7:   2113
Feb 8:   2557
Feb 9:   2060
Feb 10: 2077
Feb 11: 2069
Feb 12: 2094
Feb 13: 2093
Feb 14: 2237
Feb 15: 2069
Feb 16: 2132

total: 34,118

Personal record for me. I'm learning (remembering) how effective the daily quota is to getting deep into the story. Like keeping the juggling balls in the air.


----------



## cidneyswanson (Feb 1, 2011)

Tired-out day for me, too. Just couldn't find those last 40-ish words, and I actually went in and edited out several more. Sounds like it was a rough day for many of us. To those of you who got in your 2059 or whatever it is, GREAT WORK! In fact, kudos to all who are hanging in there in any form!

1,944 today for total of 36,244. (I couldn't find my nice column either.)
Cidney


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1:  2,100
Day 2:  2,673
Day 3:  1,900
Day 4:  2,500
Day 5:        0
Day 6:  1,090
Day 7:        0
Day 8:        0
Day 9:  2,496
Day 10: 1,234
Day 11: 1,334
Day 12: 3,131
Day 13: 2,623
Day 14: 1,954
Day 15:    315
Day 16: 3,360 
----------------
Total:  25,315

In your face, yesterday.


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

I am double zero for the last two days. Yesterday, had a bad reaction to medication. Tonight, I have food poisoning. February, I hate you.


----------



## JoshuaPSimon (Jun 24, 2011)

Day 1 - 2234
Day 2 - 2732
Day 3 - 2507
Day 4 - 2530
Day 5 - 1149
Day 6 - 2584 
Day 7 - 2289
Day 8 - 2438
Day 9 - 2196
Day 10 - 2054
Day 11- 2368
Day 12 - 1718
Day 13 - 2045
Day 14 - 2360
Day 15 - 1713
Day 16 - 2128

Total 35,045

I so want to go back and clean up some plotting issues that I know is going to be a pain to smooth out....but I'll continue to keep on keeping on.


----------



## Sybil Nelson (Jun 24, 2010)

I wrote 2018 yesterday. I haven't started writing for today and it's already past 11. sigh. I'll take a break from my homework and try to crank something out.


----------



## Courtney Milan (Feb 27, 2011)

Day 1: 2511
Day 2: 3541
Day 3: 2086
Day 4: 1976
Day 5: 3944
Day 6: 2220
Day 7: 559
Days 8-11: 5710
Days 12-14: Some ~2800 words, all of which I will eventually delete, so I'm not counting them.
Day 15: 2196
Day 16: 1530
--------------

Total: 26,176.

I'm happy with my numbers for today. Tuesdays and Thursdays are always rough days. And this made me write. And I have a weekend now, and nothing to do except...some other things for work, but I'll have more time. I'm hoping to play a little catch-up.


----------



## David Wisehart (Mar 2, 2010)

Day 1: 4,307
Day 2: 3,909
Day 3: 1,819
Day 4: 802
Day 5: 1,037
Day 6: 0
Day 7: 551
Day 8: 2,406
Day 9: 593
Day 10: 1,022
Day 11: 1,119
Day 12: 0
Day 13: 2,881
Day 14: 0
Day 15: 908
Day 16: 424

Total: 21,378

David


----------



## Colin Taber (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1 - 2,300  
Day 2 - 300 
Day 3 - 800 
Day 4 - 1,300 
Day 5 - 3,300
Day 6 - 1,300 
Day 7 - 2,000
Day 8 - 1,000
Day 9 - 0
Day 10 - 2,450
Day 11 - 2,250 
Day 12 - 3,300
Day 13 - 3,200
Day 14 - 4,100
Day 15 - 2,600
Day 16 - 1,000
Day 17 - 3,500
-------------
Total - 34,500

I had a great day today, kind of surprised really. I've been working on a chapter that builds into a strong climax, so I suspect writing the run up to that carried me along easily.


----------



## JoshuaPSimon (Jun 24, 2011)

Day 1 - 2234
Day 2 - 2732
Day 3 - 2507
Day 4 - 2530
Day 5 - 1149
Day 6 - 2584 
Day 7 - 2289
Day 8 - 2438
Day 9 - 2196
Day 10 - 2054
Day 11- 2368
Day 12 - 1718
Day 13 - 2045
Day 14 - 2360
Day 15 - 1713
Day 16 - 2128
Day 17 - 3606

Great writing day today.  Everything flowed well.  Worked in two sessions.  The second was my first time writing at a coffee shop which resulted in 2400 words in about 1 hour and 40 minutes....so, I may have to do it again.


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

_Day 17 - 2,200 words. Total: 36,600_

I was having a great writing day and then my parents called from San Diego. <sigh>


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Feb 1:  2291
Feb 2:  2032
Feb 3:  2023
Feb 4:  2135
Feb 5:  2010
Feb 6:  2126
Feb 7:  2113
Feb 8:  2557
Feb 9:  2060
Feb 10: 2077
Feb 11: 2069
Feb 12: 2094
Feb 13: 2093
Feb 14: 2237
Feb 15: 2069
Feb 16: 2132
Feb 17: 2051

total: 36,169

I'm at 62K in what I plan to be an 80K book and... I have no idea how to bring this up to a climax and a close. I'd rather not finish the month with a dud. Hopefully the thrill of the chase (the challenge) will inspire something even I can't see coming.

Dreading the 3-day weekend. Kids. Husband. Presidents.


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

JoshuaPSimon said:


> The second was my first time writing at a coffee shop which resulted in 2400 words in about 1 hour and 40 minutes....so, I may have to do it again.


I love the coffee shop effect. Also: the loud kids' gym effect (if I can be in the bleachers). Something about the hustle around me helps me focus. Sometimes.


----------



## unkownwriter (Jun 22, 2011)

Hey, everybody! It's Friday! Woo hoo 

I had another good day today, got some good stuff that fits in toward the end of the book. I had some inspiration about the scene I wanted, getting my characters into a house, so I went with that rather than write the scenes that get them out of NYC. This is why I love yWriter (thanks, Hal).

Anyway, my tally:

Day 1: 900
Day 2: 2647
Day 3: 2186
Day 4: 0
Day 5: 2296
Day 6: 0
Day 7: 667
Day 8: 1115
Day 9: 3047
Day 10: 0
Day 11: 945
Day 12: 1017
Day 13: 0
Day 14: 964
Day 15: 410
Day 16: 3272
Day 17: 2775

Total so far: 22,241

I'm _almost_ 42,000 words into the novel, and things are shaping up nicely. I should hit my goal of 60,000. I'm so happy. Now if I could just find a good image for the cover, I'd be doing a jig.

Night all, and keep up the good work!


----------



## cidneyswanson (Feb 1, 2011)

After two days where getting the words down just plain _hurt_, today's came easy! Sooo glad I can't ever tell ahead of time which it will be . . .
Day 17 2,100 for total 38,344!

Lots of great numbers now that we're so far into the month.
Congrats, all!
Cidney

PS Michael, was the problem that your parents _called_ or that they called _from San Diego_?


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

cidneyswanson said:


> PS Michael, was the problem that your parents _called_ or that they called _from San Diego_?


LOL. A little bit of both. There was a little bit of the "Hey, the weather is _gorgeous _here. What's it like in New England?"


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Day 1: 0.
Day 2: 2,513.
Day 3: 2,691.
Day 4: 2,631.
Day 5: 0.
Day 6: 2,728.
Day 7: 3,141.
Day 8: 2,542.
Day 9: 1,589.
Day 10: 2,531.Day 11: Fail.
Day 12: More fail.
Day 13: 2,058.
Day 14: 1,390.
Day 15: 2,556.
Day 16: 2,819.
Day 17: 2,708.

Total: 31,537.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1:  2,100
Day 2:  2,673
Day 3:  1,900
Day 4:  2,500
Day 5:        0
Day 6:  1,090
Day 7:        0
Day 8:        0
Day 9:  2,496
Day 10: 1,234
Day 11: 1,334
Day 12: 3,131
Day 13: 2,623
Day 14: 1,954
Day 15:    315
Day 16: 3,360 
Day 17: 1,777
----------------
Total:  27,092

The first five hundred words were among the worst I have ever written. Slow, painful, and crap. Then I got into the swing of it, then hit a wall again.

It just wasn't happening today, but at least I got some points on the board. I hope tomorrow is better, but this is a real tricky part of the book. Still, I suppose, I'm hanging in there.

I'm just so glad to be doing this challenge. Sales are so awful this month, that I would probably be driven demented otherwise. And hey, it's cool to see a book take shape in 18 days. Sure, it needs a bit of work, but for a first draft, I think it's in reasonable shape.


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

dgaughran said:


> I'm just so glad to be doing this challenge. Sales are so awful this month, that I would probably be driven demented otherwise.


Yes, this. I was feeling the same way.


----------



## cidneyswanson (Feb 1, 2011)

MichaelWallace said:


> LOL. A little bit of both. There was a little bit of the "Hey, the weather is _gorgeous _here. What's it like in New England?"


Laughing through my tears here, too, in cold rainy Oregon. Where I have four more months (at least) of the same to enjoy. Great writing weather at least.


----------



## michaelabayomi (Dec 13, 2011)

Day 17: 1,500 words. Total: 27,000.

I totally forgot to log my numbers yesterday. I was busy watching The Tree of Life before going to bed well past midnight. It's morning now and the weekend already, so I'm afraid I might not get much writing done (weekends are usually synonymous with noise and distractions for me). But I'll try as hard as I can. No more 0- word days for me.


----------



## michaelabayomi (Dec 13, 2011)

dgaughran said:


> I'm just so glad to be doing this challenge. Sales are so awful this month, that I would probably be driven demented otherwise.


For me, sales have been poor right out of the gate. But yeah, this challenge has helped me focus on what's really important. The actual writing. This sure beats checking my KDP reports for nonexistent sales.

But I simply look at it this way: the millions that don't buy my books today are the same millions that might buy them tomorrow, or the day after, or whenever. The important thing is to have said books written and made available before that nebulous time in the future (when everyone suddenly decides they want to read something you've written).


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

For a mid-month diversion, share with us your theme song for this book (for those of you who listen to music while writing, that is). Here is mine. This is not the only thing I'm listening to, of course, but this old Priest song is perfect for the fifth installment of my book. It's long, has several different thematic elements, with equal measures defiance and melancholy.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

I've recently bought three Carina Round albums and listen to all three on shuffle for the vast bulk of Blood of the Underworld. Absolutely adore her voice.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

One of the joys of setting a book in New Orleans is the soundtrack.


----------



## B Sheridan (Dec 5, 2011)

I haven't updated very frequently but I have been tracking my numbers. Though now that I've totaled it up, I wish I hadn't been...

Day 1: 0
Day 2: 1188
Day 3: 6333
Day 4: 991
Day 5: 1743
Day 6: 1201
Day 7: 789 
Day 8: 1435
Day 9: 0
Day 10: 856
Day 11: 0 (I know, I know. No good excuse. I went back to my hometown and got my party on.)
Day 12: 0 (See above. A whole weekend off. I'm ashamed.)
Day 13: 0 (I had to catch up on school stuff because...well, see above.)
Day 14: 632 
Day 15: 2394
Day 16: 216 (Is it pathetic I'm even counting this?)
Day 17: 5627

Total: 23405

Not feeling very awesome at the moment. I'm way, way behind. Also--consistency? Not my strength, obviously. Need to work more on that. Need to just...work more.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

I dunno, Blake. If you can crank out the occasional 5-6k day, you don't need to be that consistent.


----------



## Colin Taber (Apr 4, 2011)

We'd all love to be more consistent.

I haven't done anything today, well nothing worth counting. I reorganised a few chapetsr and perhaps put down 100 words. I'll call it a zero and aim for a big word count on Sunday. I think I'm up to 34,500.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Yeah, a couple more of those 5k+ days and a few less zeros where you get at least something down, and you'll be fine.


----------



## B Sheridan (Dec 5, 2011)

I usually try to take one or two days off a month (usually Fridays) and focus solely on writing. Okay, mostly on writing. If I actually have nothing else to do in a day besides write? I can sometimes hit as much as 10k. There was a stretch during winter break where I wrote 7-10k a day for four days straight. I felt like I had run a marathon when it was over. It felt awesome!

But yeah, without those 5-6K days I'd be totally hopeless. Actually, I'd probably try trading gym time, laundry time, grocery shopping time, etc. for writing time, and that's no good either.


----------



## JoshuaPSimon (Jun 24, 2011)

Gretchen Galway said:


> I love the coffee shop effect. Also: the loud kids' gym effect (if I can be in the bleachers). Something about the hustle around me helps me focus. Sometimes.


Interesting. I'll have to remember that as the kids get older.


----------



## JoshuaPSimon (Jun 24, 2011)

MichaelWallace said:


> For a mid-month diversion, share with us your theme song for this book (for those of you who listen to music while writing, that is). Here is mine. This is not the only thing I'm listening to, of course, but this old Priest song is perfect for the fifth installment of my book. It's long, has several different thematic elements, with equal measures defiance and melancholy.


----------



## emilyward (Mar 5, 2011)

I'm jumping in late. I wanted to go for 30,000 words this month and I'm at about 23k! I didn't keep track every day so it might be more? Feels great because I wrote maybe 6k in January.


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

David D., thanks for the recs. I just snagged those two on itunes.

David G., I love that crackly old recording. Sounds like great inspiration.

As for the challenge, I knocked out another 2,200 words today and am up to 38,700 words. Even better, I was thinking about the book last night and came up with great solution to a major plot hole. This thing is really coming together.


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

This is in my playlist!





Just as soon as I'm able to get back to my project, that is. I need to get done with a butt-ton of line edits and then I can go back to the main. Sigh.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

MichaelWallace said:


> David D., thanks for the recs. I just snagged those two on itunes.


The Grammys knocked the Civil Wars right up into the stratosphere (#6 on Amazon), and rightfully so. I can't freaking wait for their next album, and they're so not a genre of music I normally listen to.


----------



## michaelabayomi (Dec 13, 2011)

David "Half-Orc" Dalglish said:


> The Grammys knocked the Civil Wars right up into the stratosphere (#6 on Amazon), and rightfully so. I can't freaking wait for their next album, and they're so not a genre of music I normally listen to.


Yeah. I remember watching them open for Taylor Swift at the Grammys and thinking "I've got to get their record like asap." Thanks for the reminder.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1:  2,100
Day 2:  2,673
Day 3:  1,900
Day 4:  2,500
Day 5:        0
Day 6:  1,090
Day 7:        0
Day 8:        0
Day 9:  2,496
Day 10: 1,234
Day 11: 1,334
Day 12: 3,131
Day 13: 2,623
Day 14: 1,954
Day 15:    315
Day 16: 3,360 
Day 17: 1,777
Day 18: 3,755
----------------
Total:  30,847

I think I might have more in the tank, but I definitely need a break for an hour. And maybe a whiskey. No. Two whiskeys.


----------



## Ben White (Feb 11, 2011)

As of yesterday, up to 51k, although I've been seriously neglecting my proofing.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Ben - since the start of Feb? Wow.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Got so busy talking about music forgot to put in my total!


Day 1: 0.
Day 2: 2,513.
Day 3: 2,691.
Day 4: 2,631.
Day 5: 0.
Day 6: 2,728.
Day 7: 3,141.
Day 8: 2,542.
Day 9: 1,589.
Day 10: 2,531.Day 11: Fail.
Day 12: More fail.
Day 13: 2,058.
Day 14: 1,390.
Day 15: 2,556.
Day 16: 2,819.
Day 17: 2,708.
Day 18: 2,302.

Total: 33,839.


----------



## cidneyswanson (Feb 1, 2011)

I'm one of those easily-distracted sorts who can't listen to music and write at the same time. I just can't _not_ listen to the lyrics and then suddenly I'm thinking about _that_ story instead and typing has altogether ceased! Yikes!

But!

I keep hitting play again on _Sister Rosetta_ (Alison Kraus/Robert Plant) whenever I'm driving around town. I wanted to post a version here, but only found ones with lousy sound plus one that was lovely but had 19th century erotic photography. (Sorry, couldn't do it, writing for kids as I do! Such the wrong message of what this song says to me/how it inspires!)

But keep posting songs, guys! What a very fun idea.

Today: 
2128 words for 40,472! Woot! Passed the 2/3 mark!!!! Might even have to go back and write some more, so happy am I to cross 40K.

Cheerfully,
Cidney


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Feb 1:  2291
Feb 2:  2032
Feb 3:  2023
Feb 4:  2135
Feb 5:  2010
Feb 6:  2126
Feb 7:  2113
Feb 8:  2557
Feb 9:  2060
Feb 10: 2077
Feb 11: 2069
Feb 12: 2094
Feb 13: 2093
Feb 14: 2237
Feb 15: 2069
Feb 16: 2132
Feb 17: 2051
Feb 18: 2059

Total: 38,228

Congrats, Cindy, for passing 40K. And to Ben and his gazillion. And Dave Gaughran for a 3.7K day. And to everyone else. This was a rough day for me... really tough to write in the evenings.

My own music is Podrunner from iTunes (techno workout music.) I can't have any lyrics, sadly, or I drop out of my trance.


----------



## Colin Taber (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1 - 2,300  
Day 2 - 300 
Day 3 - 800 
Day 4 - 1,300 
Day 5 - 3,300
Day 6 - 1,300 
Day 7 - 2,000
Day 8 - 1,000
Day 9 - 0
Day 10 - 2,450
Day 11 - 2,250 
Day 12 - 3,300
Day 13 - 3,200
Day 14 - 4,100
Day 15 - 2,600
Day 16 - 1,000
Day 17 - 3,500
Day 18 - 0
Day 19 - 2,500
-------------
Total - 37,000


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

Day 19 - 2,000 words. Total: 40,700

Amazing how quickly the words add up if you keep plugging away each and every day. I'm starting to feel hopeful that I'll complete the writing challenge.


----------



## michaelabayomi (Dec 13, 2011)

Day 18-19: 3,000 words. Total: 30,000.

Finally made it past the halfway point. And with only 10 days to go. Yikes. That means I'd have to average 3,000 words over the course of those 10 days to make it all the way. Double yikes.


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

michaelabayomi said:


> Day 18-19: 3,000 words. Total: 30,000.
> 
> Finally made it past the halfway point. And with only 10 days to go. Yikes. That means I'd have to average 3,000 words over the course of those 10 days to make it all the way. Double yikes.


Even if you only did 2K per day for the last ten days you'd still end up with 50,000 words. In a month. That's nothing to sneeze at.


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

Day 1: 1736          Day 11: 4495
Day 2: 2272          Day 12: 5401
Day 3: 770            Day 13: 1550
Day 4: 2731          Day 14: 624
Day 5: 0              Day 15: 0
Day 6: 992            Day 16: 0
Day 7: 0              Day 17: 0
Day 8: 1414          Day 18: 0
Day 9: 0              Day 19: 2671
Day 10: 0


Total: 24656

All those zeroes are crushing my soul. But to be fair, I had an exceedingly bad week and I'm not going to beat myself up over it. Between overtime at the day job, line edits on the contracted stuff and some health nastiness, I have tons of excuses and not much word count. Today I'm getting back on track, though, and it feels good.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Big fat zero today. No excuse, just hit a wall. Back on the horse tomorrow...


----------



## JoshuaPSimon (Jun 24, 2011)

Day 1 - 2234
Day 2 - 2732
Day 3 - 2507
Day 4 - 2530
Day 5 - 1149
Day 6 - 2584 
Day 7 - 2289
Day 8 - 2438
Day 9 - 2196
Day 10 - 2054
Day 11- 2368
Day 12 - 1718
Day 13 - 2045
Day 14 - 2360
Day 15 - 1713
Day 16 - 2128
Day 17 - 3606
Day 18 - 970..planned for this day
Day 19 - 1825...it's a Sunday, no surprise in missing my word count there.

Hoping for another big 3K+ day tomorrow....


----------



## michaelabayomi (Dec 13, 2011)

MichaelWallace said:


> Even if you only did 2K per day for the last ten days you'd still end up with 50,000 words. In a month. That's nothing to sneeze at.


Quite true. I'll try to write at least 1,500 words per day (my comfort zone of late) for a grand total of 45K (the number I need to complete book 5 of my series). But if I happen to hit 50K (or 60) then I am soooo going to take the bull by the horns come NaNoWriMo 2012.


----------



## Sybil Nelson (Jun 24, 2010)

I've been slacking on posting my daily totals. I have a rough week ahead and have been trying to get some actual school work done this weekend. I love writing, but I can't flunk out of school. Anyway, I have been writing a little. Just checked my total and I'm up to 26,658 for my work in progress. Might not make the 60k but I'll have a big chunk and I'm pretty happy about that.


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Feb 1:  2291
Feb 2:  2032
Feb 3:  2023
Feb 4:  2135
Feb 5:  2010
Feb 6:  2126
Feb 7:  2113
Feb 8:  2557
Feb 9:  2060
Feb 10: 2077
Feb 11: 2069
Feb 12: 2094
Feb 13: 2093
Feb 14: 2237
Feb 15: 2069
Feb 16: 2132
Feb 17: 2051
Feb 18: 2059
Feb 19: 2001*

*Most of this is the crappiest word salad ever tossed in a bowl. But it's done.

Total: 40,something, like me. Ten days to go!


----------



## Ben White (Feb 11, 2011)

Edged over 60k today, now I might just finish this episode off and get back to proofing.


----------



## David Wisehart (Mar 2, 2010)

Day 1: 4,307
Day 2: 3,909
Day 3: 1,819
Day 4: 802
Day 5: 1,037
Day 6: 0
Day 7: 551
Day 8: 2,406
Day 9: 593
Day 10: 1,022
Day 11: 1,119
Day 12: 0
Day 13: 2,881
Day 14: 0
Day 15: 908
Day 16: 424
Day 17: 0
Day 18: 0
Day 19: 3,326

Total: 24,704

David


----------



## Savannah_Page (Feb 16, 2012)

Thanks for the welcome, Gretchen. And great progress! 
A lot of you are really cranking it out. Go writers!!!

Here's the progress and where I thought the book would be a mid-80k or so, as a rough draft #2, I guess the muse dictated that it be a 67k at a complete rough draft #2. We'll see how the editing goes. (That starts tomorrow--waaaaah). Anyone else find editing the least fun part, although seriously necessary and important to better honing the 'ol craft?

Day 1: 0 (kinda just stared at the screen and drank coffee all day-- sad start)
Day 2: 10,800 (found the best starting groove which was way cool)
Day 3: 4,400
Day 4: 0
Day 5: 0
Day 6: 7,100
Day 7: 10,300
Day 8: 0
Day 9: 4,600
Day 10: 0
Day 11: 0
Day 12: 0
Day 13: 3,900
Day 14: 8,000
Day 15: 4,200
Day 16: 6,300
Day 17: 7,430
Total: 67,000

This is by far the quickest I've turned out a rough draft of a novel (about 2 weeks' time), but I opted for Amanda Hocking's approach of laying it all out there in planning format, pretty much scene-by-scene, and then going into writing pretty much knowing exactly how things would happen. I think I really liked this approach. Granted, I needed an extra 4-6 weeks of just planning and grinning and baring it as I just wanted to get my hands dirty and write and write...but I really think this approach of planning nearly everything out, then getting to the writing, was a good method. I'm going to try it out on my next book.

Keep up the great writing and progress, everyone!! Knock 'em out!

Savannah Page
www.savannahpage.com


----------



## michaelabayomi (Dec 13, 2011)

Okay. I am about to start my Day 20 session. Hopefully, by the end of it, I'll have a decent word count worth reporting. There's no power at the moment, so I'm afraid it is going to be longhand today. <sigh>

As for listening to music while I write, I'm one of those who find lyrics too distracting. But I do play background music when I read over and edit. It helps create an atmosphere. I created a playlist for my WIP and blogged about this sometime last month. Here's a link if you care to check it out:

http://michaelabayomi.blogspot.com/2012/01/guardians-playlist.html


----------



## unkownwriter (Jun 22, 2011)

Well, we're in the homestretch now, folks. Nine days to go. I'm really far behind, because this weekend was a total wash. Does it count that I was thinking about the book?  

Anyway, my update has the same total--22,241--with the two zero days. I figure if I can do 4,200 words a day for the rest of the month, I can still make 60,000. 

I'm thinking about which book I will work on once I finish the current novel--just under 42,000 out of 60,000 goal. I started it last year and just couldn't get my behind in gear to finish it. I've got part of book 2 written, since it was supposed to have been the first book, before I realized I needed to rearrange the timeline. But, I kind of want to finish the Gothic romance I started a while back, due to a thread we had here.  Decisions, decisions.


----------



## Sybil Nelson (Jun 24, 2010)

For some reason my in-laws missed my kids and had them spend the night last night. So I have an entire morning with no kids and I don't have to be in class until 1. Time for some serious writing.

As for listening to music while I write, I can do it only if it's mindless pop music. I was a music major in college and classical music is too distracting for me as I find myself listening for chord modulations and playing a game of six degrees of composer separation.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

I hit a sticky point yesterday. I realized I had outpaced all my outlines, so I did some reading/research, made some vague outlines for the rest of the book (it's historical, so I really have to, despite my inner pantser), then got down to some detail this morning. Looking back at (most of) my best days, it seems prepping for 30mins to an hour before each session is essential to productivity. Otherwise I spend all day dragging it out (and I suspect the end result isn't as good).

So, today, back to a little more planning and logic, and saving my inner pantser for my shorts - where it belongs! I did a quick 20 min prep, then wrote 1,300 words in less than an hour - really, really good stuff too.

I'm going to take a break, then try and do two more sessions like that today. I need around 3,000 words a day now for the last 10 days if I am to make the target. Challenging, but not impossible. I think if I aim for a good bit more on "good" days like today, I can carry the slack from the inevitable bad days.

Keep it up everyone! This whole thread is very inspiring.


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

Day 20 - 2,100 words. Total: 42,800

"I think I can. . .I think I can. . .I think I can."


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Is it just me, or is that cover particularly trippy?


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

I have that edition! Got it at a garage sale years ago. Very trippy. I love the tongue.


----------



## Sybil Nelson (Jun 24, 2010)

I just passed 30k and I finally thought of a realistic motivation for my villain. Woohoo!


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

Sybil Nelson said:


> I just passed 30k and I finally thought of a realistic motivation for my villain. Woohoo!


LOL. I've done this before, given the villain a nefarious plot and then sweated it out while I figured out why he/she is doing this stuff even as I'm writing the rough draft.


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Feb 1:  2291
Feb 2:  2032
Feb 3:  2023
Feb 4:  2135
Feb 5:  2010
Feb 6:  2126
Feb 7:  2113
Feb 8:  2557
Feb 9:  2060
Feb 10: 2077
Feb 11: 2069
Feb 12: 2094
Feb 13: 2093
Feb 14: 2237
Feb 15: 2069
Feb 16: 2132
Feb 17: 2051
Feb 18: 2059
Feb 19: 2001
Feb 20: 2090

total: 42,319 (Wow. That's unbelievable for me. This thread has really been an inspiration.)


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

Nice job, Gretchen. You've hit 2,000 every single day.

As for the group, we've lost a few people, but a lot of people are hanging tough. Even if we don't all hit 60K, there are an awful lot of people who will get at least 30 or 40,000, which is fantastic progress for the shortest month of the year.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

And kudos to you Michael for starting this thread. I only stumbled onto it in the last few days in January. I'm glad I did, because I had just cleared my desk and was eager to start my next novel. This thread probably saved me from six to eight weeks of messing around, "researching", and general noodling. Now I've got well half of a new book written!

I've about 2.4k so far today (plus another 1.5k on my blog, but that doesn't count). And I think I've another session left in me. Going to try for 3.5k and then call it quits. I've some ground to make up.


----------



## cidneyswanson (Feb 1, 2011)

Gretchen Galway said:


> *Most of this is the crappiest word salad ever tossed in a bowl. But it's done.


Now _that_ put a smile of my face. I had a day like that, too.

Savannah: those big number days are proof your time spent in outlining was time well-spent!

Michael, Sybil and [??]: so glad to hear I'm not the only one with music listening issues. And Sybil--what a crack-up reading about the sort of music you _can't_ have on and why. 

Sheila: It totally counts that you were thinking about your book. You'll hit the ground with more oomph, don't you think? Good work hanging in there.

David: what important things you are finding out about yourself as a writer. Sounds like those 20-30 minutes spent before writing are critical with your historicals. That is info you can take to the bank, baby! (And which you might not have had without this challenge??)

Michael (other Michael!): thanks again for starting the challenge. It's been great to have the goal in front of me each day, and , like you mentioned, to see how beautifully it adds up.

Speaking of which:

42,361 as of today. But I'm jealous that you're ahead of me, Michael. I might have to add another 500 this evening. I liked being out in front. 

Cheers, all!
Cidney


----------



## MGalloway (Jun 21, 2011)

MichaelWallace said:


> As for the group, we've lost a few people, but a lot of people are hanging tough.


I'm debating whether to re-join the challenge or not. I wrote a bunch of new material in late January, and continued into February for the first seven or eight days. Then, I went on a long vacation (ten days). To hit 60K would require that I write 5,600 words a day from here on out. Although it is potentially possible, it's also potentially kind of a nutty pace for me.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1:  2,100
Day 2:  2,673
Day 3:  1,900
Day 4:  2,500
Day 5:        0
Day 6:  1,090
Day 7:        0
Day 8:        0
Day 9:  2,496
Day 10: 1,234
Day 11: 1,334
Day 12: 3,131
Day 13: 2,623
Day 14: 1,954
Day 15:    315
Day 16: 3,360 
Day 17: 1,777
Day 18: 3,755
Day 19:        0
Day 20: 3,372
----------------
Total:  34,219

Nine more days. Three thousand a day. I can do it. I think.

And @MGalloway - go for it. The worst that can happen is you'll write some and fall short - which still puts you ahead of where you are now. Go for it!


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

MGalloway said:


> I'm debating whether to re-join the challenge or not.


I've discovered that the goal for me isn't the 60K, but to hit a particular minimum word count every single day (2k). Developing that habit, and learning how to make your life work around it, is as practical as the manuscript pages you can caress with self-satisfaction.

And I want to thank Michael Wallace also for starting the thread. *hip hip hooray*


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Sundays are always zero days, but President's Day shut down my library today. Don't they realize I have writing to do??


----------



## JoshuaPSimon (Jun 24, 2011)

Day 1 - 2234
Day 2 - 2732
Day 3 - 2507
Day 4 - 2530
Day 5 - 1149
Day 6 - 2584 
Day 7 - 2289
Day 8 - 2438
Day 9 - 2196
Day 10 - 2054
Day 11- 2368
Day 12 - 1718
Day 13 - 2045
Day 14 - 2360
Day 15 - 1713
Day 16 - 2128
Day 17 - 3606
Day 18 - 970
Day 19 - 1825
Day 20 - 3,616..Great day.

Total - 45,062

Hmmm...So there's a real strong chance I will finish my rough draft (started long before the challenge) before hitting 60K (I think I might fall 5-7K words short).  After I finish this draft/challenge I had planned to jump on editing a novella I want to get out by April 1st.  Now, I'm debating whether I should jump on editing when I'm done the draft and just end the month short of the total goal (despite having a great daily average) or....Write 1-2 short stories I've been wanting to get to in order to finish out the month strong and reach 60K.

I think it's going to depend how close I am and how much time I have on my hands.  It would make my life less stressful to just start editing sooner, but I hate not finishing something I've started....very likely I'll end up doing the short stories.  lol


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Do the stories. Keep the ball rolling!


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

MGalloway said:


> I'm debating whether to re-join the challenge or not. I wrote a bunch of new material in late January, and continued into February for the first seven or eight days. Then, I went on a long vacation (ten days). To hit 60K would require that I write 5,600 words a day from here on out. Although it is potentially possible, it's also potentially kind of a nutty pace for me.


Even if you can't make 5,600 per day (yikes!), you can still make it a half marathon!


----------



## Rachel Schurig (Apr 9, 2011)

It's so awesome to see so many people getting close to this goal! I haven't been checking in much because I'm way behind and posting my number (24,000 and change as of today) just depresses the hell out of me.

In order to actually make it, I'd have to average 4000 words a day from here on out. Yikes. I'm not giving up though! I tend to work better when I can write in big chunks and I have three days of no day job between now and the 29th. We'll see if I can pull it off. Like Michael said, even if I don't hit it, I'll have a huge chunk of what has been a pretty difficult novel for me to write. Can't lose!

Thanks Michael for starting this and for everyone else for being active in posting. Even though I haven't been checking in, the challenge has always been at the back of my mind, inspiring me to keep plugging away.


----------



## JoshuaPSimon (Jun 24, 2011)

dgaughran said:


> Do the stories. Keep the ball rolling!


Yeah, that's what I'm thinking.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Rachel Schurig said:


> In order to actually make it, I'd have to average 4000 words a day from here on out. Yikes. I'm not giving up though!


That's the spirit. When I had a run of zeroes, I thought about stepping out of the challenge. But I had nothing to lose by staying in, and the wind picked up again. Keep at it!


----------



## Rachel Schurig (Apr 9, 2011)

dgaughran said:


> That's the spirit. When I had a run of zeroes, I thought about stepping out of the challenge. But I had nothing to lose by staying in, and the wind picked up again. Keep at it!


Thanks, David. I managed to squeeze in a couple hundred more words before bed. Onward and upward!


----------



## michaelabayomi (Dec 13, 2011)

Day 20: 2,500 words. Total: 32,500.

A bit late logging in my numbers, but there it is. Not bad for a longhand day. Sadly, there's another one in the horizon today. Oh well. At least I'm still writing.


----------



## Savannah_Page (Feb 16, 2012)

Great progress, everyone. Love seeing the numbers climb and climb! Personal records, too!

Cidney, you're totally right. I'm usually a tiny outliner kinda writer (basically how to get from vague point 'A' to vague point 'B'). But throwing a lot of the old rules out the window and doing heavy outlining beforehand really was a lot of fun. I don't think I'd ever reach 8k-10k kind of days had it not been for a very diligent outline.

Gretchen, I love that 2k per day goal. That's a grand idea! It's not necessarily about making the 60k, but maybe this month of due-diligence will result in a newfound habit of 2k words a day! Super awesome.

Keep up the great writing, everyone!

Savannah Page
www.savannahpage.com


----------



## Colin Taber (Apr 4, 2011)

Yep, great results everyone!

I'm soldiering on. A few slow days lately, but more or less on track:

Day 1 - 2,300  
Day 2 - 300 
Day 3 - 800 
Day 4 - 1,300 
Day 5 - 3,300
Day 6 - 1,300 
Day 7 - 2,000
Day 8 - 1,000
Day 9 - 0
Day 10 - 2,450
Day 11 - 2,250 
Day 12 - 3,300
Day 13 - 3,200
Day 14 - 4,100
Day 15 - 2,600
Day 16 - 1,000
Day 17 - 3,500
Day 18 - 0
Day 19 - 2,500
Day 20 - 2,000
Day 21 - 1,000
-------------
Total - 40,000

I think after another week I'll be feeling like I'm pretty much back in the habit.


----------



## B Sheridan (Dec 5, 2011)

Day 1: 0
Day 2: 1188
Day 3: 6333
Day 4: 991
Day 5: 1743
Day 6: 1201
Day 7: 789
Day 8: 1435
Day 9: 0
Day 10: 856
Day 11: 0 
Day 12: 0 
Day 13: 0 
Day 14: 632 
Day 15: 2394
Day 16: 216 
Day 17: 5627
Day 18: 1971
Day 19: 3429
Day 20: 1834

Total: 30639

Well I've tried to make more of a push the last few days, mainly because this week is going to be crazy. I'll be shocked if I even make it to the gym on Wed and Thurs, let alone find time to write. Right now, I'm almost 10K behind. I should probably just be grateful, because I think this is so far the most productive writing month I've had during a semester in, well, forever.

I'd be more grateful, though, if I weren't mired in the dangerous middle of the current project. For me, there's a certain place in the middle of a project where I start to think every word I write kind of blows, where I start to feel panicky if I think about more than just completing the current scene because, really, what the hell was I thinking in the first place with this project and I still have another 40k to go? And wouldn't it be better for me to scrap this steaming pile of a book and start on a fresh and delightful and uncomplicated project? This is a dangerous place for me, and I've learned to just put one word in front of the other because the only way out is through. Going by past experience, I'll get my second wind about the time I hit the 2/3 mark.


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

Blake,

I fight that feeling, too. That middle part is exhausting. You're so far from the beginning that all the initial enthusiasm has evaporated, but so far from the end that it still feels like you'll never finish. Got to keep fighting.

My progress:

Day 21 - 2,100 words. Total: 44,900

I'm on track to finish and can scarcely believe that all this is new in the past three weeks, not to mention that we'll be done a week from tomorrow. I'll be about 2/3 the way through the first draft of the book by then and am wondering if I could manage 2K/day for another couple of weeks and just finish the darn thing.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Got so busy talking about music forgot to put in my total!


Day 1: 0.
Day 2: 2,513.
Day 3: 2,691.
Day 4: 2,631.
Day 5: 0.
Day 6: 2,728.
Day 7: 3,141.
Day 8: 2,542.
Day 9: 1,589.
Day 10: 2,531.Day 11: Fail.
Day 12: More fail.
Day 13: 2,058.
Day 14: 1,390.
Day 15: 2,556.
Day 16: 2,819.
Day 17: 2,708.
Day 18: 2,302.
Day 19: 0.
Day 20: 0.
Day 21: 2,518.

Total: 36,357.


----------



## michaelabayomi (Dec 13, 2011)

Day 21: 2,500 words. Total: 35,000.

A slow but ultimately productive day. Dead tired right now. Need to rest up so I can do it again tomorrow. <yawn>


----------



## MGalloway (Jun 21, 2011)

Gretchen Galway said:


> I've discovered that the goal for me isn't the 60K, but to hit a particular minimum word count every single day (2k).


Good point. I'll start off again today, but my goal will be (and has been) to write a short story a day. That means I have nine to go...


----------



## Ursula_Bauer (Dec 12, 2010)

1k. (in addition to the previous words)
OMG - cooking with gas now!!!!!


----------



## JoshuaPSimon (Jun 24, 2011)

Day 1 - 2234
Day 2 - 2732
Day 3 - 2507
Day 4 - 2530
Day 5 - 1149
Day 6 - 2584 
Day 7 - 2289
Day 8 - 2438
Day 9 - 2196
Day 10 - 2054
Day 11- 2368
Day 12 - 1718
Day 13 - 2045
Day 14 - 2360
Day 15 - 1713
Day 16 - 2128
Day 17 - 3606
Day 18 - 970
Day 19 - 1825
Day 20 - 3,616
Day 21 - 2418


----------



## MGalloway (Jun 21, 2011)

Day 1 - 2,443
Day 2 - 1,814
Day 3 - 92
Day 4 - 2,709
Day 5 - 0
Day 6 - 112
Day 7 - 1,795
Day 8 through 20 - 0  
Day 21 - 712


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Feb 1:  2291
Feb 2:  2032
Feb 3:  2023
Feb 4:  2135
Feb 5:  2010
Feb 6:  2126
Feb 7:  2113
Feb 8:  2557
Feb 9:  2060
Feb 10: 2077
Feb 11: 2069
Feb 12: 2094
Feb 13: 2093
Feb 14: 2237
Feb 15: 2069
Feb 16: 2132
Feb 17: 2051
Feb 18: 2059
Feb 19: 2001
Feb 20: 2090
Feb 21: 2139

Total: 44,458

The last three days have been very hard. I've had kids around, but I don't think it's them. I've broken my linear story with some "go-back" notes on my newest scenes (as in, go back and make this two months later, go back and add several scenes that make this one make sense). Anyway, those are like frayed threads at the end of a rope, right when I'd really like to tie a knot and hang on.

There's the sagging middle, but this is more like the random, explosive nonsense of a Hollywood movie that had an ending tacked on to please the focus group.

Rambling. Oh sure, it's easy to write words HERE. *f-word*
Nine more days.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1:  2,100
Day 2:  2,673
Day 3:  1,900
Day 4:  2,500
Day 5:        0
Day 6:  1,090
Day 7:        0
Day 8:        0
Day 9:  2,496
Day 10: 1,234
Day 11: 1,334
Day 12: 3,131
Day 13: 2,623
Day 14: 1,954
Day 15:    315
Day 16: 3,360 
Day 17: 1,777
Day 18: 3,755
Day 19:      0
Day 20: 3,372
Day 21: 3,063
----------------
Total:  37,282

Boy, I'm zapped. I spent most of the day dealing with tax nonsense. By the time I was done, the last thing I wanted to do was write. I banged my head against a brick wall for a while, then decided to turn that tricky scene into one long freewheeling dialogue and it turned out pretty good. I'll need to layer in some setting and such on the next draft, and tighten it up a good bit, but I think it's going to be a strong chapter when I'm done.

Tomorrow: I'm going to try and break 40k. I still can't believe I got this far. 8 more 3k days, and I beat the target. It's possible!


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

dgaughran said:


> It's possible!


It is. Hang in there.

Good luck with your taxes. I've set mine aside (along with the trips to the gym)... One thing I'll have to rectify soon. Ugh.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Procrastination is a tricksy beast. It can make doing your taxes or cleaning the toilet sound like two weeks beachcombing in Tulum.


----------



## Rachel Schurig (Apr 9, 2011)

Gretchen, your list of 2000s is mighty impressive. They really add up when you do it every day! 

2011 words for me today. Didn't do much to catch me up, but it's something.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Gretchen Galway said:


> There's the sagging middle, but this is more like the random, explosive nonsense of a Hollywood movie that had an ending tacked on to please the focus group.
> 
> Rambling. Oh sure, it's easy to write words HERE. *f-word*
> Nine more days.


Probably the wrong time to point out it's eight more days.

*ducks flying plates*


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Thanks, guys. If you only knew how snail-like and unproductive I've been for years...

And Dave, I'd only throw a plate at you if you said there were TEN more days. Eight? I'll throw flowers.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Gretchen Galway said:


> Thanks, guys. If you only knew how snail-like and unproductive I've been for years...
> 
> And Dave, I'd only throw a plate at you if you said there were TEN more days. Eight? I'll throw flowers.


Heh. My last novel took me three years to write, and another two to hunt down the neoplasms. This is a _slight_ uptick in speed.


----------



## michaelabayomi (Dec 13, 2011)

dgaughran said:


> Procrastination is a tricksy beast. It can make doing your taxes or cleaning the toilet sound like two weeks beachcombing in Tulum.


Speaking of toilets... guess whose toilet hasn't been cleaned since the start of this challenge?


----------



## David Wisehart (Mar 2, 2010)

Day 1: 4,307
Day 2: 3,909
Day 3: 1,819
Day 4: 802
Day 5: 1,037
Day 6: 0
Day 7: 551
Day 8: 2,406
Day 9: 593
Day 10: 1,022
Day 11: 1,119
Day 12: 0
Day 13: 2,881
Day 14: 0
Day 15: 908
Day 16: 424
Day 17: 0
Day 18: 0
Day 19: 3,326
Day 20: 2,771
Day 21: 4,182

Total: 31,657

David


----------



## Madeline (Jun 5, 2010)

Ew, I'm bummed I missed this.  We gonna do it again soon??


----------



## cidneyswanson (Feb 1, 2011)

Woot! for everyone!

Home stretch!!!

I didn't quite make my 2K today. I hit 1929 and crashed. See how I punned with a number? What's that called

Total: 44,290
I took Sunday off writing as well, and spent all day compiling tax records. Earned myself a tidy refund, too! Which isn't going to happen this year. And I'm good with that. Happy to note that I spent more money on buying books than on buying coffees with writerly peeps. Gotta support authors and all.
Hugs,
Cidney


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Madeline said:


> Ew, I'm bummed I missed this. We gonna do it again soon??


I think some people who couldn't do it this month are talking about doing it next month. And I might (maybe) do it again in April.

I can't believe I just said that out loud.


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

Day 22 - 2,200 words. Total: 47,100

I wish I could get past the habit of struggling for the first 1,500 words and then throwing in the towel just as I get cranking. I can't help it, though. I'm highly disciplined in starting on time, but by the time I see the finish line approach I only have enough strength left to wrap up whatever thought I'm currently pursuing and that usually happens in a paragraph or two.


----------



## Ben White (Feb 11, 2011)

I am totally up for #60kinMar.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

That's cheating. You have eight arms.


----------



## unkownwriter (Jun 22, 2011)

Hey guys, good to see how everybody is doing. As usual, I'm not updating here every day, usually because I keep sneaking in those zero days. And well, the truth is, I'm in a major funk right now, and it's all I can do not to just trunk the whole thing and write some short stories instead.  

That said, I had zero days Sat - Mon, did 1,000 yesterday, and nothing today. Seems like I ended up taking my birthday off anyway, even though I should be writing. But that whole one year older thing is part of the funk. It came out of nowhere this year, totally unexpected.  

Well, as Scarlet was known to say, "Tomorrow is another day!" 

Later, gater.


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Happy Birthday, Sheila!     

Don't feel guilty. Feeling your age and not writing is a bad combo... try not to beat yourself up. I saw this card at Trader Joe's today that said "You are doing exactly what you should be doing. You are exactly where you should be."

I used to write greeting cards, so I speak as a pro when I say I thought that was a good card.

Of course, chocolate is better.


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Oops, here's my tally for today:

Feb 1: 2291
Feb 2: 2032
Feb 3: 2023
Feb 4: 2135
Feb 5: 2010
Feb 6: 2126
Feb 7: 2113
Feb 8: 2557
Feb 9: 2060
Feb 10: 2077
Feb 11: 2069
Feb 12: 2094
Feb 13: 2093
Feb 14: 2237
Feb 15: 2069
Feb 16: 2132
Feb 17: 2051
Feb 18: 2059
Feb 19: 2001
Feb 20: 2090
Feb 21: 2139
Feb 22: 2252

total: 46,710

Regarding the suggestion of doing this again, I'm not able to do March, but April?? maybe. I have to edit this baby, though.

I'm curious: any working titles out there anybody wants to share?

Here's mine: _Fat Girl Gets the Guy_.

Self-explanatory


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Oh, fun idea.



I'm at about 3.5k, but I'm going to try and get to 4k before I call it a night.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Oh, and happy birthday Sheila!


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

My title is Destroying Angel. It's the fifth book of The Righteous series. Book #4 just went to my editor and is called The Blessed and the Damned.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Spent six hours installing a new water heater in my house, and made approximately seven trips to various hardware stores. Ugh.


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

Day 1: 1736          Day 11: 4495            Day 21: 0
Day 2: 2272          Day 12: 5401            Day 22: 2100
Day 3: 770            Day 13: 1550
Day 4: 2731          Day 14: 624
Day 5: 0              Day 15: 0
Day 6: 992            Day 16: 0
Day 7: 0              Day 17: 0
Day 8: 1414          Day 18: 0
Day 9: 0              Day 19: 2671
Day 10: 0            Day 20: 0

Total: 26756

I grossly overestimated how fast it'd take me to get through 2 intensive line edits. Not fun! It was hard getting back into my book today, and I spent half the afternoon researching, but I made decent progress tonight. Am hoping for a few kick butt days to make my total less pitiful. Ah well.


----------



## Ben White (Feb 11, 2011)

dgaughran said:


> That's cheating. You have eight arms.


And a magic keyboard powered by crystallised-and-subsequently-crushed elf-dreams. But that's neither here nor there.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1:  2,100
Day 2:  2,673
Day 3:  1,900
Day 4:  2,500
Day 5:        0
Day 6:  1,090
Day 7:        0
Day 8:        0
Day 9:  2,496
Day 10: 1,234
Day 11: 1,334
Day 12: 3,131
Day 13: 2,623
Day 14: 1,954
Day 15:    315
Day 16: 3,360 
Day 17: 1,777
Day 18: 3,755
Day 19:      0
Day 20: 3,372
Day 21: 3,063
Day 22: 4,485
----------------
Total:  41,767

I'm not sure if I've ever written this many words in a day before. Pretty good stuff too. I've certainly never written anything close to 40k in a month, and I think if I can keep anything like this pace up, I can actually beat this target, which really didn't look likely a couple of weeks ago.

I'm nearing the end of my book, strangely. Or at least, I'll probably write the ending tomorrow. I've skipped quite a few chapters (something I don't normally do), but even when I fill those in, it might only add 10k or so. Maybe it's just a short book. We'll see. I've added up to 20k on second drafts before, layering in detail/setting, and then going off on a tangent, and there are plenty of narrative blobs that need to be worked up into action/dialogue which will elongate it a good bit.


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

@David Gaughran: 4,485 words in one day? Wow. I've never done that. Thus my need to hit the 2K every day or fail.

@David Dalglish: bad luck with the water heater. Did you have to find the earthquake-support-band or is that only in CA?


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Nah it involved rusted pipes and not buying the right thing for the fuse box and running power cords through the attic, and making many, many trips to various hardware stores because we either didn't have something, broke something, or bought wrong thing.

But it's working now!


----------



## cidneyswanson (Feb 1, 2011)

Hey all,
I have a need to sit and watch a movie. I'm calling it a night with 1900 words.
Total: 46,137.

David-yuck! Houses are supposed to take care of themselves so we can write, dammit.
Sheila--Happy birthday!
Other David-wow, man. Just. Wow.

Tomorrow marks a day off for me to see GF's from college days. I'll have some serious catch up come Saturday night. Where's that Little Engine that Could pic? Freaky tongue and all?

Cheers, conquering heroes!
Cidney

Oh! And PS! GOBLIN DANCE is working title for my ballet/goblin/Russian food novel.


----------



## michaelabayomi (Dec 13, 2011)

Day 22: 3,000 words. Total: 38,000.

First off, Happy Birthday Sheila! Secondly, really impressive word count David G.

Wow. I've really had fun this past couple of days. Got to write scenes I've been fantasizing about for over four years. Most of them turned out even better than I imagined. There are some twists and turns and details you just can't picture until you take your characters out of your head and place them on the page.

I wouldn't mind doing this challenge again some time, although with a less demanding goal. I'm quite down for next month, since I've got quite a bit of story left to tell (last 2 books in the series), plus I'll be busy with another kind of challenge this April (my first ever blogging A-Z). Also, I wouldn't want to lose any of the momentum I've been able to build during this challenge.


----------



## David Wisehart (Mar 2, 2010)

Day 1: 4,307
Day 2: 3,909
Day 3: 1,819
Day 4: 802
Day 5: 1,037
Day 6: 0
Day 7: 551
Day 8: 2,406
Day 9: 593
Day 10: 1,022
Day 11: 1,119
Day 12: 0
Day 13: 2,881
Day 14: 0
Day 15: 908
Day 16: 424
Day 17: 0
Day 18: 0
Day 19: 3,326
Day 20: 2,771
Day 21: 4,182
Day 22: 1,621

Total: 33,278

David


----------



## unkownwriter (Jun 22, 2011)

Aw, thanks for the birthday wishes, and the pep talks--they are greatly appreciated. 

I feel a little better about the book this morning, so I just need to kick myself in the butt and get to working on it. I honestly don't know why I got so down on it, I mean, the thing is like 80% done. I wrote more on the book in this challenge than I did last year when I started it, so I've made great progress, really.

I just sat there and looked at it, and thought "who's going to want to read this poop?" And the answer to that question is, "Nobody will have the chance, if you don't finish it, you doofus.".

To answer a couple of earlier questions:

1) I haven't tried listening to music while I write, though the TV is often droning in the background.

2) A working title I have written down: River of Deceit

3) Another challenge? April might be nice, we could call it Axing the Taxman, or April Writing Fools.

_Alrighty _then, catch ya on the flip-flop, as the truckers used to say.


----------



## Savannah_Page (Feb 16, 2012)

Keep up the great work, everyone! I'm dragging my feet at editing right now. And have found a new way to procrastinate the editing! (Always great, hah?) Got a few how-to / editing books in the mail today and am actually excited to brush up on the 'ol necessary grammar, syntax, punctuation, learning how to accept and deal with bad reviews, stuff. Looks like today will be a day of juggling editing with reading about editing. Hopefully the reading about editing won't keep me from _actually_ editing and doing what I need to do. haha Okay...maybe none of this is all that exciting after all.... Oh well. 

Chug away at the daily word count, fellow writers! Woohoo!!

Savannah Page
_Author of Bumped to Berlin_
www.savannahpage.com


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

Sheila,

It's normal to get down on your work at that stage of the process. We're often a poor judge of the quality of our own work, but that's the time when it's especially hard to recognize its merits. I might have posted this here before, but I find this video encouraging whenever I feel that way.

http://www.wimp.com/obviousyou/


----------



## B Sheridan (Dec 5, 2011)

Days 1-5: 10255
Days 6-10: 4281
Days 11-15: 3026
Days 16-20: 13077
Day 21: 3009
Day 22: 572
Day 23: 513

Total: 34733

I'm about 11k behind, but I'm hoping to make up some ground this weekend. I even managed to wake up earlier yesterday and today (my two killer days this week) and get at least a little writing time. All things considered, I think I can finish out the month somewhere between 45k and 50k. That is...amazing. Definitely a record for me while I'm in school.

So if I haven't said it before, thanks to Michael Wallace for setting this up, and thanks to everyone else for posting their numbers, for sharing their frustrations and accomplishments. I've found it immeasurably encouraging.

Oh, and my working title is _A Hard Truth_, which is the second in my romantic thriller series, following _Shadow of Truth_.


----------



## JoshuaPSimon (Jun 24, 2011)

Day 1 - 2234
Day 2 - 2732
Day 3 - 2507
Day 4 - 2530
Day 5 - 1149
Day 6 - 2584 
Day 7 - 2289
Day 8 - 2438
Day 9 - 2196
Day 10 - 2054
Day 11- 2368
Day 12 - 1718
Day 13 - 2045
Day 14 - 2360
Day 15 - 1713
Day 16 - 2128
Day 17 - 3606
Day 18 - 970
Day 19 - 1825
Day 20 - 3,616
Day 21 - 2418
Day 22- 2550
Day 23- 1871

Total 51,901

...Uh, so I was right.  I officially finished the first draft of Book 2 of the Blood and Tears Trilogy during lunch today (working title STEEL AND SORROW).  It feels great even though I know there is a ton of cleanup to do.  

But, since I still have 8100 words left to write in order to meet the 60K goal, I'm going to write and finish one short story and try to start another.  Unfortunately, once I either hit 60K or I reach March 1st, I need to stop what I'm doing and jump on edits for my prequel novella WALK THROUGH FIRE.


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

JoshuaPSimon said:


> I officially finished the first draft of Book 2 of the Blood and Tears Trilogy during lunch today (working title STEEL AND SORROW). It feels great even though I know there is a ton of cleanup to do.


Congrats! That is one of the greatest feelings as a writer.


----------



## JoshuaPSimon (Jun 24, 2011)

MichaelWallace said:


> Congrats! That is one of the greatest feelings as a writer.


Thanks!


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Joshua: Whoo hoo! I'm worried I'll be in that boat myself in a few days. If I write the last page, though, before the challenge is over, I'll go back and add scenes. My characters got ahead of themselves and want their ever-after right away. I'll give it to them, but I'll have to go back and add some suffering.

Anyway, congratulations!


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Feb 1:  2291
Feb 2:  2032
Feb 3:  2023
Feb 4:  2135
Feb 5:  2010
Feb 6:  2126
Feb 7:  2113
Feb 8:  2557
Feb 9:  2060
Feb 10: 2077
Feb 11: 2069
Feb 12: 2094
Feb 13: 2093
Feb 14: 2237
Feb 15: 2069
Feb 16: 2132
Feb 17: 2051
Feb 18: 2059
Feb 19: 2001
Feb 20: 2090
Feb 21: 2139
Feb 22: 2252
Feb 23: 2082

total: 48,792

I was having trouble wrapping up my MCs' relationship, so I put a dog and my heroine on an icy snowbank over a river. There's probably a name for that. (Jumping the creek? lol)


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

Gretchen Galway said:


> I was having trouble wrapping up my MCs' relationship, so I put a dog and my heroine on an icy snowbank over a river. There's probably a name for that. (Jumping the creek? lol)




You're doing great, Gretchen. Looks like you'll cross 50,000 words tomorrow. A little over three weeks ago you had nothing!


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

MichaelWallace said:


> You're doing great, Gretchen. Looks like you'll cross 50,000 words tomorrow. A little over three weeks ago you had nothing!


Thanks! Though, actually, I had 25K under my belt; that's why I'm nearing the end.

Thanks so much for starting the thread. I've taken months to write 50K. A year. So, happy happy, full of gratitude, etc.


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

Gretchen Galway said:


> Thanks so much for starting the thread. I've taken months to write 50K. A year. So, happy happy, full of gratitude, etc.


I feel the same way. I wanted to get cranking in February, but my motivation was low. I feel like a runner, drafting off the shared energy of the team.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

JoshuaPSimon said:


> ...Uh, so I was right. I officially finished the first draft of Book 2 of the Blood and Tears Trilogy during lunch today (working title STEEL AND SORROW). It feels great even though I know there is a ton of cleanup to do.


w00t w00t


----------



## JoshuaPSimon (Jun 24, 2011)

Thanks Gretchen and David.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Congrats Joshua!

I'm coming up to my ending, but still have to fill in plenty of scenes and chapters I skipped. After my big count last night, I have zero motivation to write today. But if I've learned one thing from doing this challenge, you just have to _start_, and the rest falls into place. It seems like that's a lesson I have to learn every day though...


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1:  2,100
Day 2:  2,673
Day 3:  1,900
Day 4:  2,500
Day 5:        0
Day 6:  1,090
Day 7:        0
Day 8:        0
Day 9:  2,496
Day 10: 1,234
Day 11: 1,334
Day 12: 3,131
Day 13: 2,623
Day 14: 1,954
Day 15:    315
Day 16: 3,360 
Day 17: 1,777
Day 18: 3,755
Day 19:      0
Day 20: 3,372
Day 21: 3,063
Day 22: 4,485
Day 23: 2,455
----------------
Total:  44,222

I goofed around forever, unable to get into it, pretty tired from last night's late session. I was about to call it a day at a few hundred words, then pushed on and got a respectable total. A week of 2.6k days should see me home now. Oh, and I got to the end of my book. Well, I wrote the ending. I've skipped a few chapters and several scenes that still need to be written, but even then it's going to be shorter than expected. But that's fine.

Pretty zonked.


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

Day 24 - 2,300 words. Total: 51,400

Starting to see the end of the challenge approaching and wondering if I should try to keep it going at 2K/per for another two weeks and get the whole first draft down. I think it will clock in at about 90,000.


----------



## michaelabayomi (Dec 13, 2011)

Day 23-24: 4,500 words. Total: 42,500.

Didn't remember to log my numbers yesterday, and now I can't remember the exact split. But I remember crossing the 40,000-word mark yesterday. Now, there's only 5 days left to go. Can I write 3,500 till the end of February? Not likely. But the good news is I've just about wrapped up book 5 of my WIP, Guardians and the Lost Paradise. I'm currently writing the denouement.

So that's books 4 and 5 drafted and in the bag, all within the space of a month. That's monumental, considering that it took me 5 years to write books 1 - 3. Okay, granted, I was working on other projects within that time. But still. This proves what can be achieved with the right amount of determination. Now, time to tackle books 6 and 7.


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

@dgaughran: Congrats to you! _The End_? Did you ever think you'd be writing that on Feb. 24? Must feel good.

I'm also nearing the end, and I also have lots to add and fix in the middle. But it's fantastic to get here so fast. Like flying instead of driving. (well, minus airport security checkpoints.)

Here's the tally... I won't be doing 2K reliably for the weekend, as much as my compulsive nature would like, so I did a little extra today. I'm soooo close. 

Feb 1: 2291
Feb 2: 2032
Feb 3: 2023
Feb 4: 2135
Feb 5: 2010
Feb 6: 2126
Feb 7: 2113
Feb 8: 2557
Feb 9: 2060
Feb 10: 2077
Feb 11: 2069
Feb 12: 2094
Feb 13: 2093
Feb 14: 2237
Feb 15: 2069
Feb 16: 2132
Feb 17: 2051
Feb 18: 2059
Feb 19: 2001
Feb 20: 2090
Feb 21: 2139
Feb 22: 2252
Feb 23: 2082
Feb 24: 2526

total: 51,318

Good luck everyone. I can't wait to see the finished works from this challenge, whenever that is. I hope people post them as they publish.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Guys always make me feel so lazy.


Day 1: 0.
Day 2: 2,513.
Day 3: 2,691.
Day 4: 2,631.
Day 5: 0.
Day 6: 2,728.
Day 7: 3,141.
Day 8: 2,542.
Day 9: 1,589.
Day 10: 2,531.Day 11: Fail.
Day 12: More fail.
Day 13: 2,058.
Day 14: 1,390.
Day 15: 2,556.
Day 16: 2,819.
Day 17: 2,708.
Day 18: 2,302.
Day 19: 0.
Day 20: 0.
Day 21: 2,518.
Day 22: 0.
Day 23: 1,981.
Day 24: 2,182.

Total: 40,520.

Sneaking suspicion I won't make it to 60k in five days.


----------



## JoshuaPSimon (Jun 24, 2011)

Day 1 - 2234
Day 2 - 2732
Day 3 - 2507
Day 4 - 2530
Day 5 - 1149
Day 6 - 2584 
Day 7 - 2289
Day 8 - 2438
Day 9 - 2196
Day 10 - 2054
Day 11- 2368
Day 12 - 1718
Day 13 - 2045
Day 14 - 2360
Day 15 - 1713
Day 16 - 2128
Day 17 - 3606
Day 18 - 970
Day 19 - 1825
Day 20 - 3,616
Day 21 - 2418
Day 22- 2550
Day 23- 1871
Day 24 -1691 Started the short story....lots of deleting and rewriting to get this number.  Hoping tomorrow is easier.  I'd like to have the short story written at under 5K but I guess we'll see.  It would be nice to have it done by Sunday.

Total 53,592


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

I got nothing today. Too tired. That will leave me 16k in 5 days. I think I can do it, but this has to be my last zero day. I'll try and make up some ground this weekend.

@Gretchen

Aw, it doesn't really count until I finish those missing chapters/scenes, but thanks. I didn't know if I'd beat 20k, let alone 40k.

Interesting question about publishing. I already had a slot booked with my editor for June, so I guess I'll shoot for that. I've no idea if the polishing process will be shorter or longer than that, but I'd certainly like to leave it sit for a bit after finishing the draft. There's some more research I'd like to do to make sure I get the details about setting etc. right, and to layer some more back in on the next draft.

The last novel took two years to polish, but that was my first, and I really stretched it out. I think June is doable though. Anyone else got a rough timeframe?


----------



## Colin Taber (Apr 4, 2011)

I need to page back and go check what I'm up to in the word count and then cross check with my WiP file. 

I've been unwell for the past 4 or 5 days. I did get a few bits of work done early on, then everything screeched to a bedridden and agonising halt for the last 2 days. I'll get some stuff done today (it's already the 25th here) and then update later. Unless I hit 5,000 today and tomorrow I suspect I'm sunk for making my target, but I've still made good inroads into various projects.


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

Day 25 - 2,300 words. Total: 53,700.

Getting close. I'm heading off on a train trip across the country on Tuesday and it looks like I'll be just short of 60K when I set off, but I'm planning to take the laptop and I'll have _plenty _of time, given the speed (or lack thereof) of the American train system.



dgaughran said:


> The last novel took two years to polish, but that was my first, and I really stretched it out. I think June is doable though. Anyone else got a rough timeframe?


I'm hoping to turn it in to my editor by the end of May.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

@David

It's not impossible!

@Colin

Sorry to hear you were unwell.

My progress has ground to a halt, but I've no such excuse. I reckon I have five scenes and 2 chapters I skipped, then this draft is more-or-less done. Going back and filling in that stuff is a hell of a lot slower than just writing with a nice open road in front of you. I think some of the motivation has slipped since hitting the end of the book too. Normally, I would take a break at this point. Well, I did seven words yesterday, and five hundred today. I'm going to push for more, but I'm not as confident as I was about hitting 60k.


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

Day 1: 1736          Day 11: 4495            Day 21: 0
Day 2: 2272          Day 12: 5401            Day 22: 2100
Day 3: 770            Day 13: 1550            Day 23: 1893
Day 4: 2731          Day 14: 624              Day 24: 665
Day 5: 0              Day 15: 0                Day 25: 4900
Day 6: 992            Day 16: 0
Day 7: 0              Day 17: 0
Day 8: 1414          Day 18: 0
Day 9: 0              Day 19: 2671
Day 10: 0            Day 20: 0

Total: 34214

The good news is that I'm over the hump in my novel (aka the scene I was really, really stuck on). The bad news is that I'd have to write 26k in 3 days to meet the challenge. 

I'm going to try for 40k for the month instead. I'm a wuss. I know.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Day 1: 0.
Day 2: 2,513.
Day 3: 2,691.
Day 4: 2,631.
Day 5: 0.
Day 6: 2,728.
Day 7: 3,141.
Day 8: 2,542.
Day 9: 1,589.
Day 10: 2,531.Day 11: Fail.
Day 12: More fail.
Day 13: 2,058.
Day 14: 1,390.
Day 15: 2,556.
Day 16: 2,819.
Day 17: 2,708.
Day 18: 2,302.
Day 19: 0.
Day 20: 0.
Day 21: 2,518.
Day 22: 0.
Day 23: 1,981.
Day 24: 2,182.
Day 25: 2,013.

Total: 42,533.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1:  2,100
Day 2:  2,673
Day 3:  1,900
Day 4:  2,500
Day 5:        0
Day 6:  1,090
Day 7:        0
Day 8:        0
Day 9:  2,496
Day 10: 1,234
Day 11: 1,334
Day 12: 3,131
Day 13: 2,623
Day 14: 1,954
Day 15:    315
Day 16: 3,360 
Day 17: 1,777
Day 18: 3,755
Day 19:      0
Day 20: 3,372
Day 21: 3,063
Day 22: 4,485
Day 23: 2,455
Day 24:      0
Day 25: 2,756
----------------
Total:  46,978

That zero day yesterday is a killer, but I think I would have thrown my laptop out the window otherwise. 

4 days to do 13,000 words. Hmmm. Not sure.


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

I'm on the road... managed to squeak in the 2K just barely. It's silly stuff, just pounded away b/c of the challenge.

Feb 1:  2291
Feb 2:  2032
Feb 3:  2023
Feb 4:  2135
Feb 5:  2010
Feb 6:  2126
Feb 7:  2113
Feb 8:  2557
Feb 9:  2060
Feb 10: 2077
Feb 11: 2069
Feb 12: 2094
Feb 13: 2093
Feb 14: 2237
Feb 15: 2069
Feb 16: 2132
Feb 17: 2051
Feb 18: 2059
Feb 19: 2001
Feb 20: 2090
Feb 21: 2139
Feb 22: 2252
Feb 23: 2082
Feb 24: 2526
Feb 25: 2050

total: 53,368


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Nice, Gretchen. You're within touching distance. That shows the power of consistency!


----------



## Colin Taber (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1 - 2,300  
Day 2 - 300 
Day 3 - 800 
Day 4 - 1,300 
Day 5 - 3,300
Day 6 - 1,300 
Day 7 - 2,000
Day 8 - 1,000
Day 9 - 0
Day 10 - 2,450
Day 11 - 2,250 
Day 12 - 3,300
Day 13 - 3,200
Day 14 - 4,100
Day 15 - 2,600
Day 16 - 1,000
Day 17 - 3,500
Day 18 - 0
Day 19 - 2,500
Day 20 - 2,000
Day 21 - 1,000
Day 22 - 2,000
Day 23 - 500
Day 24 - 1,000
Day 25 - 2,000
Day 26 - 4,500
-------------
Total - 50,000

I'm getting a little mired in the middle of my WiP, but sometimes you get that. Luckily a chase sequence should provide some fast and punchy progress tomorrow. 

@David G - I'm pretty much feeling better thanks to some meds, but will need to see the Doc for some tests to check things out. At least for now I've got my groove back.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

That's good to hear, Colin. And you certainly have got your groove back: 4,500 words! Nice!


----------



## Colin Taber (Apr 4, 2011)

dgaughran said:


> That's good to hear, Colin. And you certainly have got your groove back: 4,500 words! Nice!


Well, you know what it's like; sometimes scenes just build up their own energy. I'm currently setting up a chase as a trinity of characters get flushed out of some huge drains, just before they get hunted by a huge swarm of waiting gargoyles.

Fun times!

As they say in the classics; fly, my pretties!


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

Day 26 - 2,300 words. Total: 56,000

I'm almost certain I'll make it at this point, but there's one small hitch. I'm leaving on a cross-continental train ride very early on Tuesday and will be without internet access for a couple of days. I'm going to complete the challenge while I'm on the train, but the internet blackout will prevent me from immediately logging on and posting my update.


----------



## michaelabayomi (Dec 13, 2011)

Day 25-26: 2,500 words. Total: 45,000.

Well. Book 5 is fully drafted now. It's been a long and hard weekend, with various family issues that needed tending to. So it's a miracle that I managed to get any meaningful words down. I am so tired right now, not just physically, but psychologically too. It's nothing a good night's rest and some musical therapy can't cure though.

Right. 3 more days. Wow. Can't believe the whole month is almost done. I am currently 15,000 words away from the goal, so I have pretty much given up all hope of making 60K. I'll still push for at least 50 though.

The problem is I've been working with a pretty solid outline so far. But I am yet to create such an outline for books 6 & 7. The ones I've been using took me months to create. I still know where the story is going to end up (I wrote an epilogue 3 years ago) but just not the finer details.

Well, if there's anything I've learnt during this challenge, it's that sometimes you just need to sit down in front of your computer (or notepad) before anything happens.

Happy Writing everyone.


----------



## Ursula_Bauer (Dec 12, 2010)

WOW! congrats to all you guys rockin it in february.

I was a total slug! I'm going to roll mine into March and see what turns up. Hopefully a more robust word count than 4K.


----------



## JoshuaPSimon (Jun 24, 2011)

Day 1 - 2234
Day 2 - 2732
Day 3 - 2507
Day 4 - 2530
Day 5 - 1149
Day 6 - 2584 
Day 7 - 2289
Day 8 - 2438
Day 9 - 2196
Day 10 - 2054
Day 11- 2368
Day 12 - 1718
Day 13 - 2045
Day 14 - 2360
Day 15 - 1713
Day 16 - 2128
Day 17 - 3606
Day 18 - 970
Day 19 - 1825
Day 20 - 3,616
Day 21 - 2418
Day 22- 2550
Day 23- 1871
Day 24 -1691 
Day 25 - 1396

Total 56,531

On any other day I would have gotten to 2,000 words and finished the short story today.  Unfortunatley, life got in the way so tomorrow I have to finish one story and try to start another in order to get to a decent word count.  We shall see.


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

Day 1: 1736          Day 11: 4495            Day 21: 0
Day 2: 2272          Day 12: 5401            Day 22: 2100
Day 3: 770            Day 13: 1550            Day 23: 1893
Day 4: 2731          Day 14: 624              Day 24: 665
Day 5: 0              Day 15: 0                Day 25: 4900
Day 6: 992            Day 16: 0                Day 26: 2272
Day 7: 0              Day 17: 0
Day 8: 1414          Day 18: 0
Day 9: 0              Day 19: 2671
Day 10: 0            Day 20: 0

Total: 36486


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Feb 1:  2291
Feb 2:  2032
Feb 3:  2023
Feb 4:  2135
Feb 5:  2010
Feb 6:  2126
Feb 7:  2113
Feb 8:  2557
Feb 9:  2060
Feb 10: 2077
Feb 11: 2069
Feb 12: 2094
Feb 13: 2093
Feb 14: 2237
Feb 15: 2069
Feb 16: 2132
Feb 17: 2051
Feb 18: 2059
Feb 19: 2001
Feb 20: 2090
Feb 21: 2139
Feb 22: 2252
Feb 23: 2082
Feb 24: 2526
Feb 25: 2050
Feb 26: 2083

total: 55,449

Great job, everyone. I almost feel like these numbers are cheating, since the stuff I pounded out was so... stream-o-consciousness. I wrote during a 2+ hr car trip today, two kids in the backseat, my husband listening to Linus Torvalds podcasts on the radio. Yesterday I was curled in the corner of a dark hotel room while the family slept. I have no idea of any of these pages are usable, but what the hey. That's what the challenge is about.

My condolences to those with illnesses. It has been an awful spring (sorry, I'm in CA. winter) for viruses. You name it, we've come down with it. Best of health and happy writing to all. 

The end is in sight...


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1:  2,100
Day 2:  2,673
Day 3:  1,900
Day 4:  2,500
Day 5:        0
Day 6:  1,090
Day 7:        0
Day 8:        0
Day 9:  2,496
Day 10: 1,234
Day 11: 1,334
Day 12: 3,131
Day 13: 2,623
Day 14: 1,954
Day 15:    315
Day 16: 3,360 
Day 17: 1,777
Day 18: 3,755
Day 19:      0
Day 20: 3,372
Day 21: 3,063
Day 22: 4,485
Day 23: 2,455
Day 24:      0
Day 25: 2,756
Day 26: 3,142
----------------
Total:  50,120

You know that thing where you give yourself permission to suck? I might have abused that today. Still hanging on by my fingernails though.


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

dgaughran said:


> You know that thing where you give yourself permission to suck? I might have abused that today. Still hanging on by my fingernails though.


LOL Oh, I have greatly abused this today. It didn't help that I got drunk writing the last page when I got home.

But it made me happy.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Oh I could do with a drink right now. Only problem is, here in Sweden, you can only by booze in govt. owned stores which close at 3pm on Saturday and don't reopen again til Monday. Party poopers.


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

dgaughran said:


> Oh I could do with a drink right now. Only problem is, here in Sweden, you can only by booze in govt. owned stores which close at 3pm on Saturday and don't reopen again til Monday. Party poopers.


Here Trader Joe's sells $2 bottles of wine from 9am-9pm every day of the week, and if that's closed, Safeway is open 24/7.

Does wine count as booze? My dad (>50% Irish) drinks Bourbon and would consider wine to be juice, lol.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Heh. $2 wine? Sounds like heaven.


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

dgaughran said:


> Heh. $2 wine? Sounds like heaven.


The winery is Charles Shaw (here in Sonoma County where I live), but the wine is fondly called Two Buck Chuck.

Sadly, I hear taxes make it $3 in other states.


----------



## maritafowler (Nov 27, 2011)

Y'all are amazing. You've officially inspired me to quick lollygagging on my second book. 

I've opened a spreadsheet and it's on like Donkey Kong 

Thanks!


----------



## ChadMck (Feb 25, 2011)

I'm jumping on the band wagon for March, this is a motivating thread. 

Visiting Kindleboards 30 minutes a day might be the only website that actually makes me more productive...


----------



## cidneyswanson (Feb 1, 2011)

Hey everyone,
What a crazy bunch of numbers we're seeing. Michael W., I loved what you said about this being like running with a group that makes you more capable. I can't recall your exact phrasing. It was very good, though.

I am at 48,800 after taking a 2 day trip and only hitting 1000 today. Now I have to prepare for a meeting next weekend with an editor on a different manuscript. Guess I won't hit 60k on the original ms I started the challenge with, but omg I am so happy with what I do have!

Tomorrow starts a 2day free on Amazon, so I might find it hard to concentrate on writing! 

Cheers, all!
Cidney


----------



## David Wisehart (Mar 2, 2010)

Day 1: 4,307
Day 2: 3,909
Day 3: 1,819
Day 4: 802
Day 5: 1,037
Day 6: 0
Day 7: 551
Day 8: 2,406
Day 9: 593
Day 10: 1,022
Day 11: 1,119
Day 12: 0
Day 13: 2,881
Day 14: 0
Day 15: 908
Day 16: 424
Day 17: 0
Day 18: 0
Day 19: 3,326
Day 20: 2,771
Day 21: 4,182
Day 22: 1,621
Day 23: 2,542
Day 24: 1,649
Day 25: 0
Day 26: 3,271

Total: 40,740

David


----------



## unkownwriter (Jun 22, 2011)

You guys are doing totally awesome! Thanks for the kind words about the slump, Michael, it helps to have people who understand how down I was feeling. The good news is, I'm so over it! That's right, I have actual words written today. Woo hoo!  

So, to sum it up since I last posted:

Days 22-26:  big fat zero
Day 27:  2756

Total so far:  25,997

Not that great, but there's still a couple of days left, maybe I can make 30,000. Whatever I end up with is still a fantastic number to me for one month.  

I only have maybe 2000 words to finish the first draft--there are a couple of scenes I need to write, and then this baby's going down for a nap before editing. I might be able to get it published in about a month, if all goes well. My mother's birthday is on 3/26, so maybe I'll shoot for that.

Anyway, keep on tapping away on those keys/putting pen to paper. We're turning the last corner!


----------



## cidneyswanson (Feb 1, 2011)

If it's not one thing it's another. DH comes home sick from work . . . _someon_e has to obsessively hit refresh for my free book's stats . . . DD needs paper corrected for mechanics errors _like right now, Mom_!

I'm stuck at 828 words for the day and may never find my way back.

Total so far: 49, 631

I mean, I really need to tip past 50K, do I not

*pulls hair out*
Cidney

PS This. Is. Distracting. 
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #150 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)
#3 in Free Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Children's eBooks > Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror > Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic
#1 in Free Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Fantasy > Contemporary


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

I want 369 words this instant 

*whipcrack*


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

Day 27 - 2,100 words. Total: 58,100.

I was really hoping to post a "MADE IT!" message before I left tomorrow, since I'll be on a train for the next two and a half days, but I'll post my update when I get back. I'm getting over the hump and should finish the entire book (and the entire five book series!) in another 30,000 words or so.



cidneyswanson said:


> PS This. Is. Distracting.
> Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #150 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)
> #3 in Free Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Children's eBooks > Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror > Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic
> #1 in Free Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Fantasy > Contemporary


LOL. Sure is. Hard not to click refresh every five or ten minutes.


----------



## cidneyswanson (Feb 1, 2011)

dgaughran said:


> I want 369 words this instant
> 
> *whipcrack*


Okay, okay. So here's the deal I just made with myself. My book is currently #23 overall Free Kindle Store. I will not take a screenshot until I've written those 369 words. Thanks for the motivation, David G! 

Michael, last year when I took Amtrak for a short trip, I was gobsmacked to find that I had FREE WiFi the whole way! Have you checked to see if it is available on your route? (Not that I condone addictive behaviors such as visiting Kindleboards at all. . .)

Cheers all!
Cidney


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

cidneyswanson said:


> Michael, last year when I took Amtrak for a short trip, I was gobsmacked to find that I had FREE WiFi the whole way! Have you checked to see if it is available on your route? (Not that I condone addictive behaviors such as visiting Kindleboards at all. . .)


Cidney, I'm not sure. Someone told me they only had WiFi on the Acela route, but that might have changed. I'm hoping to get a lot of writing done over the next couple of days instead of wasting more time online, so I kind of hope there isn't any. I have little self control. 

And #23! Awesome!


----------



## Cheryl Douglas (Dec 7, 2011)

I'm waaaay behind on this challenge, only 33k so far this month. Having said that, it has been a productive month, lots of editing, formatting, covers, etc. so I'm not going to beat myself up too much. Congrats to all who've achieved their writing goals this month!


----------



## cidneyswanson (Feb 1, 2011)

MichaelWallace said:


> Cidney, I'm not sure. Someone told me they only had WiFi on the Acela route, but that might have changed. I'm hoping to get a lot of writing done over the next couple of days instead of wasting more time online, so I kind of hope there isn't any. I have little self control.
> 
> And #23! Awesome!


Ha! Wishing you zero internet.

Cheryl, 33K is nothing to sneeze at. Especially with doing all those other things. Good work!

David G: the updated word count for the day is now: 50, 113!!!! For a daily total of 1309. I'm thinking I could continue to forbid myself access to the Top 100 in Kindle free store without additional words typed in WIP. This could be a good thing . . . Currently #23 right under the Holy Bible and across from the NYT. Can't ask for more venerable company than that . . .

Cidney


----------



## Rachel Schurig (Apr 9, 2011)

Everyone rocks so hard!

Hit 30,000 today. I'm a little bummed but trying not to put undue pressure on myself. Maybe it was just too much to expect I could do 60k in a month so soon after finishing NaNo. I wrote three novels in the past year and I think I really just hit a wall with this one. I'm _tired_. Plus my day job seems determined to suck out my soul and stick it down a woodchipper--that doesn't help much. So in light of those two things I will simply be quite happy that I have half a novel finished--and I actually like what I wrote!

Hope people want to try again in April!


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

Day 1: 1736          Day 11: 4495            Day 21: 0
Day 2: 2272          Day 12: 5401            Day 22: 2100
Day 3: 770            Day 13: 1550            Day 23: 1893
Day 4: 2731          Day 14: 624              Day 24: 665
Day 5: 0              Day 15: 0                Day 25: 4900
Day 6: 992            Day 16: 0                Day 26: 2272
Day 7: 0              Day 17: 0                Day 27: 1322
Day 8: 1414          Day 18: 0 
Day 9: 0              Day 19: 2671
Day 10: 0            Day 20: 0

Total: 37808

I could write more, but I need to leave myself room for the next scene tomorrow, or else I'm going to hit a really bad wall. So I'm happy with what I got, and I'm aiming to hit 40k at least by the end of the 29th. Hopefully!

I'm so excited for the others that have dutifully wrote 2k a day, though. You guys are amazing. I wish I had more than just excuses but I got a lot more excuses than I got writing, lately.


----------



## JoshuaPSimon (Jun 24, 2011)

Day 1 - 2234
Day 2 - 2732
Day 3 - 2507
Day 4 - 2530
Day 5 - 1149
Day 6 - 2584 
Day 7 - 2289
Day 8 - 2438
Day 9 - 2196
Day 10 - 2054
Day 11- 2368
Day 12 - 1718
Day 13 - 2045
Day 14 - 2360
Day 15 - 1713
Day 16 - 2128
Day 17 - 3606
Day 18 - 970
Day 19 - 1825
Day 20 - 3,616
Day 21 - 2418
Day 22- 2550
Day 23- 1871
Day 24 -1691 
Day 25 - 1543
Day 26 - 1396
Day 27 - 1797

Total 58,328

Finished the first short story (the buildup to the end needs some work) and put 1145 into the next short story today.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1:  2,100
Day 2:  2,673
Day 3:  1,900
Day 4:  2,500
Day 5:        0
Day 6:  1,090
Day 7:        0
Day 8:        0
Day 9:  2,496
Day 10: 1,234
Day 11: 1,334
Day 12: 3,131
Day 13: 2,623
Day 14: 1,954
Day 15:    315
Day 16: 3,360 
Day 17: 1,777
Day 18: 3,755
Day 19:      0
Day 20: 3,372
Day 21: 3,063
Day 22: 4,485
Day 23: 2,455
Day 24:      0
Day 25: 2,756
Day 26: 3,142
Day 27: 2,118
----------------
Total:  52,238

Work was slow today. Filling in scenes and fixing wonky chapters is much slower going...but but but, I think this book is going to be finished tomorrow. Which is a problem! (A good problem, but...)


----------



## Rachel Schurig (Apr 9, 2011)

Gretchen Galway said:


> The winery is Charles Shaw (here in Sonoma County where I live), but the wine is fondly called Two Buck Chuck.
> 
> Sadly, I hear taxes make it $3 in other states.


I love me some Three Buck Chuck! I'm jealous of your dollar advantage


----------



## Caddy (Sep 13, 2011)

I am at 60,000 and will be at least at 70,000 by end of month.  That is only half what I wanted to do.  But, hey, I also got some great painting done and spent Fridays with my baby grandson.  Those two things are worth it.

Happy writing everyone!


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Feb 1:   2291
Feb 2:   2032
Feb 3:   2023
Feb 4:   2135
Feb 5:   2010
Feb 6:   2126
Feb 7:   2113
Feb 8:   2557
Feb 9:   2060
Feb 10: 2077
Feb 11: 2069
Feb 12: 2094
Feb 13: 2093
Feb 14: 2237
Feb 15: 2069
Feb 16: 2132
Feb 17: 2051
Feb 18: 2059
Feb 19: 2001
Feb 20: 2090
Feb 21: 2139
Feb 22: 2252
Feb 23: 2082
Feb 24: 2526
Feb 25: 2050
Feb 26: 2083
Feb 27: 2403

total: 57,852

*rubbing hands together*
I'm hoping to finish tomorrow. I've got a dirty house, taxes, an unused gym membership, neglected children--you name it--waiting for me on March 1. But I'm looking forward to it.

I do encourage everyone considering a March (or April) sprint to give it a shot. Even 20K is great. I've personally never written 60K in a month, so if I can do it... 

Great job Caddy! and David Gaughran, I'm also struggling with the finished book problem. I'm adding scenes instead of writing at the end. I need to revise heavily before I can do a decent ending.

And Rachel, maybe at the end of this challenge we go all out on the wine purchase for a celebration . . . and break the $5/bottle barrier.

OK, rambling. Fried.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Day 1: 0.
Day 2: 2,513.
Day 3: 2,691.
Day 4: 2,631.
Day 5: 0.
Day 6: 2,728.
Day 7: 3,141.
Day 8: 2,542.
Day 9: 1,589.
Day 10: 2,531.Day 11: Fail.
Day 12: More fail.
Day 13: 2,058.
Day 14: 1,390.
Day 15: 2,556.
Day 16: 2,819.
Day 17: 2,708.
Day 18: 2,302.
Day 19: 0.
Day 20: 0.
Day 21: 2,518.
Day 22: 0.
Day 23: 1,981.
Day 24: 2,182.
Day 25: 2,013.
Day 26: 0.
Day 27: 2,323.

Total: 44,856.

Technically those 2300 words were for a video game adaptation, not my current WIP, but I'm counting it anyway and none of you can stop me!!


----------



## Rachel Schurig (Apr 9, 2011)

Gretchen Galway said:


> And Rachel, maybe at the end of this challenge we go all out on the wine purchase for a celebration . . . and break the $5/bottle barrier.


  That's fancy talk, is what that is!


----------



## cidneyswanson (Feb 1, 2011)

David 'Half-Orc' Dalglish said:


> Day 27: 2,323.
> 
> Total: 44,856.
> 
> Technically those 2300 words were for a video game adaptation, not my current WIP, but I'm counting it anyway and none of you can stop me!!


Wouldn't dream of it! A Video game adaptation? How uber-cool is that?

All right, all right, by using the "thou shalt not hit refresh until thou hast writ a bunch of words" rule, I wrote more than I've done for awhile!

Today: 2563
Month total: 51,356

All this AND I'm at lucky #13 right now on Free in Kindle Store! What a day. I think I need to sleep now.

Cidney


----------



## dalya (Jul 26, 2011)

I'm just under 92,000 for the month so far.  (2 separate books)

I never would have pushed myself to write so many hours in the day if it weren't for all of you folks!  Talk about strong peer pressure!


----------



## David Wisehart (Mar 2, 2010)

Day 1: 4,307
Day 2: 3,909
Day 3: 1,819
Day 4: 802
Day 5: 1,037
Day 6: 0
Day 7: 551
Day 8: 2,406
Day 9: 593
Day 10: 1,022
Day 11: 1,119
Day 12: 0
Day 13: 2,881
Day 14: 0
Day 15: 908
Day 16: 424
Day 17: 0
Day 18: 0
Day 19: 3,326
Day 20: 2,771
Day 21: 4,182
Day 22: 1,621
Day 23: 2,542
Day 24: 1,649
Day 25: 0
Day 26: 3,271
Day 27: 2,815

Total: 43,555

David


----------



## Savannah_Page (Feb 16, 2012)

Fandamntastic work, everyone! What a great and inspiring group of authors.
Gretchen, you're almost there! Awesomeness.... And Cidney that's super exciting with your ranking (and progress.) 
My book (a solo) seems to have plummeted after my freebie run which bugs, but seeing how other self-pub authors can make it happen really encourages me! (And encourages me to get this second book out!) Just gotta keep pluggin' away....

Keep up the awesome progress everyone. Almost there!!

Savannah Page
www.savannahpage.com


----------



## Colin Taber (Apr 4, 2011)

I'm up to 55,000 words now at the end of the 28th, having got 2,000 words done today.

With one day to go I need to clock up 5,000 words to hit 60K. Hopefully tomorrow will be a good day. Regardless, I'm pretty pleased (and a little - or a lot - surprised) that I've got all that I have done.

I hope anyone else who is close to target has a smooth run for a big finish!


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Feb 1: 2291
Feb 2: 2032
Feb 3: 2023
Feb 4: 2135
Feb 5: 2010
Feb 6: 2126
Feb 7: 2113
Feb 8: 2557
Feb 9: 2060
Feb 10: 2077
Feb 11: 2069
Feb 12: 2094
Feb 13: 2093
Feb 14: 2237
Feb 15: 2069
Feb 16: 2132
Feb 17: 2051
Feb 18: 2059
Feb 19: 2001
Feb 20: 2090
Feb 21: 2139
Feb 22: 2252
Feb 23: 2082
Feb 24: 2526
Feb 25: 2050
Feb 26: 2083
Feb 27: 2403
Feb 28: 2196

total: *60,048*

!!!


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Well done Gretchen!


----------



## Rachel Schurig (Apr 9, 2011)

Congratulations, Gretchen!! Break out the wine!


----------



## cidneyswanson (Feb 1, 2011)

Dalya and Gretchen,

Super jobs, both! Wow. Very proud to have written alongside you--all of you. I'm stretching it today to get my words in. It's another Select free day for me, and it is remarkable how much I am willing to write so that I can hit the refresh button on either the KDP page or the Bestsellers page. My book is slowly slipping down off the front page, but my goodness, what a fun ride!

Okay. I can pound out another couple thousand, eh?


Cidney


----------



## JoshuaPSimon (Jun 24, 2011)

Day 1 - 2234
Day 2 - 2732
Day 3 - 2507
Day 4 - 2530
Day 5 - 1149
Day 6 - 2584 
Day 7 - 2289
Day 8 - 2438
Day 9 - 2196
Day 10 - 2054
Day 11- 2368
Day 12 - 1718
Day 13 - 2045
Day 14 - 2360
Day 15 - 1713
Day 16 - 2128
Day 17 - 3606
Day 18 - 970
Day 19 - 1825
Day 20 - 3,616
Day 21 - 2418
Day 22- 2550
Day 23- 1871
Day 24 -1691 
Day 25 - 1543
Day 26 - 1396
Day 27 - 1797
Day 28 - 2072

Total - 60,400

Reached the goal a day early.  Woot.


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Thanks everyone! Great job Joshua, Cindy, David, Colin, everyone. 

Speaking only for myself, I may have hit 60K, but that sucker needs a lot of work before anyone would enjoy reading it.


----------



## MGalloway (Jun 21, 2011)

Congrats for achieving such a great goal! 

My totals so far:

2/1 - 2443
2/2 - 1814
2/3 - 92
2/4 - 2709
2/5 - 0
2/6 - 112
2/7 - 1795
2/8 - 2/20 - 0 (vacation)
2/21 - 712
2/22 - 2/25 - 0 (bad salsa)
2/26 - 253
2/27 - 181
2/28 - 602

Total: 10,712 

Although I'm way off the 60K mark, I have hit the goal I set out to achieve: to generate a dozen or so short stories which will be used in a future collection. Now, if I can just get through tonight's massive ice storm!  

P.S. fwiw, I've been writing all my words longhand. That's got to count for something...


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

MGalloway said:


> That's got to count for something...


Absolutely. Great job on the short stories.

BTW, I read your post saying "a massive ice cream storm." That's about where my head is tonight.


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

Gretchen, Dalya and Joshua - congrats! I am insanely jealous of all three of you.  That's so friggin awesome, though!

Day 1: 1736          Day 11: 4495            Day 21: 0
Day 2: 2272          Day 12: 5401            Day 22: 2100
Day 3: 770            Day 13: 1550            Day 23: 1893
Day 4: 2731          Day 14: 624              Day 24: 665
Day 5: 0              Day 15: 0                Day 25: 4900
Day 6: 992            Day 16: 0                Day 26: 2272
Day 7: 0              Day 17: 0                Day 27: 1322
Day 8: 1414          Day 18: 0                Day 28: 1832
Day 9: 0              Day 19: 2671
Day 10: 0            Day 20: 0

Total: 39640

I should cross 40k for the month, so it's not horrible, but it's not 60k. Spent all night weeping as I worked on a hard scene. It's tough to kill characters!


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1:  2,100
Day 2:  2,673
Day 3:  1,900
Day 4:  2,500
Day 5:        0
Day 6:  1,090
Day 7:        0
Day 8:        0
Day 9:  2,496
Day 10: 1,234
Day 11: 1,334
Day 12: 3,131
Day 13: 2,623
Day 14: 1,954
Day 15:    315
Day 16: 3,360 
Day 17: 1,777
Day 18: 3,755
Day 19:      0
Day 20: 3,372
Day 21: 3,063
Day 22: 4,485
Day 23: 2,455
Day 24:      0
Day 25: 2,756
Day 26: 3,142
Day 27: 2,118
Day 28: 1,906
----------------
Total:  54,144

So... I finished my book. I can't quite believe a wrote a working first draft in 28 days. With my last novel novel, that took a teen tiny bit longer (three years!). Pretty pleased.

I might just drink lots o' wine tomorrow. 

Congrats everyone!


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

David, congrats!! That's definitely worth a drink or three.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Day 1: 0.
Day 2: 2,513.
Day 3: 2,691.
Day 4: 2,631.
Day 5: 0.
Day 6: 2,728.
Day 7: 3,141.
Day 8: 2,542.
Day 9: 1,589.
Day 10: 2,531.Day 11: Fail.
Day 12: More fail.
Day 13: 2,058.
Day 14: 1,390.
Day 15: 2,556.
Day 16: 2,819.
Day 17: 2,708.
Day 18: 2,302.
Day 19: 0.
Day 20: 0.
Day 21: 2,518.
Day 22: 0.
Day 23: 1,981.
Day 24: 2,182.
Day 25: 2,013.
Day 26: 0.
Day 27: 2,323.
Day 28: 2,795.

Total: 47,651.

Really happy to see so many hitting the 60k, or finishing a novel. Gratz, peeps!


----------



## David Wisehart (Mar 2, 2010)

Day 1: 4,307
Day 2: 3,909
Day 3: 1,819
Day 4: 802
Day 5: 1,037
Day 6: 0
Day 7: 551
Day 8: 2,406
Day 9: 593
Day 10: 1,022
Day 11: 1,119
Day 12: 0
Day 13: 2,881
Day 14: 0
Day 15: 908
Day 16: 424
Day 17: 0
Day 18: 0
Day 19: 3,326
Day 20: 2,771
Day 21: 4,182
Day 22: 1,621
Day 23: 2,542
Day 24: 1,649
Day 25: 0
Day 26: 3,271
Day 27: 2,815
Day 28: 3,174

Total: 46,729

I'm within spitting distance of the end. Should be able to wrap up the first draft tomorrow, but it won't be 60K.

David


----------



## MartinGibbs (Jun 20, 2011)

I'm at 43,000. Day job and other responsibilities have taken too much away... not an excuse, but... it is what it is. Still, I feel inspired by this group and pushed myself harder than I would have. It's tough because I want my Christian-based historical fiction piece done by summer so it can hopefully be edited/proofread and out in time for Christmas.


----------



## Savannah_Page (Feb 16, 2012)

Home stretch, everyone!
You can do it!! 60k or 40k or personal goal...whatever it is you can do it!

Though I joined a little late in the game it was fun and I enjoyed getting to see so many people progress. Loving the Kindleboards community.

Would definitely love to do something again like this in a couple of months (March is too exhausting to think about right now haha)

Savannah Page
www.savannahpage.com


----------



## Colin Taber (Apr 4, 2011)

Day 1 - 2,300  
Day 2 - 300 
Day 3 - 800 
Day 4 - 1,300 
Day 5 - 3,300
Day 6 - 1,300 
Day 7 - 2,000
Day 8 - 1,000
Day 9 - 0
Day 10 - 2,450
Day 11 - 2,250 
Day 12 - 3,300
Day 13 - 3,200
Day 14 - 4,100
Day 15 - 2,600
Day 16 - 1,000
Day 17 - 3,500
Day 18 - 0
Day 19 - 2,500
Day 20 - 2,000
Day 21 - 1,000
Day 22 - 2,000
Day 23 - 500
Day 24 - 1,000
Day 25 - 2,000
Day 26 - 4,500
Day 27 - 3,000
Day 28 - 2,000
Day 29 - 5,000
-------------
Total - 60,000

I've just got across the line with about an hour and a half to spare.

I had a great session before work today and got 2,000 words done, that was followed up by 750 words during my lunch break and 2,250 words tonight after dinner. 

Most of what I've done has gone towards Ossard book 3, though there have been a few other sessions dedicated to other projects. The Ossard work is all first draft material, putting me about half way through the project.

I'm hoping all this will help reinforce a usually good (but recently faltering) daily writing habit.

Good luck for those with hours remaining in the day - and well done to all who've continued to the end of the month, regardless of final word counts!


----------



## JoshuaPSimon (Jun 24, 2011)

It's good to see so many people still posting their numbers.  Good job everyone!


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

I did it! I barely squeaked out a victory, nudging to 60,200 words today. I thought I'd get tons of writing done on the train (I'm on a layover in Chicago at the moment) but the combination of being tired from an early start on Tuesday and a morning arrival in Chicago today, plus a bit of motion sickness when I write for too long at a stretch has made it tough. I came into the last two days already at 58,000 for the month and only just managed to eke out 2K in two days.

Still, I may have staggered across the finish line coughing up blood, but I did it!

Congrats to everyone and thank you for all the updates and the inspiration this month. It will take a couple of months to finish this book, edit it, etc., but I'd love to do this again some time, perhaps as early as June.


----------



## 41419 (Apr 4, 2011)

Congrats Michael and Colin!

I'm not writing today. I just returned from town with 6 liters of wine. I'll try not to drink it all at once...


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

Great job everyone!

Michael, lots of people spit up blood when they have layovers in Chicago. Way to go not letting it slow you down.

And thank YOU for the updates and inspiration. June will be tough for a sprint (kids out of school) but I'm happy to shoot for it.


----------



## CaedemMarquez (Mar 23, 2011)

Great job Michael, Colin, David, Gretchen, Dayla and everybody else. 

This has been an odd month for me as the numbers show. 

I am going to work on writing today and see what I can do to up that final count.

Feb 1:  0
Feb 2:  0
Feb 3:  0
Feb 4:  0
Feb 5:  0
Feb 6:  0
Feb 7:  0
Feb 8:  0
Feb 9:  0
Feb 10:  0
Feb 11:  0
Feb 12:  0
Feb 13:  0
Feb 14:  0
Feb 15:  353
Feb 16:  39
Feb 17:  6,633
Feb 18:  11,203
Feb 19:  10,291
Feb 20:  0
Feb 21:  5,177
Feb 22:  520
Feb 23:  0
Feb 24:  0
Feb 25:  0
Feb 26:  0
Feb 27:  0
Feb 28:  7,836
Feb 29: 

Total: 42,052


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Day 1: 0.
Day 2: 2,513.
Day 3: 2,691.
Day 4: 2,631.
Day 5: 0.
Day 6: 2,728.
Day 7: 3,141.
Day 8: 2,542.
Day 9: 1,589.
Day 10: 2,531.Day 11: Fail.
Day 12: More fail.
Day 13: 2,058.
Day 14: 1,390.
Day 15: 2,556.
Day 16: 2,819.
Day 17: 2,708.
Day 18: 2,302.
Day 19: 0.
Day 20: 0.
Day 21: 2,518.
Day 22: 0.
Day 23: 1,981.
Day 24: 2,182.
Day 25: 2,013.
Day 26: 0.
Day 27: 2,323.
Day 28: 2,795.
Day 29: 2,166.

Total: 49,817.

Whose idea was it to hold this on a 29 day month? I might have made it if we had 31 days 

Okay, maybe not. But I'd have been closer! Truthfully, this is a pretty average month for me, some good days, some bad, probably an extra day or two off more than normal.


----------



## michaelabayomi (Dec 13, 2011)

Day 27-29: 5,000 words. Total: 50,000.

I'm experiencing a mix of emotions right now. I don't even know how to break it down. Good thing I blogged about this when my brain was less fuzzy.

http://michaelabayomi.blogspot.com/2012/02/50000-words.html

Thanks guys, for making this possible.


----------



## cidneyswanson (Feb 1, 2011)

Miles, Colin, Joshua, Martin, Davids Three, Savannah, Caedem, Dalya, Gretchen, Courtney, Jill, *et al*: Thanks so much for being so encouraging and making this crazy journey so much more enjoyable than it would otherwise have been. Congratulations on all you've accomplished.

I've put in 2184 today bringing the total for the month to *55,197*. I've also outlined the final action of the book, which will finish right around 60K, interestingly. At least for this first draft.

This weekend I go off to Spokane for a plot-intensive with Cheryl Klein. (Arthur A Levine books editor.) Sooooo looking forward to the change of pace. I'll actually be working with a different manuscript that I completed last summer. It'll be nice to set the February WIP in the cellar for fermentation.

Huge hugs to all!, and I'm definitely in for June if not sooner.
Cidney


----------



## Colin Taber (Apr 4, 2011)

Well done all.

Michael, I had quite a sprint to the line, so I know what you mean. I'll just aim for 500 words tonight, something nice and easy.

I don't normally keep stats, but I think I might for the next month, but not set targets and see how I've gone in re-establishing a habit.

David G, I'll be raising a beer to your wine(s) tonight!

David D, you've certainly had a thousand other distractions with your move (and was it the hot water system?). Funny how the whole process of writing, even as a daily routine, is still (usually) a little stop start or unpredictable.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Colin Taber said:


> David D, you've certainly had a thousand other distractions with your move (and was it the hot water system?). Funny how the whole process of writing, even as a daily routine, is still (usually) a little stop start or unpredictable.


Hah! I don't need any excuses. This is my job, and there's plenty here cranking out 2-3k a day in between far more demanding schedules. It was just fun for me to see what my standard rate of writing is for a month. Biggest thing is a nice clear example of how I need to slack off less


----------



## dalya (Jul 26, 2011)

Congratulations, everyone!  I'm doing revisions now, so along with deletions, my word count is going up, going down, going up, going down.

For the month, just under 95k total, and I admit I've accomplished absolutely nothing else in my life this month.  But I have WORDS!!  That's all that matters!


----------



## Ursula_Bauer (Dec 12, 2010)

Congratulations all.
I'm going to work on word count in March, since Feb wound up being more outline and plot tightening along w/edits. (read: EXCUSES!)
Plus, as David said, there _were_ only 29 days...


----------



## Lefty (Apr 7, 2011)

Hats off. Very inspiring what can be accomplished. I always have next month..........Darn, that starts tomorrow.


----------



## MGalloway (Jun 21, 2011)

2/1 - 2,443
2/2 - 1,814
2/3 - 92
2/4 - 2,709
2/5 - 0
2/6 - 112
2/7 - 1,795
2/8 - 2/20 - 0
2/21 - 712
2/22 - 2/25 - 0
2/26 - 253
2/27 - 181
2/28 - 602
2/29 - 379

Total: 11,091

I ended this stretch with the prologue of a novel I'm about to rewrite. But now I'm also ready to edit _two_ books...which is one more than I had a month ago.


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

Day 1: 1736          Day 11: 4495            Day 21: 0
Day 2: 2272          Day 12: 5401            Day 22: 2100
Day 3: 770            Day 13: 1550            Day 23: 1893
Day 4: 2731          Day 14: 624              Day 24: 665
Day 5: 0              Day 15: 0                Day 25: 4900
Day 6: 992            Day 16: 0                Day 26: 2272
Day 7: 0              Day 17: 0                Day 27: 1322
Day 8: 1414          Day 18: 0                Day 28: 1832
Day 9: 0              Day 19: 2671            Day 29: 2007
Day 10: 0            Day 20: 0

Total: 41647

It's not 60k, but I'll take it! Some amazing counts being recorded in this thread. Everyone did an amazing job!


----------



## Madeline (Jun 5, 2010)

Way to go guys - those are some impressive counts.

So who is starting the March challenge thread?


----------



## David Wisehart (Mar 2, 2010)

Congrats, everyone!

I didn't make it to 60K, but I did finish the first draft today, so I'm pleased. 

Day 1: 4,307
Day 2: 3,909
Day 3: 1,819
Day 4: 802
Day 5: 1,037
Day 6: 0
Day 7: 551
Day 8: 2,406
Day 9: 593
Day 10: 1,022
Day 11: 1,119
Day 12: 0
Day 13: 2,881
Day 14: 0
Day 15: 908
Day 16: 424
Day 17: 0
Day 18: 0
Day 19: 3,326
Day 20: 2,771
Day 21: 4,182
Day 22: 1,621
Day 23: 2,542
Day 24: 1,649
Day 25: 0
Day 26: 3,271
Day 27: 2,815
Day 28: 3,174
Day 29: 3,601

Total: 50,330

David


----------



## Mel Comley (Oct 13, 2010)

Congratulations to everyone, some great achievements in this thread. 

Day 1 - 2078
Day 2 Relatives b'day D/O
Day 3 - 2002  Total 4080! 
Day 4 - 2035  Total 6115!
Day 5 - 1300  Total 7415!
Day 6 - 1030  Total 8445. Had a visitor and needed to do some research for tomorrow's writing.  
Day 7-10 1591 Total 10,101  Life got in the way this week, sorry! 

I didn't report in daily as I've had an horrendous past few weeks. However I managed to get 26,737 words completed. That means I'm 17,000 away from the end of my novel. I hope to have it completed in a couple of weeks. So I'm very happy.


----------



## unkownwriter (Jun 22, 2011)

Hey, you guys have done so great with this challenge, I just can't find words.  Congratulations to everybody, whether you got the big 6-0 or not. I knew I probably wouldn't get that much, but my hope was the challenge would inspire me to get my butt in chair more, and it did.

Well, I'm a day late and a dollar short, as usual.   I fell asleep last night before I posted my totals, so here we go:

Day 28:  0
Day 29:  1288

Total for challenge:  27,285

This is the most I've ever written in a month, and I'm just over the moon! I started out the month still sick, a nasty upper respiratory infection that pretty much fried my brain, but I amazed myself with how many days I actually got words done.

The best news is, the book is finished. I've got the first draft done, coming in a 47,101 words, and she is down for a nap before editing begins. It's the first time I've actually completed a novel. Weee!!!!!!  Now it's on to the next project. 

I like the idea of doing this again, maybe we could manage June. We could call it the "Kick the Summer Off Right" challenge (around here, the kids get out of school in early June). And if anyone wants to have a post to list our daily totals in March, I'd be up for that.


----------



## B Sheridan (Dec 5, 2011)

Go me for not even managing to post my final update in February...

Days 1-5: 10255
Days 6-10: 4281
Days 11-15: 3026
Days 16-20: 13077
Day 21: 3009
Day 22: 572
Day 23: 513
Day 24: 6738
Day 25: 1821
Day 26: 1276
Day 27: 2384
Day 28: 1779
Day: 29: 546

Total: 49,277

If I had 30 days this month, I'd have hit 50k for sure. Which is...astounding. I went back and checked the original thread where Michael Wallace suggested this challenge and I said I'd participate but I'd shoot for 30k instead of 60k b/c of my non-writing time constraints. To say I wildly exceeded my own expectations is putting it mildly!

So thank you to everyone for posting their numbers and encouragement, thanks to Michael Wallace for suggesting it, and congratulations to all who participated. What a great feeling! I'd love to do it again soon.


----------



## Cege Smith (Dec 11, 2011)

Amazing accomplishments here and it makes me want to do it too.   Congrats to everyone!!

If there others who'd like to do a March challenge, I'd love to join you!!


----------



## Alan Petersen (May 20, 2011)

Congrats to everyone!

I did not make it.

Total: 22,436

Big fail. But I was busy making corrections/changes/rewrites to my manuscript for my completed project. I received it back from my editor so I wanted to focus on that so I can publish it in March. So the month wasn't a total loss.


----------



## CaedemMarquez (Mar 23, 2011)

Everybody did a wonderful job. It was great to see the progress made. I hope the words you all wrote will lead to successful books!

I managed to hit 50,000 for the month so I'm bummed and bugged. Really wanted to hit 60k.

Caedem

Feb 1:   0
Feb 2:   0
Feb 3:   0
Feb 4:   0
Feb 5:   0
Feb 6:   0
Feb 7:   0
Feb 8:   0
Feb 9:   0
Feb 10:  0
Feb 11:  0
Feb 12:  0
Feb 13:  0
Feb 14:  0
Feb 15:  353
Feb 16:  39
Feb 17:  6,633
Feb 18:  11,203
Feb 19:  10,291
Feb 20:  0
Feb 21:  5,177
Feb 22:  520
Feb 23:  0
Feb 24:  0
Feb 25:  0
Feb 26:  0
Feb 27:  0
Feb 28:  7,836
Feb 29: 7,956

Total: 50,008


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

CaedemMarquez said:


> Everybody did a wonderful job. It was great to see the progress made. I hope the words you all wrote will lead to successful books!
> 
> I managed to hit 50,000 for the month so I'm bummed and bugged. Really wanted to hit 60k.


50K is amazing. Be proud of that. Sheesh, if I hit 25K in March I'll be very... surprised.


----------



## CaedemMarquez (Mar 23, 2011)

Gretchen Galway said:


> 50K is amazing. Be proud of that. Sheesh, if I hit 25K in March I'll be very... surprised.


Thanks Gretchen! I know to some it may be confusing why I was bummed to "only" hit 50,000, I just know what I'm capable of and if I would have taken a few of those zero days and just wrote a little bit, instead of watching Storage Wars reruns, I would have been in a different place. I'm still working on discipline in my writing, so that's kind of where the bummed part of me is coming from.

Speaking of which, I still need to get back to writing today! lol.

Caedem


----------



## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

I'm finally off the train and just wanted to add a big congratulations to everyone who participated. Thanks to everyone for helping to keep me motivated.


----------



## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

Cough bump cough.

Anyone want to do this for April?


----------



## CaedemMarquez (Mar 23, 2011)

jillmyles said:


> Cough bump cough.
> 
> Anyone want to do this for April?


Make an April thread, girl! We will follow!


----------



## Rachel Schurig (Apr 9, 2011)

I'd be in!


----------



## MGalloway (Jun 21, 2011)

jillmyles said:


> Anyone want to do this for April?


If the challenge was in May, I'd join in. I'm going to need most of April to outline/prep for a novel. Unless outlines count...


----------

