March Challenge - Write Every Day!

Drive by because I'm devoting my time to a really long freelance assignment. Also I've been sleeping in because now the sun's coming up later. I had a smaller breakfast (rice and broccoli) and it seems to have worked in the energy department, except now I'm hungry. I want to save the pizza splurge until I finish a draft or something.

WGough - breakfast of champions!

I've been sick lately, so this is a total from a week or so- 364 (long hand and then typed up). Wow, that seemed like a whole lot more than 300.

Cindyt - well done for your 1k (again)

April, 491 is progress.

Pterofan - yay pizza

Starrystorm - yay 364

I've chosen a new project to look at for a couple of weeks. It's called "Dancing Shadows" or something like that. I was going to put it in a "Wild West" setting but on reflection I'll be doing a contemporary setting. Which makes world building somewhat easier.

Day 13
Revised one chapter.

Layla: Congrats on your half page. Sorry to hear of computer and bike woes.

Cindyt: Oh, the joys of the forced Windows updates! Hope all is better.

Taylor Harbin: Way to edit!

April Swanson: You can do it. HONK! It's full sweep. I did a plot revision on this one, but then confused myself when I went back to do the character revision. Ah, the process. Finished Voyager. Really enjoyed the series overall, but was let down by the finale. Tried Enterprise. Pass.

Pterofan: Good luck with the freelancing!

starrystorm: Amazed you can make yourself work while sick. WTG!

Keithy: Good luck with the new project!

Hi Keithy - I'm gonna miss Shana, but here's to finding a fun next project
Nice work Cindy. I considered getting a windows laptop. I've had one before, but I've been using macs since forever
WTG with the editing, Taylor
April, that's a good day - we have to let the well fill back up. (Hats and corsets and beach covers)
Ptero - I find that a less full belly means a more productive day
Woohoo Keithy
Nice work Gough


Day 13


WIP = 1/4 page - in the Summer Chair! (wearing wool leggings & two pairs of sweats, a fleece, gloves and a down vest, but the summer chair none the less. Morning with the birds!)
R/SC - went to my friend's house & fixed the bike; when I got home, made a big change to my work-space (got all my crafting supplies, tools and UFOs in one place. Things feel different); vacuumed…
$$ - got info about a low-cost solution to my sound-quality problem; found someone to pitch to.

Day 13

Draft - 1378

April - It wasn’t the update, it was the tech difficulty while they were updating. At least you wrote something toward your goal, and I have no doubt you can meet your deadline. Swim, swim, swim.

Gough - It’s fine now. (Knock on wood.) If they would just pop a warning window up. But, no. WTG on the one chapter.

Layla - I thought about getting a Macbook. YaY ¼ page!

Keithy - Good writing on your new project!

I decided my novel may turn out to be a novella. I’m not sure what to think about that, but whatever.

DAY 13- still sick, but managed to edit the beginning of chapter 4. I thought this chapter was going to be easy. But now it just looks like a chaotic mess.

Keithy- ooh, new project.

WGough- I probably shouldn't be, but being cooped up in bed all day makes me want to do anything creative.

Layla- Sure doesn't feel like March, does it?

Cindyt-Just let the story work its own course, because stories can be stubborn when they want to.

Didn’t get much done today. Rewrote and entire page by hand because I didn’t want to lose my train of thought.

Pterofan: Broccoli for breakfast?! You shame me with your healthiness!

WGough: Good grief that was some fast trekkin'! We're still on series 5–though I'm aware the finale is crap and there are some BAD relationship decisions in the final series! (J<3C4eva.) So, how do you think Voy and DS9 compare to the almighty TNG?

Keithy: Ooo I like the title! I hear ye on world building. I wish I could do straight contemporary, but I always insist on some silly magic.

Layla: Summer Chair! Sounds like you had another super productive day

Cindyt: Ach, as someone who's spent far too much time worrying about final word counts, I'd say not to worry about how big it's going to be in the end. 1378 is awesome!

starry: Good luck with that chapter! And get well soon

Much better day today–3096 big ones. I am acutely aware how rough this first draft is. Also spent some time with the wee WIP.

Day 14: Decent bit; 5.5 miles; rain/washing fiasco

Day 13 - 189 words
Day 14 - 764 words

The smaller portions appear to have worked. I woke up in the dark and had my word count before sunrise. I'm taking a check-in/grocery break between assaults on the freelance assignment.

Temps are in the 60s today. I have a short-sleeve shirt on!

April - I'm on my own, so I eat whatever I feel like for breakfast. More than once I've started the day with spaghetti. Mostly it's grains, like rice or barley. Bananas rule! Veggies should be a bigger part of my diet, but...well, they just aren't.

Keithy - what about a contemporary Western?

Cindy - Can you set your computer to tell you when updates come in? Mine has that option on the Control Panel. I get a pop-up notice when updates are available and can choose which ones I want to upload. (I'm on a PC with Windows 7)

Day 14
Revised two chapters. Little else.

Layla: Congrats on the 1/4 page. Yay, summer chair!

Cindyt: Nice word count. It's as long as it needs to be.

starrystorm: Been there. Feel better.

Taylor Harbin: Whatever gets it done!

April Swanson: Yowza, that's some word count! Congrats! Nothing beats TNG, IMO. Voyager was better than DS9. I'm not the target audience for Enterprise. Looking forward to the new Picard series, but I'm a cord cutter, so...Haven't seen any of Discovery.

Pterofan: Nice work!

Way to keep on keeping on Cindy
starry, good to see you - congrats on the editing, & sorry to hear you feel sick
Taylor, congrats on keeping at it
Wow April - 3k!!
Nice work Ptero
Congrats on the two chapters Gough




Day 14


WIP - 1/4 page
R/SC - continuing the re-arrange/sort & tidy project, & sewing
$$ - started a draft for my pitch project

Starrystorm WGough & Taylor - good progress on the editing. I will join your club next month.

Pterofan - not a bad two day average; you can't climb a mountain in one day.

April - talking of mountains, yours would need oxygen to climb to the top.

OK, I've done a bit of character building - who they are, what they are, their job, relations, backstory etc. It's going to be more or less contemporary, alas because the problem the protagonist faces is to do with technology and light.
So, I have an idea of something traumatic in the MC's past, they have a young child and a difficult and dangerous job. The story starts with a task within their job having gone disastrously wrong, and during the next task someone vanishes... which is the catalyst.

And I've given myself till the end of this month to get an outline complete, then work on "the visitor" second draft. A bit unwise, but I've decided that instead of doing nothing as a means of a break between projects, I can carry on doing useful work.

As usual, keep on swimming.

Day 14

Draft - 1597

Edit - 1 CHAPTER

Polish - 29 chapter hit and run.

Research - 1985 gaming console system

Published - Feature article, And So I married Him, in The North Gwinnett Voice.

AaronJKaplan -

Ptero - I was aware of that option, but I could not find where to change. Even the google instructions were wrong. But I figured it out today! Thank you so much! Great two days of drafting!

Starry - Thanks. That’s what I’m going to do. I went back and counted and found that all I need is less than 15k. That’s a whole lot better than 30. Great going while you’re sick. Get better soon!

April - Well, if it’s not words, it’s chapters. Parts used to hound me until I ran across a site that said, Don’t use parts unless there’s a drastic change in location.”
So, I’m over my parts craze. 3096 is fab!

Very little progress made, probably 300 new words written at the most. Hopefully the next scene will flow easier.

Working on the assignment today. With luck, I'll scribble something this evening. I seem to hopscotch -- a day or two of satisfactory word counts, followed by a crash and burn. Forget the veggies, I'm going to start drinking soda again.

Cindy - glad I could help

Pterofan: Nice! I love it when I get my words in really early.

WGough: Two chaps is good though! I’m wary of the new Picard series … the bar is set very high! Voyager might be squeaking past TNG for me, but it’s a close-run thing. I love them both

Layla: Yay 1/4 page and all other bits and pieces!

Keithy: Sounds like you have a very solid plan indeed. Good luck with the new project.

Cindyt: Hm, 1985 … was that the NES? (1597! Awesome stuff!)

Taylor: You got 300 words more than me!

I had to listen to my gut today and take another day to plan instead of drafting. The right story is somewhere in those 46,000 words …

Day 15: Decent bit; 5 miles; pen jackpot

Day 15
Revised one chapter.

Layla: Congrats on the 1/4 page. I admire your tidy!

Keithy: Way to plan!

Cindyt: Nice quartet! Congrats on the pub.

Taylor: Better than no progress!

Pterofan: Hopscotch in a mine field.

April Swanson: Love your attitude. Just finished the first season of Expanse. Seen it?

Have a great weekend, folks!

DAY 15: Wrote 507 words (both long hand and then typed, so more like 1,014 words.)

I'm attempting to do this chapter out of order. The few organizational pieces of my mind are freaking out. But I know what's best.

Pterofan-Hopscotch. That pretty much describes my current state too.

April-Sometimes planning is the best path, especially when drafting get tricky.

WGough-I wish I had your attitude towards editing.

Keithy - do you think being on this thread has given you the 'bump' to keep working between projects?
Cindy - whoa! it's a five-day for you - everything and pubbing - nice!
Taylor, that's what it's been like for me for over a year now...
Working *and* scribbling - very nice, Ptero
April - sounds like a good lead to follow. (I really liked Voyager - didn't like it at first but I watched it anyway because Star Trek - but it's real neck and neck for me between TNG & V)
Gough - I still have a long way to go - first, manage the UFOs - then get back to the unhoarding - congrats on that revision
starry! congrats on all those words


Day 15

WIP - 1/2 page
R/SC - started the day with errands, then some cooking; some sewing & tidying, then ballet
$$ - gathering info to update my portfolio

Ohh Cindy great 1597 words there. Staying off the drink seems to be helping...

April - remember, building blocks can be reused. I've done that enough, drawing from my "oddments" file.

Starrystorm - out of order chapters? Brave.

Layla - yes, it has. And the realisation that if I want to call myself a writer, I need to write.

Hat doffings to the editing club.

Ok, I've got an outline of an outline for the events for "Dancing Shadows". I've used a 12-beat system and filled in events and titles of scenes. Next are some character sheets. I've half-done the protagonist, but not her ex-girlfriend and the antagonist who's a corporate sales guy selling dodgy technology. Do I need to worry about a 4/5 year old kid? I am wondering if I should develop this to first draft then go back to "The Visitor". Bless Shana and her six-chambered heart.

Keep swimming sailing trucking or any other mode of transport preferred.

Day 15

Drive by because I’m exhausted from being out of town.

Ptero - You are too kind.

April - Nintendo. Good planning!

Gough - WTG on revisions!

Layla - WTG on half page!

Keithy - Great planning!

Did a lot of skipping today. Six whole pages have to be rewritten for better tension and flow. Things that were not established previously are causing the plot to snag (character wardrobe, names, unit dynamics, rationale for their actions, etc). At least I won’t have to do a painstaking line-by-line.

Day 15 - 125 words

We're maybe three days away from spring and this morning's weather report says we might get a bit of snow on Monday morning. Maybe flurries, maybe a coating, but still. Bleh. I may have to eat pizza.

Day 16

Draft - 1131

Edit - 1 scene

Research - 1985 kids weekday morning TV

Taylor - But at least you have something to rewrite. Good on you for staying in there!

Ptero - Eat a slice for me!