November 2019 Challenge - Write Every Day!

Magnus

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Holy smokes, it's soon November 2019. Anyone else getting that feeling like there's suddenly not enough year left?

Well, stop it! That's a mistake I keep making, too. "Oh, I blew it for 2019; I'd better start making plans for 2020." But that's why we ended up not achieving as much as we'd hoped in the first place; thinking too much about the future. I'm not saying you shouldn't make plans, but let's promise to ask ourselves more often: "What can I do right now that will move my project forward?" And that's not a New Year's resolution, but a TODAY resolution!

So: This is a thread open to anyone who wants to start, maintain, or reinforce a writing habit. (It can also be about revision, editing, research, or even just the everyday stuff you need to keep up with to support your writing.)

The idea is that repeating something daily will build a habit that becomes stronger over time.

It's entirely up to you how much and in what way you participate. Post your goals if you like, or just check in when you can!

Here are some tips:


  • Set achievable goals – I can't stress enough how important this is. To build a habit, doing something is more important than quantity or quality.
  • Try to do a little every day – even if it's just writing a sentence or two. It reinforces the habit of sitting down to write and makes it easier to get keep it up in the long run.
  • Be adaptive – You'll always be facing new challenges, and what works for someone else doesn't always work for you. What worked for you last week might not work this week. Try different types of goals, different times of the day, and different tricks to reward or motivate yourself. A good habit is what works for you, right now.
  • Be patient – It takes a long time to build a strong habit, and progress happens in tiny increments; you won't always notice it day by day, or even week by week.
  • Failure is a part of the process – Failure is a natural part of improving your skills because it lets you figure out what went wrong so you can do better in the future. When you fail to hit your target, your job is figuring out why it happened. That way, you can find ways to get around your roadblocks (and don't be scared of lowering the bar).

Remember: if you share your experiences in the thread, others might be able to help out with tips, tricks, and support! And it's okay to just take a break for a day or two, or have scheduled days off. Find what works for you.

Good luck, and see you on November 1st!

P.S. I know this is the NaNoWriMo month, and NaNo-ers are of course welcome to report in here! However, I don't want people to feel pressure to participate in NaNoWriMo. It's not for everyone, and if it's not for you, that's okay. You're still a writer.
 

Pterofan

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I'm in, because I feel I need to push myself a bit harder. I want to aim for at least 1000 words a day for the month of November. If I happen to finish a book in 30 days, so much the better. If you're writing ebooks, 30K words can count as a book, depending on the genre.
 

Cindyt

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I'm in!

1. Write every day or otherwise do something toward my projects
2. Keep revising the crime novel
3. Keep revising and formating the historical
4. Meet my article deadlines
 
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K Robert Donovan

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Goals:
- Edit Book 1 - Draft #4 and reduce my word count by the end of the month by another 20K.
- cont. writing book 2 adding 2000 words per week.
 

DanielSTJ

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BIG goals for this month. I want to participate every day. I don't want to set word counts, but I want to read and write A LOT every day. I'll be broke (so I won't be drinking/smoking/substance-using) and I hope for great success in this endaevor. Honestly, keeping in touch on here with you all is a GREAT motivator for me and I really enjoy interacting with you all. It makes it feel like we're a big team working on a project together! :D

I wish you all luck, you go-getters! Let's make this month great! :)
 

Layla Nahar

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I'm in, with the usual - writing while Life happens. To that end, my three (the magic #):

1) Add words to my WIP every day
2) (at least) on action of responsibility or self-care
3) the Prosperity category - to improve my home, and how I make my living - I'll keep calling it "BP/$$" for 'Big Project (it's an umbrella for a number of related projects) and 'improve my earning power'

I allow myself one skip-day per week in any/all of the categories.

Here's to a wordful November :D
 

PiaSophia

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I'm in!

Goals:
- Read and write some every day, but allow myself to take a day off if I feel like I need to

I'm in a better place mentally than last month, so I am pretty sure that I can do this. We got this, you guys!
 

Keithy

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My current system is a target of 3500 words a week on Demon Hunter, ie 500 a day times 7. I do it this way because I always have at least one dud day every week.

I am also aiming to do at least two 1K+ days per week.

If I reach either or both targets then I should push on if possible. I normally reach one or other by Friday anyway.

Get it written! It's not going to write itself.

(Also do a bit of work on "Fire Witch", although that's not vital)
 
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Orklad

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Goal: Win at NaNoWriMo and hit the 50k for October.

I don't think I've ever had a period of sustained productivity like that before...not for that long. I've run up around 30k in 2 weeks, but at the end of that, the book was finished.

This is a bit more daunting: a brand new project that I've plotted out and is ready to go on Friday...

::deep breath::

It'll be fine. I got this.

::nods::
 

Magnus

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My goal for November is simple: freewrite or work on WIP every day (though Sundays are always a break day if I want). No more, no less, i.e. back to the roots of doing something is better than doing nothing. The habit has been slipping lately and I need to get back to the nitty and gritty of establishing it.
 

sandree

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I’m in. My goal is to edit my WIP when it returns from betas and then publish. Write the blurb - ack! Figure out what I need to do to promote the launch.

Journal every day, explore ideas for the next book. Breathe. Have faith. Heal.
 

KTC

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I'm in. Not only am I doing Nanowrimo, but I also organized a small writing retreat for this coming weekend. A friend offered her cottage as the place...and six or seven of us are getting together for a writing marathon. I hope to complete my current WIP while I'm there (Saturday and Sunday). I need about 25,000 words still...but I do the 72hr Muskoka Novel Marathon every July and get about 50K written in that long weekend...so I'm hoping the 25K in two days is doable. Either way...I'm down to write the entire month of November. Idea in hand for the next WIP. :)
 

kaejomul

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I'd really love to join in on this challenge! I am super new to writing fiction. I've been writing for years but it's always been for work/business purposes.

I've started writing my first ever piece of fiction. I've completed three chapters so far, which I know isn't much but I'm finding it a bit daunting. My goal is to write 300 words per day minimum. I know that's not much but I'm really just trying to create the habit right now and I don't want to scare myself off (plus I'm doing this in my downtime at work).
 

kaejomul

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I love that you added in the prosperity category! I've always got a home project on the go as well! Right now I'm working on a new dining room table and after that I'll be making a new railing for my stair.
 

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NaNoWriMo Time! :hooray::hooray::hooray::hooray::hooray::hooray::hooray::hooray::hooray::hooray::hooray:

My goals is the 50,000 minimum. I'd love to get it down early so I can go back and organize my mess of a story.

Accomplishment on Day One (so far): 3,562. I'd like to reach 5,000.

Total Word Count: 3,562/50,000
 

Magnus

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Day 1
Wrote up a Patreon update and took some notes for my WIP, and worked on organising the information I already have for my WIP (my biggest roadblock, still: I get overwhelmed with all the information and sorting it out and boiling it down -- but I'm making progress).
 

WGough

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Thanks for starting the thread, Magnus.

November Goals
Finish revision of Book I.
Query betas for Book I.
Revise Book II.
Check in here more often.

Day 1
Revised Chapter 43. Five chapters to go.

Have a great month, everybody!
 

ubriel

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I am so in!
NaNoWriMo this month for the first time ever! Not sure why I am so exited but I am!
You guys were witness to the final word on my last WIP last month and I hope to be able to pull another rabbit out of that hat this month. Compared to the girth of my last, the goal for Nano should be pretty doable in a month.
I got started on it this afternoon. Doing it as a real, one month only, project, I waited to work on it at all outside of the random thought plotting that happens in my head whether I want it to or not.
I got 4,279 words in today! My goal is around 2k a day so that puts me in a pretty good spot, I think.

I am so excited to see what everyone accomplishes this month!

Vicky---Nice first day!
KTC---That is a heck of a goal! I am full of the envies over your retreat. Have fun!
 

Layla Nahar

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Vicky! 3.5K Wowza :D Great start
Gough - 43 Down! 5 to go!!
Congrats on the Patreon work and the organising Magnus :)
ubriel 4.2K! Dang! Way to be Wordful!



Day 1

WIP 1 1/3 page
R/SC - paid rent, recycle batteries, changed the hall lightbulb, productive talk w/ my house-sharing partner, & other stuff
BP/$$ - tidying, sorting out of project material
 

DanielSTJ

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Vicky: Damn, that’s an amazing wordcount! Nice!

Magnus: Getting the ball rollin’. Right on!

WGough: Revision is good!

Ubriel: AMAZING wordcount. Great job!

Layla: Good start!

Me: About 900 words. Getting started for the month!
 

Keithy

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First of all thanks to Magnus for keeping this Challenge thing going. It helps to keep us going. :)
Vicky & ubriel - oh, they are huge mountains of hard work, great going! Sending copious hat doffings.
kaejomul - welcome aboard.

I did 1312 words on "Demon Hunter" today, the week's total so far is 6608. I ought to reach 7500, possibly 8000 by Sunday. After having her drink spiked, Shana is out cold. But she's rescued by a pair of spies... who're working for different people. One kills the other. Shana recovers from the poisoning and Aliya has brought her some new clothes to replace her ruined dress. Shana has learnt a new lesson: don't drink from a jug that nobody else has drunk from.

Also did more work on "Fire Witch". I've decided upon a setting: France just before the revolution. Also getting the barest of bare bones of a story.

Trying not to think about "Logic Bomb" and failing. So I fiddled around with the outline.

research: Anti-Clericalism (tons of reading to do)
How many Ramanujan ("taxicab") numbers are known (6).
Balance of forces on bridges.

keep on swimming. you know you can do it.
 

PostHuman

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Accomplishment on Day One (so far): 3,562. I'd like to reach 5,000.

Total Word Count: 3,562/50,000
Awesome goal and great start :e2cheer:

I am so in!
NaNoWriMo this month for the first time ever! Not sure why I am so exited but I am!

Yay, same here! Haven't signed up on the website or anything, will just try for 3k words per day if possible.

I got 4,279 words in today!
:Trophy: grats that's a great start ubriel!!

Day 1

WIP 1 1/3 page
Me: About 900 words. Getting started for the month!
I did 1312 words on "Demon Hunter" today, the week's total so far is 6608.

nice work everyone, hope you have a great month!

First day for me 2673, not quite the daily goal but getting close!
 
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April Swanson

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vicky: Great start to the month. Good luck for Nano :)

Magnus: Glad to hear you’re making progress.

WGough: Good luck with the goals and WOO for revising Chap 43! (Also if you’re looking for betas I’d be happy to have a read.)

ubriel: Ride that Nano excitement! 4279 for Day 1 is awesome.

Layla: What an incredibly productive start to the month!

Great job, Daniel.

Keithy: Woo, amazing start!

Post: Wow, 2673 is a great count, regardless of your goal!

I couldn’t face drafting brand new Chapters 1 and 2 so instead I revised Chaps 3-5. I’m not convinced I’m making them any better … I think this could be a bit of a rough month!

Day 1: Decent bit; 4 miles; brolly bonanza