March 2020 Challenge - Write Every Day!

Magnus

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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, today.
  • 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. 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 March 1st! :D
 

Cindyt

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:hooray: Thanks, Magnus!

Goals

  1. Work on my projects every single day
  2. Finish prepping Part Three of the Historical for pub
  3. Finish the second draft of the crime novel
  4. Write the memoir after the other project sessions are over
  5. Eat right, because for some reason junk food cases depression, and when I'm depressed, I don't write.
 

Layla Nahar

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Marching right along ;)

I'll be sticking with my usual 3 = Writing + Life ;) .

1 - Add words to my WIP
2 - one (or more) act(s) of responsibility or self-care
3 - Bp/$$, the Prosperity category - 'Big Project' - a combination of Marie Kondo and a memoir, and beefing up my income.

I'll allow myself one skip day per week in each category
 

Pterofan

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Sent the second of the paid assignments back, and I'm over this year's bronchitis. My slate is clean. Bring on the new month!

I'll be working on Books 1 and 2 of the romance series--still, since I got knocked off course by having to earn money while sick. Good thing, though: letting Book 1 sit around so long showed me it's different in tone from Books 2 and 3. I'll have to scrap big chunks of it and rewrite others to bring it in line, but it'll be better for it. My goal is to finish at least one of the two; if I finish both, I'll go to work on Book 4. I want to see how Book 1 ends up before I contact the publisher. What the heck, who needs sleep?
 

LadyRedRover

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Hey everyone!

My goals for March are:

1. Editing a sci-fi short story

2. Prepping my novel outline for Camp NaNoWriMo

3. Doing 10 minutes of free-writing a day.

I don't know that I'll hit these every day, but I'm aiming to do at least one each day :)
 

Keithy

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End of another month already? Oh boy!

Being as I've just started "Fishy Tail" I'll be concentrating on that.
I will try to spend some time on "Fire Witch" and "DustWorld"

Something every day, despite being pestered.
 

April Swanson

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Thanks Magnus!

My goals for this month are:

Finalise Book 1 ready for April publication
Finish the first draft of Book 2 and start editing
Write 20k of a standalone novel I've been picking at for years

I'm not doing any writing today, but I have been musing Book 2, and making wee edits to Book 1. Today will mostly be a reading day though; need to clear the decks in preparation for the Mirror and the Light this week.

Happy new month, folks!

Day 1: Wee bit; ? miles (but I estimate very few); colossal cookies
 

katfeete

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Hi everyone! New to the community, but glad to find somewhere I can set goals for myself and be accountable, because I am very much needing that these days. I’m aiming low, because I’m still getting over burning myself out (on the day job, mostly, but the writing suffered badly) in 2019.

I have a mix of life/writing goals for this month:

1) For my novel-in-progress: work on it every day — days I can’t write on it, I want to do at least some brainstorming or worldbuilding to keep it on the top of my brain. Have 10k added or revised to the work proper by the end of the month.

2) Write a script a week for my poor, abandoned comic. I’m having a lot more trouble getting back into this than the novel-writing, but it’s time to at least start prodding the bandages.

3) Exercise every day (except Sunday)

4) I realized last month that my goal for my day job is “become dispensable”. First World Problems, I know, with so many people struggling to get and keep a decent job, but I’ve worked myself into a corner where there’s an endless list of things that Only Kat Can Do, and the feeling that I can’t leave — or take a vacation, or get sick — without crippling the business contributed heavily to last year’s burnout. This month’s goal: keep a work log of everything that’s getting dumped on my desk and start sorting out how much of it really does need me, and how I can fix it so I could give it to someone else.

That’s the plan. Now to see how much life decides to get in the way. :)
 
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Magnus

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March plans!


  • Go from 14 total writing sessions per week to 21.
  • Finish the first draft of at least one short story. I need to post and/or submit something.
  • Get my head around the content of my essay on storytelling.

Day 1
Sunday is a free day! I started a session but didn't finish it. Took a walk and read a bunch and played some computer games. Back at it tomorrow! I've been doing well in February, hitting 14+ sessions per week for three consecutive weeks now. Now I must remember not to get overconfident about the progress, but instead focus on keeping up with the routine I've managed to create while slowly building on top of it!

Let's do it everyone!
 

Woollybear

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I'm in!

Week1: I'm committed to writing 1500 words per day until Saturday, to satisfy my IRL accountability at writing club. So far today I'm at 700 and plan to push out the rest after some cardiovascular.

Week2/3: Not sure, but I have an April 15th deadline of finishing the first draft of this novel, so some word count goal will be part of it. Also want to start getting critique on Chapter 1, which means some polishing goals will appear mid-month.

Week4: Again, because of the April 15 deadline for a finished first draft, I'm not certain what the goal will be when the end of March rolls around, but will definitely have a handle on that ~ March 21st.
 

SciSarahTops

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Hi, I think I'll try this month. I have to finish a short for the sekrit solstice story swap. also want progres on my first draft.

I'm going to try for 10 mins per day regardless of output (but it has to be solid work). Baby steps and all that.
 

Pterofan

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Not an auspicious beginning. I was flipping channels on TV and found Mystery Science Theater, so instead of writing I ended up watching Attack of the Giant Leeches. My only excuse is that it's Sunday. :tongue Let's see what I can do after dinner.
 

Layla Nahar

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Hay Magnus - sound like a great Sunday :D

Good to see everyone gearing up for a wordful March :D


Day 1


WIP - 1/2 page
R/SC - binge reading :)
BP/$$ - earning service
 

Keithy

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Pterofan - Attack of the giant leeches. I wonder what that could be about. A romance, perhaps?
Everyone else - March says hello.

I managed to do 1079 words on FishyTail. Kaylee has met Granny's grandson, who is a bit of a geek obsessed with conspiracies.
I also did some plotting for Dustworld. It's going to be a "reclaim my kingdom" sort of tale but I'm looking to subvert it a bit.

keep on sailing me hearties!
 

Cindyt

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Day 1

Word Count - 586

Historical - The first section of Chapter 14. The last draft has 100171 words--so far.

Crime - Revised format and added a few new words.

Katfeete - :hi:

SciSarahTops - :hi:

Magnus - Sounds like you had fun today.

Lady Red - You have a great month too!

Layla - WTG on the half page!

Keithy - 1K club!
 

katfeete

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Days 1 &2

188 words yesterday, 202 today, probably double that in brainstorming and back-spacing and general gnawing. This is my secondary POV’s first interaction with a character the MC knows well, so I keep having to back up and go, “no, wait — that’s what MC would think of him; that’s what MC would say to him. POV character is different.”

No progress on the other goals, but I wasn’t expecting any. Today is a travel day, so my exercise will have to be chasing the kid around the airport rescuing the hapless adults she’s cornered....

Having fun reading about everyone else’s progress!
 
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Pterofan

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Day 1 - Redeemed myself by writing half a page longhand, or about 200 words. Take that, MST3K!

Copied my file of Book 1 so I can start the cutting/rewriting without losing anything. You never know when a discarded chapter might come in handy.

Keithy - re: the giant leeches: well, the one character was married to a sultry, unemployed wife who was cheating on him...
 

Woollybear

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Nice to see many jumping in. :) Much happiness, and congrats on all the words already happening!

We have houseguests arriving today. I'm a bit nervous this will cramp my style between now and the end of the week. So, in a panic, I hashed out today's words early and am done for the day. It's only 9:12 here, and this may be the earliest I've ever hit a target. But that's good, and week one is on track--1500 words yesterday and today (not quality words, more like skeletal first-draft plot words). I think I need 6,000 more by Friday night to finish off week one as a success.

Total count on draft ATM is 60202. I am targeting 120,000 for the final first draft, so that means I am at the halfway mark. Not actually true, as plot-wise I am past the halfway mark, so the actual first draft might end up at 90,000. On the other hand, there are plenty of places in those 60,000 words where I left parentheses and a note to add a scene, and I'll need to add descriptions throughout, so maybe 120,000 is about right but it'll be second draft not first.

Anyway, ^^ evidently I had more words that needed to come out. ^^ :)
 

Magnus

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Day 2
Two sessions. I got sick of my non-fiction and decided to set it aside for a while. I think I need to digest it a bit more. I feel so close to a revelation, but it's like a few pieces are missing yet. So I sat down and did a writing challenge and then worked on a short story serial that I should have finished ages ago. The change of scenery felt good!

Going to be a bit of a tough week to keep up, but I should manage.

Welcome all participants, old and new, good to see this place lively! :) Now go wrangle some words! :D
 

Layla Nahar

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Nice work, Keithy
Congrats on the new words and the revisions, Cindy
hello kat and welcome :) Congratulations on your 188 and your 202!
Ptero, congrats on the 200 and the ‘pre-editing’ :D
Patty, congrats on getting of to an early finish ;)
Sounds like a great day, Magnus




Day 2


WIP - 1/2 page
R/SC - housemate hunt emails
BP/$$ - tiying, earning service
 

Keithy

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Katfeete - oh, having different POVs have different views is hard. So I make it easy on myself these days: not too many.
Pterofan - those leeches really suck! (Sorry, I couldn't help myself)
Patty - that's something I do. A man (describe) walked in the door.

So, I've been busy again.1845 words done on Fishy Tail. Kaylee's new geeky friend has helped her find the Head Office of the company connected to her father's death. Then she had her first pizza, and wondered why Leggers don't eat it every day because it's really good. She's about to get in an altercation at a fast food restaurant.

I also drew a pencil map for DustWorld. More detail required.

Research:

I read "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli. It's really useful, like a dummy's guide to political power.

non-writing:

Mopped the kitchen floor. If you want to go in there, you'll have to walk on the ceiling.
 

Cindyt

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Day 2

Word Count - 552

Research - History of flying: the Chinese kite & Leonardo da Vinci’s dragonfly machine drawing. Italian boys names. Ancient Italian cities; I chose Verona. 18th-century men’s Italian clothing.

Research - Historical - 2½ chapters

Layla - Nice steady ½ page
 
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starrystorm

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Joining in later, but better late than never.

I've been stuck in my sci-fi because I'm trying to beef up the plot by reworking my outline (I need at least 10k more). I've added in some new chapters and ideas, but I still have several places that say things like (expand more on this) and (NEED SOMETHING HERE!!!)

Hopefully I can get something in today.
 

April Swanson

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Layla: Whatcha reading? I picked up The Hunting Party today and it’s pretty good.

Keithy: Congratulations on being the first in the 1k club :) It should be all sparkly after its monthly clean.

Cindyt: Nice work. Wooft, that’s a big draft!

kat: Welcome to the club :) Awesome sauce getting those words down.

Pterofan: Absolutely. I reuse old stuff all the time. I keep it all in a folder rather euphemistically called Explorations.

Patty: Excellent work!

Magnus: Way to mix it up!

I’ve had a slow start to the month—mostly musing and figuring out a few new place and character names, but tomorrow, I’ll be back at it!

Day 3: Wee bit; 5 miles; book-buying binge
 

Pterofan

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Day 2 - did better, wrote a little over a full page longhand, maybe 400-450 words. The witch just found out unexpectedly who/what her father was. By the way, coyotes do it doggie style. ;)

Got another paid assignment, but it's a short one, so I should be able to write, rewrite and edit all at the same time. There's not that much on TV anyway.