A Story and a Challenge

First the story, then the challenge.

One day about 10 years ago, I was doing extremely boring SGML coding in my cubicle. I decided I needed another cup of coffee to make it through, so I stood up...and my knee went "POP". Owww-ooch.

Follow on with continued pain, and arthroscopic knee surgery to repair my meniscus (which, um, wasn't torn? Different story). Followed by physical therapy.

Physical therapy after surgery is HELL. Fiery evil flames of hell. Physical therapists, while generally nice, are also demons.

"I can't do that," I'd say innocently. "My leg doesn't bend that way anymore."

"Yes you can," they'd say. [picture demon face, teeth bared, roaring "DO IT"]

And they'd make me. And then next time they'd make me do more [painful evilness hell]. And after 6 months of physical therapy, my knee felt perfectly fine in spite of the fact that surgery had done nothing for it. I waved cheerily as I said goodbye to my demon physical therapists.

So I know you're waiting for the moral/analogy to writing here. You can see it, obvious: You can do it if you try, right? You can do more than you imagined if prodded effectively.

Well, right. But also: writing HURTS sometimes. It is HARD. It is the fiery evil flames of hell trying to get yourself going, and you whine and say no I can't. I don't wanna. But it is also a process, and it goes up and down, and eventually you come through the other side with a fixed knee good book, if you're persistent.

And if you challenge yourself.

So, I'm trying to build up my flabby writing muscles again, and I'm challenging you and I'm challenging me. Today we're gonna start SUPER-easy: 200 words.

You can do that with your eyes closed. Go. Write 200 new words on your WIP. Come back and post a comment when you've got 'em done. I'll come back and post when I do too (though it won't be for a while--I DO have to work first!)

Ready? 200 words. GO!