One...more...challenge!

We had a brief but whopper snowstorm last night. Hubby peeked out the curtains last night at the snow whipping sideways and said "You think Pa can make it back in this?"*

So today we dragged out the snow shovel, the snow boots, the snow pants. I'm okay with that--it IS late November in Montana. Though we really do need to put the snow tires on the car.

Anyway, if you've been following along, we've been having quite the challenge week, trying to get me and anyone else who felt like joining in back up to a decent writing pace from...well, in my case, nothing. 200, 400, 600. Today is 800 new words, and I'm feeling I can do it.

Can you?

*Yes, obscure Little House reference.

Good! Next!

Whew.

A nice group of us made that one too. Yay to Linder, Deb, Brenda, Helene, and Gary! (and everyone else who wrote at LEAST that much yesterday)

I believe it's time for the disclaimer.

So as I might have said, I'm starting a brand-new book after not writing new stuff since August, and I'm trying to get back into the mode. My not-so-secret goal is to get back up to my normal writing pace, which is about 800 words a day.

(That may seem like a piddle compared to many of you full-time writers, but I've found with work and masters classes and thesis work and family, that's what I can do. And I still get books written--3 so far--so I'm good with that as an average, most times!)

So today, I'm adding 200 more words, for a grand total of 600 new words today.

Who's with me?

Next challenge

So all of us made it yesterday, and many overshot. Woot for us! I ended up with 530 new words for the day. (Thank you guys SO much for participating with this! It's just what I needed!!)

Now. *Demon Physical Therapist Face* Obviously that was WAY too easy. Let's double it.

400 new words on your WIP. Come back here and post when you've done it. Ready? GO!

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!