I’m not sure if it’s misery loving company, but I have to say that I’m really happy to hear I’m not the only one who is struggling this month to get any writing done. So all aboard Christine’s Kick In The Pants parade! Fo rthe next six weeks we’re going to support each other to help us get our groove back. I’ve decided the rules should be simple.
1. Right now, pick a story you’re going to work on for the next six weeks. I don’t care if you’ve already started it, or if you’re looking to start something new. Just pick something and go with it. The only rule, is that you can’t switch and start to work on something else until you deem this project finished. The whole point of this is having something to show for it when you’re done. You don’t make any headway jumping from project to project.
2. Figure out what your goal for this writing challenge is. Are you hoping to finish a book? Get back into writing on a regular basis? Get though a rough patch in a story? Pick a big picture goal- something that you can look at six weeks from now and say “Woohoo!! I did it!”.
3. Every Sunday, post here what your goals for the week are. Make sure to take an honest look at what’s going on for you in the upcoming week. It’s no good to say you’re going to write 10,000 words if you have ten thousand other things going on. Make a realistic choice. But don’t make the goal too easy either. If writing 500 words a day is easy, aim for 600.
4. Check in on Wednesdays to let us all know how you’re doing! The whole point of this is to support each other. Talk about what is working for you, what your road blocks are, and getting other people’s opinions on what you might be able to do to get past them.
The key thing to remember is this is a challenge for you. The point is to give us all a much needed boots and get us through the January druge that seems to be pulling everyone down. Let us know how you’re doing-post on your site and I’ll do my best to stop by.
So to start us off, here is what I’m hoping to do.
Big Goal - Finish urban paranormal.
Goal for week – 5000 words. Finish chapter 4 and start chapter 5.
Possible Roadblocks – Busy work schedule, makes me sleepy and hard to write at night.
I so need this to get back on track and force myself to start writing forward again.
BIG Goal: Finish my Urban Paranormal
Goal for the Week: I’m going to say 4,000 words
Possible (likely) Roadblocks: Interruptions by my family: being called by my mother to drive her up to visit Dad, having to drive Eldest son around, but probably the biggest one is getting my ego unbruised after a rejection and feeling like I can write and it’s worth it.
Good for you, Leah! I know that rejection really hurt (HUGS!) but the story was awesome and you can shop it to another publisher. You can do it!!
Thanks for hosting this Kick in the Pants Challenge, Christine! I need it, to kick myself out of the January sludge. I’m progressing, but much more slowly than I wanted to. So…
BIG GOAL: Finish revisions to House on Bear Branch, the novel I rough-drafted for the first round of Sven
GOAL FOR THE WEEK: Finish second-round revisions to my second POV character’s section (finished second-round revisions to my first POV character’s section last night).
CHALLENGES: I write late at night, so I don’t have to worry too much about interruptions, though they’re still possible. Keeping on top of distractions.
BIG GOAL – Get more than half way through the ST I am trying to write (and only just started so pretty much starting at the beginning). I’d say finish it, but I’ve never written 80k before and I’m not even sure I can! (There’s confidence for ya!
)
GOAL FOR THIS WEEK: 5k
CHALLENGES – 3 kids under 8 (that’s always a challenge), dd’s 6th bday party, health issues I’m struggling with and testing for same, biggest challenge – motivation and feeling like I’m not a good writer so why bother.
I know you’re going to crush this TL!!
Michelle, I know you rock as a writer. You can do this, hon! Health issues can be hard, so remember to take little steps. Even 50 words written are 50 more than you had. HUGS!
Cool! Here we go…
BIG GOAL:
Get at least 1/2 my novel written. I did have 12,000 words written but scrapped the entire thing. Storyboarding the new version at the moment and will be ready to jump into Chapter 1 hopefully this week.
THIS WEEK’S GOAL:
I’m going for 4000 words, only because I have the TRW newsletter to finish.
CHALLENGES:
The TRW newsletter!! It always sucks up WAY more time than I want/need it to. Also, my kiddo has a PA day this week so I’m losing a writing day. As for distractions — I need you all (yes, all!!) TO STOP BLOGGING!!! I just can’t quit taking a daily peek at your fascinating lives. Y’all are worse than a nicotine habit.
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, STOP BLOGGING!!!!!
Forgot to add
First love the title of this challenge. Ok here it goes
BIG GOAL: Finish this Speculative Romance I’m working on. It has to be finished with 80k in 6 weeks no ifs ands or buts
THIS WEEK’S GOAL: I’m going to say 4000k, because that would be pretty good for me.
CHALLENGES: Two Children under 5, my EDJ tiring me out, the weather sapping my strength, my Nintendo DS and possibly another round of edits. Not to mention family things.
At least virtual villagers doesn’t call to me like a Psiren anymore.
Oh for the love of God!!! I posted my email!!!
That goes to show you how a weekend of family can exhaust you! I feel like I can take on ANYTHING else once everyone goes back to work! 
I love the name!!!
Okay here are my goals…
BIG GOAL: Finish the current WIP and send it out for February 1st deadline for submission – so I know I need to accomplish this goal! And then (and this is going to be why I need this) try not to think about if my sent in WIP is going to the crap pile or not and still continue writing…. I would like to have another 15,000 story completely polished or have a 30,000 word first draft.
THIS WEEKS GOALS: 5000 words and completing edits.
CHALLENGES: Hmmmm…. I can’t think of any! LOL!!! I’m not even going to list them!
Wylie – LMAO!!! You do a fabulous job with the newsletters! And I agree… can everyone stop blogging!
I guess I forgot to add
too… but seriously can everyone just stop!!! LOL!!!
Vicky – you forgot to add ‘BABY’ to your challenges. ’nuff said!
Yes I concur with Wylie, Lilibet is a CHALLENGE, although Vicky can cage her in a play pen, Sumo just knocks down stuff.
You guys make me laugh! And it’s not the same laugh I had all weekend – that one sounds like I should be locked in an institution!
Wylie – trust me, I didn’t forget about her! LOL!!! She would scream if she thought that for a second.
Amy – unfortunately she can’t even sit up by herself yet… and she hates lying down… so yet again she would scream!
A lot of screaming happening in this house! And it’s NOT the good kind! LOL!!! I’m sorry I actually wrote that!
You guys are great!!!
Christine – this is inspired.
BIG GOAL: Finish (at long last) my vampire WIP.
THIS WEEK’S GOAL: Do the exercises I found at The Accidental Writer to help me with my scene revisions, which feels like the Death By A Thousand Cuts.
CHALLENGES: Recovering from a rather vicious 2-week migraine.
Okay Christine I am so thankful you’re doing this! It’s just the kick in the pants I need for the January sludge (like that, describes what I’ve been feeling perfectly!).
Big goal: Be more than halfway finished with a category length novel.
This week’s goal: Finish rewriting chapter’s 2 & 3 so I can send off partial.
Challenges: Like Amy, two children under 5 and both of them sick (daughter has ear infection so sigh…she’s a mess, poor thing).
Good luck everyone!
This is a great idea, Christine.
Big Goal: finish my current Middlemarch story plus synopsis.
This week’s goal: Write 11,000 words – 2000 per day plus a bit extra.
Challenges: fighting muse and getting past the rejection I received this week. Ugh!! Keeping away from Internet and possible procrastination.
Vicky said “A lot of screaming happening in this house! And it’s NOT the good kind!”
ACK!! I spewed my coffee!!! LOL
This is awesome everyone!! I’m thrilled to see so many people ready to join me for a writing boost!
My challenge is going to be finding time to write. I’m not going to get up at 5:30 am this month to meet my goal. I need that rest. That said, I’m actually going to try and take my lunch hours to do some writing and also get some done right after supper. If I can manage 1000 a day, I’ll be thrilled.
Those of you with children, my heart goes out to you. I remember how hard it was to write with my babies.
Shelley, HUGS on that rejection, hon.
This is great and very timely.
Big Goal: Finish my first MS today then commit to finish MOL for Mar 1 conference appts, including synopsis and pitch.
This week’s goal: 10-12,000k, 2,000 a day
Challenges: Need two days for work and neglected house cleaning, will lose ground reworking new plot lines since I left MOL, fear – I’m in the middle
I am SO in need of a kick in the pants!
Big Goal: Finish Brimstone & Send off to Berkley by end of Feb.
This Week’s Goal: Revise 50 pgs of Brimstone this week.
Roadblock: Staying focused and getting my head back in the story.
Christine this is such a fantastic idea!!! The kick in the pants we need indeed. But shucks, I’ve kind of been enjoying my vacation. I do not want to leave it just yet. LOL! But. . . I want to be united with my friends. So.
Big Goal: TRY to write a longer novel
This week’s goal: write 4000 words
Complications : my daughter is sick, there’s work to do around the house, dentist’s appointment this week plus all of the usual unforseeables, LOL.
Woot, everyone good luck, this is great, C!
Oh whee do I need this. I haven’t written a lick of anything since October. I was the recipent of a scathing, cut to the bone rejection and I haven’t even wanted to look at anything involved with exposing “obviously” untalented self again.
However, there is the kernal of a civil war romance doing laps in my brain and I do want to get it going.
Goal-half of 85K Civil War era romance story completed.
Daily goal- a minumum of 1000 words.
Complications- the goofy 5th Chapter where the story comes to a screeching halt.
Challenges-is there more of this story to be found? It may be a worthy short story rather than a novel. Is the Civil War Era interesting enough to support a good delish romance novel? Do I have the talent to bring it in?
Now is the time to find out.