Saturday, May 31, 2008

Let The Challenge Begin


The starter’s gun has gone off and we’ll have thirty days to write 50,000 magical words. A novel, a creation of your own imagination. Your baby, a baby you will nurture and grow to love or hate at times. Characters that will become part of your life, at times invading your space wanting your attention and stopping at nothing until they get what they want. Yes we are in for a fun filled month of highs and lows, but through it all we will have each other. There will always be someone there to cheer you on or give you a cyber hug when you need it most.


I found an article the other day while I was tidying up around my work area. It was one written about Barbara Taylor Bradford in 1986. She was riding high on the release of her best seller ‘A Woman of Substance’ as a TV series. It was partly because of this article that I had originally started writing. Although I put it all on hold until the last couple of years. At some stage I’ll share with you a lot of what she said, but for now I want to give you her five D rules. This is what she wrote;


D for desire – the desire to want to write that novel more than to do anything else.


D for drive _ the drive to get started.


D for determination – the will to continue whatever the stumbling blocks and difficulties encountered on the way.


D for discipline – the discipline to write every day, whatever your mood.


D for dedication – to the project until the very last page is finished.


Finally there is the sixth D --- to AVOID!


This D is for distractions – perhaps the most important D of all, the enemy of all writers, whether would-be or proven.


So ladies at the end of the first day of our challenge call back and tell us how your day went. How much writing did you achieve? Were you happy with your day’s results? Are your characters playing nice or being pains in the butt?


I’ll update your word meters Monday morning; you will be surprised at just how much of a boost you’ll get from seeing a word tally under your name.


Don't forget to call into each others blogs from time to time and offer support and encouragement to your fellow challengers, a little support goes a long way.


Have fun, enjoy your month of writing and we’ll be here through the week to cheer you on, or give you that cyber hug you may need. The most important thing is HAVE FUN.

Hugs
Sandie

27 comments:

Suzanne Brandyn Author said...

Good Luck Ladies,
When I write I will know I am not the only one facing this challenge. Its nice to know others are doing exactly the same.

Suz :)

Diane said...

My whole story is driven by the first D - and not just the DESIRE to write.

Hee hee!

Amanda said...

Great one Sandie... I have just launched from the starting blocks... can't wait to reach the finish line ecstaticaly waving my completed 50 000!!

Kiss Carson said...

Ok, here I go! I'm aiming for 1900 words today so I hope my muse is happy and willing to help! Good luck everyone and may the word fairies be with you!

Yippee!

Kathleen ;-)

Suzi Love said...

I managed to do 1270 words today despite interruptions. Aiming for a big writing week though,
Sue Webb

Christina Phillips said...

I managed 2410 words today. I'm happy with that since usually I write absolutely nothing on Sundays!

Sandie Hudson said...

Ladies they are fantastic numbers for your first day. WOOHOO. Can the Aussie girls rock or what?

Hugs
Sandie

Becca said...

Hey,
Great work everyone.
137 for me. But they are the first words i've done in nearly 6 weeks and i would not have done them today if not for this.
Hugs, bec

Sandie Hudson said...

Bec that is a fantastic job. Hopefully now the writing will get a little easier each day.

Hugs
Sandie

Diane said...

Way to go Sue and Christina, and Bec you surpassed your goal for the day, so that's wonderful...and the fact that they're the first words you've written in 6 weeks...it must feel like the drought is breaking...

Anonymous said...

Great going today ladies, my word count for today is 1800. I feel fantastic.

Sandie Hudson said...

Barb that is absolutely fantastic going for your first day. WAY TO GO BARB.

Hugsandie.

Sandie Hudson said...

I'm calling it a day. Total for the day 6,096 and I feel brain dead. They have thrown me a few curly ones today. But I managed it calmly, didn't throw a hissy fit (which I have been known to do) I refuse to let them get to me.

Great going everyone. You all should be very proud of yourselves.

Hugs
Sandie

Unknown said...

That's 1400 words for me, after a day spent in comulsary family-bonding.

I'm quietly pleased, given I only managed a couple of hours at the keyboard. There's even one really good line of dialogue in those words.

Kiss Carson said...

Well, it's 10 o'clock and the end of my writing day. I wrote 1908 words ... made it to my target for the day. Although, my hero nearly didn't! Silly thing ... He frustrates me. I intended him to be a little gruff and rough but it hasn't turned ot that way.
Never mind, I can always kill him tomorrow and miraculously bring him back to life! It makes me feel better and I think it teaches them a lesson.

Sleep well everyone and happy writing for tomorrow.

Kathleen

Alison said...

Wow you ladies are amazing. Congratulations to all who successfully got pen to paper so to speak.
3482 words for me today.

Diane said...

woohoo, 7409 words!

And now I'm going off to bed...I need sleep.

Shame I have to go to the day job tomorrow...

Tracy Dean said...

I am so proud of myself, 3478 words, after editing, stopping myself from editing, pouting in the bedroom because I couldn't find the next scene, dealing with an overly helpful hubby who also wanted to spend the weekend playing Grand Theft Auto at top volume in the computer room! Whew, I'm almost looking forward to work tomorrow! Yeah, the Aussie ladies really rock!

Anonymous said...

groan - 1,456 words.
and I'm not sure i like any of them. Well maybe a few. i used the word spiderling, which i quite like. *g*

freya
(sorry to be anon, but blogger hates me sometimes and i can't be bothered arguing with it - i want to go to sleep!)

Unknown said...

Okay. Think my comment went MIA. Could be wrong but, just in case. I had hoped for more today with the house to myself. Not to be. However, have a brand new 1564 words in a brand new story which is not the one I planned to write at all. Sigh... the muse can be a contrary creature. The other story will wait... or not..

Anonymous said...

Blogger appears to be having fun with me tonight! Did someone not tell him I'm liable to removes his knee caps? Mmm....
Anyway, giving up at 2,000 words. In need of pills and bed. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day for me.
Everyone did great today!
RC

Nicole Flockton said...

Hey All,

It's 10.38pm in Perth and I'm calling it a day.

So total word count for me today is 4,558.

You cannot know how good it felt to write today. Looking forward to tomorrow.

Eleni Konstantine said...

After a late start (like after 11pm), I managed to do 1635 words. Great going everyone.

Unknown said...

Have just worked out how to post my word count (a little slow on the uptake) I managed to do 2,372 words

Paula Roe said...

WTG everyone! I got 1004 words done on a very non-writing day.

Anonymous said...

My comment must have got eaten... and I thought I'd sent it twice by mistake! I stunned myself and did 5600 words.
Thanks for doing all this Sandie, RC, Diane and RACH! and whoever else is involved.
Cath Evans

Unknown said...

Sorry - I'm really, really late. I managed 1751 words on Sunday. If I've missed the boat for this week's tally update, that's okay.
Cris Hickey.