Note for new arrivals: The 10K Day starts on the morning of Saturday, August 22. Your exact starting time is up to you.
“I Brake for Squirrels” (and 10K Day nuts)
WELCOME TO ALL those plucky writers who are participating today!
This is the place to post your check-ins.
To learn more about this event, check the special 10K Day section (see blog menu above). If you develop a case of writer’s block—or you need some extra ideas on what to write—you’ll find plenty of inspiring resources in the Write NOW! section.
DON’T FORGET TO TAKE REGULAR BREAKS!
You’ll regret it later (when you’re feeling fried) if you don’t take regular breaks. Even if you’re on fire with your writing, take your scheduled breaks.
Every two hours is recommended. Breaks are also for posting check-ins.
WHAT SHOULD YOU POST FOR YOUR CHECK-INS?
Comment moderation will be turned off for the day so your posts should appear right away. If you don’t see yours, try refreshing your screen.
Keep check-ins fairly brief:
1. You can mention your word count if you want to. If you’d rather not, please provide a general comment about your progress thus far.
2. You can also describe what you’re working on.
3. Feel free to mention how you’re feeling and how the day is going for you.
4. It’s always fun to hear what people are drinking, snacking on or listening to.
5. Check-ins only. Please DO NOT post your writing! (The comment section will become unwieldy if writers try to post stories/chapters from their novel.)
DON’T FORGET TO log out of forums, Facebook, Twitter, email, etc.
Go gettum, Tigers! – Milli
Ok, I’m here. Am I the first? Gotta go feed the horses, get a second cup o joe and some breakfast and I’ll be right back.
Up and at ’em; lots of weird dreams last night.
The setting for the dream I was having just before I awoke–that is to say, the one I remember best–was grad school at the University of Montevallo (in Alabama).
I was completing an essay examination, and having written a several-thousand-word response over the course of a couple of hours, the professor came over to look at my progress.
He dropped his hands to my keyboard, carriage-returned a couple of times to separate himself from my work, and typed the words “four little paragraphs!”
Then I woke up.
I wonder what that means?
I’ll be posting my 10K work for today at http://www.bartlett10kday.weebly.com.
Thanks for reading…Wayne Bartlett
Twitter: fearofwriting
Good Morning, Peache!
So far, it’s just you ‘n me.
I had cappuccino with Brian and now I’m at my desk . . . but still not really awake. I think I’ll plan to start writing around 9 a.m.
Twitter: fearofwriting
Welcome, Wayne!
I was out looking for you yesterday to let you know about the new location. Found you on Twitter but wasn’t sure I had the right Wayne Bartlett so I didn’t follow you. But seeing your icon tells me that I did.
Does your dream mean you’re nervous about writing so many words today?
~ Milli
I don’t think the dream is as a result of anticipate of today–I’ve been having a lot of weird dreams lately.
Twitter: fearofwriting
That’s a cool idea to have a site to post your 10K work. I’ll be curious to see how that goes. I’m also curious about the experimental writing techniques.
Looks good so far!
I got called in to work today. :v ( I was afraid that might happen. I’ll try to either catch up later today or participate in the next one…
-Karen
Twitter: fearofwriting
Bummer, Karen!
Hope something works out for you today. If not, we’ll see you at the next one!
Can you spell procrastination? I have been doing everything but write today. And, Milli I’m sure you don’t miss these, but a scorpion just dropped out of no where on my hand in the sink. That got my heart started. Or stopped. I hate those things, but thankful I didn’t get stung.
Hi Wayne. “Four little paragraphs” I think that was for me. I know why I am procrastinating. It’s because I have to write about Pat dying after being bitten by a copperhead snake. I saw it happen—- it was very traumatic. Maybe I should just start another story just to get going and maybe it will come later.
I’ll check back later. Peache
Twitter: fearofwriting
I’m glad I’m not the only one dabbling in procrastination.
Marilyn, I think you’re right. Trying to start the day with such a “big” story (especially when it was traumatic to begin with) might be too much for the heart. The scorpion heart-starter was definitely not the kind you needed, either!
I stayed up too late last night (trying to get the new blog ready for today) and my brain’s still struggling to wake up. It’s 10:35 and all I’ve written so far is seven sentences for a blog article I’m planning called “Do You Have a Writing Destiny?”
I think I’m trying to bite off more than I can chew. I need to get back to basics and just do some free-writing or something.
Let’s both take a deep breath and start at first base. 🙂
Good morning!
I was going to have a later start here this morning but my schedule was re-arranged, so here I am.
I’m having an early lunch of chili and macaroni (a childhood favorite) with kiwi-strawberry propel water. It’s usually a coke but the other was already ready to go.
Today, I’m working on a detective series that came into being last week. Free writing, character blogging, outlining, whatever comes to mind. The husband’s headed to work today, the kid’s been warned, now I’m ready to write!
Hope everyone has a great day!
Twitter: fearofwriting
Welcome, Maria! Glad you could make it.
Your writing plans for the day sound free-wheelin’ and fun. And hearing about your lunch made me hungry. 🙂
Here I am y’all, joining in the fun.
First order of business…coffee.
Second order of business…stretching.
Third order of business…write!
Here’s a poem I wrote a long time ago when I once stammered in getting started.
There Is A Gentle Confrontation
There is a gentle confrontation when one begins to create
That nudges with excitement an expression truly great.
There runs a risk, a bit of doubt that crosses o’er the mind,
It is in that beginning that commitment lags behind.
When one begins to hesitate, brush or pen will circle air,
Before you find the strength to stand and act on what you dare.
Then suddenly a surge of nerves comes and takes you by the hand,
And courage leads you onward to take this mighty stand.
`Tis in this possibility of expression pure and free
Of being known and laying bare your soul for all to see.
Once that stand is taken and one begins to create,
It’s something out of nothing that becomes something so great.
It’s not in what the critics say, rather it’s all in being true
To who you are, and sharing the originality of you.
So take it on! Express yourself and do not hesitate
For the gift you give to others will inspire others to create!
Twitter: fearofwriting
Welcome, Christy!
Your poem is a great rally cry for all of us. My brush, pen and keyboard have definitely been “circling in the air” this morning—not from hesitation so much as not enough sleep. But after a long, warm shower and your inspiring post my brain finally seems to be coming to life.
Enjoy your coffee, stretches and writing! ~ Milli
I’m making progress–my strategy is to write small situations or conversations and then stitch them together to make a larger story. It’s a component approach. I don’t really have much idea of where it’s going at the moment.
The website on which the work appears, http://www.bartlett10kday.weebly.com, will be updated shortly to show the first bits of unedited work.
Thanks!…WB
Twitter: fearofwriting
Sounds like a cool experiment!
Love the poem. Very inspiring! I think I’ll cut and paste it and print it out if you don’t mind. Wayne, cool idea about stitching small stories to make a bigger story. That sounds like a neat exercise.
I actually went back to what I had written on the Mikey Dog book and started doing a little editing. I realized that some of it didn’t flow so well and then it inspired me to continue on with our move to Savannah and some stories that actually led up to Pat’s death. I am now at 4,425 words. Yeah.
I think I’ll take a break and come back in a short.
Hang in there everyone.
Why, thank you. That’s generally how I work–I write all the fun parts first, then connect them together by filling in the gaps between them.
Right now, for instance, I’m doing the “big meeting” in the Oval Office where the president, Dirk, Bill, and General Thompson expect to present their report on the Castle project.
The president kicks out Bill and Thompson and speaks to Dirk alone, presenting the Big Idea to him which the rest of the novel will work out.
The Big Idea is a bit…delicate. I’ll post a quick overview of it on the main thread shortly.
Thanks!…WB
Twitter: fearofwriting
Great progress, Peache!
XOXO
Thanks Marilyn – You are welcome to paste and print the poem.
I envy your progress a little 🙂 but I’m sure I will catch up soon.
Only an hour in and I’m already needing a break. I think I sat too long working on blog research yesterday.
Anyway, I’m at 988 words so far and eating yogurt covered raisins. I’ll be back later.
Okay, then! Three bits have been posted on http://www.bartlett10kday.weebly.com (under the “The Work” link).
Please note that the bits are posted top-to-bottom, meaning that if you want to read them in order, you must read from the bottom up. But it really doesn’t matter at this point; they’re just snippets of things, the idea is for me to assemble them later.
Total so far: about 4300 words.
Progress continues! Thanks…WB
I’m working on the 10,000, and in the process have thought of the Big Idea which the novel (that this 10K might eventually be a part of) might be about.
It’s a bit…delicate, perhaps, in that it deals with the problem of violent fundamentalism in Islam and how US gov’t agencies might approach solving this problem.
I’d be happy to describe the Big Idea offline to anyone who might be interested or potentially has feedback.
Thanks!…WB.
Twitter: fearofwriting
Splendid to hear that the 10K process has helped you formulate the Big Idea for your novel! That must feel good.
Lunchtime!
The fourth bit has been posted at http://www.bartlett10kday.weebly.com, and I’m up to about 6400 words or so.
Thanks!…WB
Twitter: fearofwriting
Excellent stuff, Wayne! You’ll be at 10K in no time.
Everyone is doing so well! Two hours later for me and I am only at 1101 words. Had a bit of a set back when my PC froze up on me and I had to reboot twice. o. h. s. o. S . l . o . w. l. y. No fun. (I need a new computer.) Still, I’m on a roll now and happy about it. I’m taking a short break here and will head right back to it. My goal today is to write the most boring story ever written and I am getting such a kick out of it that I might not pull it off! I am so delighted by everyone else’s progress! Keep it up!
Twitter: fearofwriting
What a fun project, Christy! Talk about reverse psychology! 🙂
Been really busy today. Haven’t gotten much done. But somethin is somethin.
Twitter: fearofwriting
Hi, Joe! Glad you could make it.
I’m having a somethin is somethin kinda day, as well. But I’m really enjoying every word, so that’s my reward. 🙂
Fifth bit done; 3700 words. I’m just about to post it to http://www.bartlett10kday.weebly.com under the “The Work” tab.
This part is an interview between a local newscater and what is called an enhanced panthera pardus; a leopard who has had his cognitive ability brought to human levels through surgical means.
The procedures also make the animal’s speech organs capable of making the sounds of the English language.
The animal, who calls himself Rendelx, gives some fascinating insights to the world of felines generally.
Thanks!…WB
Twitter: fearofwriting
Cool concept about the panther with the surgically-enhanced capabilities. You’re smokin’ on the word count, too. 🙂
Thanks! The animal is going to give the president the idea to use a speaking animal of some sort–not a leopard, but something else–to help create the illusion which is going to be used to resolve the plot.
Twitter: fearofwriting
That sounds great! And it sounds so fun to write.
That reminds me of the first writing course I ever tried to take in my early 20’s (it was a correspondence course). I submitted a story narrated by the animals of the household, a variety of pets. Naturally, they made sage and silly observations about their human owners, depending on their personalities. The teacher remarked in red pen on my assignment that she never writes stories that feature talking animals (as if it was some kind of leprosy).
I felt she was a literary snob and I promptly quit the course and asked for my money back! 🙂
Taking another break. My count is 3622. I have a long way to go and much time has passed but that won’t stop me now. 🙂 I’m about to grab a bottle of water and take a walk to and from the mailbox. Then I’ll be back at it again. Glad to see everyone is doing so well!
Twitter: fearofwriting
Yay, Christy! 3,622 ain’t too shabby. I’m only at 2,542.
BTW, where did you get the idea to write “the most boring story ever written”? That idea fits really well in a blog article I just finished. (I mentioned how you used that to kick off your 10K Day writing.)
LOL 🙂 I got tired of worrying about my character having to “do” stuff. And making sure one sentence led to another to forward a plot. I am very much character driven so I decided to find out what my characters were thinking and feeling just being themselves without doing anything. I figured that’s got to be pretty boring. So I thought – why not make it so and let my character be herself and write the most boring story ever just to how it turns out. 🙂
Twitter: fearofwriting
Excellent! Did that work for you? If so, I’d love to publish you as a guest blogger. Basically just talking about why you decided to try that and what kind of results you got.
Wow. Sure. I have noticed that the story doesn’t feel boring to me it feels more to me like an exploration inside the mind and life of my character who is going through what she’s going through in the story. 🙂
Wayne, too cool.
I got talked into a road trip to seek the best Texas BBQ we could find. A three and a half hour road trip and a refreshing ice cold beer. I think we found it. But with a full belly I think I’ll take a nap and come back at it later.
Good work everyone.
Twitter: fearofwriting
Peache, you’ve made me hungry! I’m gonna grab Brian and go to the local Rockne’s for a quick bite.
See you after your nap. 🙂
Wow! What a ride!
So I kicked my husband out of the house at 6:30 this morning. (Well, that’s not really true. He did want to go hunting anyway.) I decided to go back to sleep.
About 9:30 I got up, got a cuppa, and started writing. I was so scared that nothing would come to me. That I’d be sitting there, staring at my blank page for the next two hours. Then I wrote, “Here we go!” And BOOM! The words just started flowing. About 8 pages later I started getting hand cramps (I write longhand, you see). It was only an hour and a half into my 10K Day, but I had to stop. The pain was just too much.
So here I sit, giving my update, in my comfy clothes, two cuppas and a massive hand cramp later. But EIGHT PAGES! Woo hoo! And in ten minutes, I’ll get back to my writing. I still have a LOT to say!
I’m going the non-fiction route today. I’ve been told I need to write my life story, so that’s what I am working on, tears be damned!
Thanks Milli! I probably never would have ever started this if you hadn’t come into my life!
Twitter: fearofwriting
Jenn! So glad you made it. 🙂
I was thinking about you yesterday while adding you to the blog–your story from the home page of the Website has been added to the Fear of Writing page here (see top menu).
That’s so exciting to hear about the words flowing for eight pages, especially when you started out afraid that nothing would come.
XOXO
P.S. I’m writing non-fiction today, too. A bunch of blog posts so I can get my blogs on a more regular posting schedule.
Phew, finally got online today to check in! Just plugging away. Have fun everyone!
Twitter: fearofwriting
Welcome, Tracy! 🙂 🙂
Hoo-boy…I took a nap. No good dream to use, though.
I’m back on the job.
Thanks!…WB
Twitter: fearofwriting
A nap was brilliant! Even one with unusable dreams. That’s what I should have done. Instead, we went to our favorite Lebanese restaurant and I had a glass of red wine. Now I’m relaxed, but not very sharp of mind. LOL!
I got side tracked again and ordered some stuff on line. However, I didn’t take that nap and worked on my Mikey Dog book some more. I managed to bang out another 4,oo0 words or so. Now I am at a total for the day at 8,106. And on August 13, I wrote somewhere in the neighborhood of 9,400. So I feel I’m ahead of the game for the month. And if it weren’t for this format I can honestly say I wouldn’t have any words down. I am well on the way of writing a full book and I think I am about half way there. My next step will be to edit and I want to illustrate it myself.
I am signing off for now to make dinner for my husband and put my feet up for the evening.
Good work everyone and I’ll check tomorrow to see what successes everyone had.
Thanks again Milli.
Peache
Twitter: fearofwriting
Good going, Peache! I didn’t know you were an artist too. What kind of illustrations? (which medium?)
XOXO
I’m at 4568 right now. While I thought I would be much further by now, I’m still plugging along. My fingers are tired. My eyes are burning and I keep yawning. So it’s time for another break! I need to move around a bit before I come back and hit the keyboard again. 🙂
Twitter: fearofwriting
Here’s a free e-book of stretches if you need some extra moves:
Stretches for Desk Jockeys by Robin Segal
🙂
I like these! Thanks!
I must stop. My hand is swollen. I have a blister on my palm where my pinky nail keeps digging on. I am emotionally drained from the tears I have shed recalling old losses. (And I’m not even to Daddy yet). But my main reason for giving up the fight for now is that I simply can’t grip my pen any longer. Even as I type this, my hand is in agony.
I do have a wonderful start, though! I will continue tomorrow, given my hand cooperates–even tonight if I can! But for now I must stop.
I am guesstimating I am somewhere near 4000 words.
Even more importantly, I have found my muse once more!
Twitter: fearofwriting
That’s fantastic, Jenn! I’m so happy for you. I’m only sorry you have a few wounds from your first 10K Day. 🙂
The wounds are a small price to pay for it all. I had fun! I wish I could continue! In fact, my mind keep wandering to the page, wanting me to write more more more! But my body screams NO!
Sign me up for next month’s Saturday 10K day! I’ll work my hand muscles between now and then and cut my nails so I won’t have to stop!
Twitter: fearofwriting
I’m so glad you had fun!! And I will definitely sign you up for next month. 🙂
All done for today with 10,100 words. Whew!
Thanks…WB
Twitter: fearofwriting
Congrats on the 10K + 100 words, Wayne! 🙂 🙂
Hi Milli,
Another successful 10K and a good group. I have oil painting since I was 15 but I think I started drawing as soon as I held my first pencil. So I envision some drawings and some photos in my book. I’m really getting pumped about it and Mickey is getting into it to. He’s helping me remember some Mikey dog stories.
See ya’ll next month. Peache
Hi – I’m so late checking in. My PC crashed. *Grrr!* Finally got it back up and running today. Had to go in safe mode and try to do a system restore so I didn’t get to check back in like I wanted. Too bad I didn’t get any further with my 10K day yesterday but it was great with what I was able to do. I had fun. 🙂 Thanks for a great day.