Note for new arrivals: The 10K Day starts on the morning of Saturday, September 26. 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
Had an interesting wake up including bedbugs, Mice, and a next door neighbor who actually offered me a job.
Yes, this was at 3AM.
Might as well get to rollin, rock on ya’ll.
Twitter: fearofwriting
‘Morning, Joe. Glad you could make it for another 10K this month.
I’m not ready to roll yet. NC. (Need Coffee.) Brian is making our special Saturday morning cappuccinos.
~ Milli
I’m here! I’m here!!
So sorry I disappeared last 10K day. I meant to come back and let everyone know that my daughter came home with strep throat and we spent the day at the doctors, then a really good friend ran into serious (police involved) trouble with her husband just as we got home and I stayed to help her.
But today–everyone is healthy! Yay! My friend is doing great! Yay! And hubby is home to run interference! YAY! YAY! 🙂
So I’m looking forward to hanging with everyone and FINISHING my book today if I can. That’s gonna need more than 10K words, but I’m gonna try 🙂
It’s 7;15 here, so I’ll check in around 9 🙂 Have a great day everyone!
Warmly,
Jenny:)
Twitter: fearofwriting
Hiya Jenny-Bug :~)
I did wonder out loud last time where both you and Joe got to. Joe resurfaces to say he was alive, but i didn’t get any radio signals from over your way. So glad to seeing you popping up again, and rarin’ to go!
Good luck with finishing your book. My goals today are much less ambitious. If I can get a few travel articles written, I’ll be happy. Not trying for 10K today as I still need to favor the health of my adrenals.
Okay, I’m back for my 9ish break 🙂 Word count so far is 3316. Not too bad. Hopefully I can really hammer it in the next two hours.
Gonna get up and stretch, open my chocolate, refresh my coffee and get back at it 🙂 Since this book has a strong outline and the set up has gone exceptionally well, the few remaining big scenes left are going to be awesome to get through today.
Good luck to everyone!
Warmly,
Jenny:)
Twitter: pattistafford
Hi everyone,
I won’t be participating in the 10K today but did want to drop in and wish everyone luck.
@Joe – sounds like a lovely wake up call. A neighbor who gives job offers at 3:00 am? Hmmmm, sounds like a good mafia-type story. HeeHee!
Good Luck Everyone!
Break a pencil,
Patti
Hey Millikins 🙂 I totally never meant to leave you hanging. I got phished on Twitter, which has kept me off there as I try to figure out how to trust sign-in stuff. I’ve been working all week for an award’s banquet I’m hosting tomorrow, and trying to get this book done so I can begin submitting to agents asap. This, I think, is the one that will get me further than anything else I’ve ever written. I do apologize though 🙂
I’m at 2934 words this go round, which means I’ve hit 6250 for the day so far. I’m hooping to triple that before I end for the day. Which means i gotta keep up the momentum here.
And a shout-out to Joe and Patty! 🙂 I hope you’re having a fabulous day, no matter what!
Warmly,
Jenny:)
Twitter: fearofwriting
Jenny-Bug! No apology required. Wasn’t trying to make you feel bad. Just glad to know where you dropped out to last time and that you’re still with us. 🙂 🙂
My progress is very slow. I didn’t start till 11 AM and have only done 716 words. But those 716 held a lot of personal meaning, plus I did some follow-up work that goes with part of it (research plus a donation) and that I didn’t want to put off any longer.
So I cheated on the rules but it was for a worthy cause!
XOXO
P.S. Sorry to hear you got phished. But that’s incredibly awesome about your latest book being the one that can take you the furthest so far.
I feel so ridiculous, but I figure part of the 10K day is staying true to the schedule–so from 11:10 to 1:10, I wrote 3740 words, putting my grand total at 9990–lol 😉 Ten words away from 10K. Sheesh! I could have written ten more before stopping. But heck, I’m on break now. Which is good, because my eyes were getting a little tired.
I hope to reach 15000 before dinner, which gives me about five hours to write about 5K words, so I think I’m on track. Heck, if i keep going, I might even break my over all record of 20K for the day.
That would be amazing because then I can begin querying this novel on Monday. Woo Hoo!! 😉
Warmly,
Jenny 🙂
Slow going, only a few hundred words. Blasted editing… time to eat some lunch though.
Twitter: fearofwriting
20K in one day? Jenny, you defy description!
So glad today’s writing is going so well for you. 🙂 🙂 🙂
P.S. Peache (Marilyn of the Mikey dog stories) iPhoned to say she had her Saturdays mixed up and she’s on a road trip. Dee wrote to say she’s organizing a big birthday party today. Not sure where everyone else is. Mindy did sound like she was planning to be here. And Jenn Martin loved it to pieces last time so I’m surprised she’s not here.
Twitter: fearofwriting
Joe, my day is very slow too. Sometimes we’re just having a slow day.
But if you’re letting editing slow you down when your plan today was to raw-write, perhaps this article might inspire you to nix that:
August Fear of Writing Gazette (newsletter) >> What If I Asked You for Rewrites? http://tinyurl.com/m9alfw
(The title sounds like it’s just about rewriting, but I also wrote it with the habit of “editing while you free-write” in mind.)
Twitter: pattistafford
Hi everyone,
Just wanted to drop in and show my support. Regardless of word counts everyone is doing an awesome job.
There’s a gospel singing down the road. The music is carried on the wind allowing us to hear it at times -depending on the direction. It’s much nicer than the normal RAP tunes we hear as people drive by. Ewww!
There’s a nice fall-feel to the air. Very gorgeous day. Sending some of it to all of you. 🙂
Hugs!
Patti
Finally made it to check in. I started writing last night because I knew I wouldn’t get as much done today with my hubby out of town. I wrote from midnight until 2am on various projects, then hit the sack. Right now I’m about 1/4 of the way to 10K. We’ll see how the rest of the day goes. I’ve got some crabby kids today.
Twitter: pattistafford
Silly me. . . I did start some writing!
I’ve handwritten a paragraph or two. I heard the music through the window and had to go sit outside for a bit. Now I’m going back to writing. 🙂
Twitter: fearofwriting
Wow, Tracy! wasn’t expecting you today because I know you’re busy with your kids. WELCOME!
That’s great about writing from midnight till 2 AM. “And then get up and do it again!” (Jackson Browne song)
Patti ~ Thanks for your messages of support. That latest one was lyrical and made me feel great. It’s raining here today so kind of gloomy. I’ve got my ocean music on as white noise. Some gospel music wafting on the breeze sounds even better!
XOXO
Twitter: pattistafford
I accomplished some more handwriting. The article may be a two-part series, or more.
I was writing on the bed, Kevin came in, laid down and fell asleep. I’m having a hard time resisting the urge to cuddle up with him and have a little nap myself. Men and babies are so adorable when they sleep – who could resist?
Milli, sorry about the rain (but you know I love rainy, gloomy days too.) Close your eyes and picture me sending you all of this sunshiny happy love. 🙂
Hugs!
Patti
Hey everyone 🙂
Thanks for the sunshine, Patti 🙂 We don’t have rain, but we’re overcast. The scent of wood burning on this fall day is wonderful though 😉 Good luck with your two-part article!
Tracy, do I know the feeling of crabby kids intruding on your writing. It’s taken me years to train them and they still don’t “get” it sometimes. A nap sounds wonderful to me too–but I must resist! Lol 😉
Millikins, so glad you’re enjoying the day. That’s what it’s most about. I’m so thrilled you began these. I don’t feel like I’m not meeting my obligations while I’m hanging out with good friends 😉
Joe–some days are slow, some days nothing happens at all for me, even if I have the time. Enjoy as much as you can and even one sentence gets you closer to finishing a project, so you’re ahead of the game already 😉
Me, I’ve not done as well this last two hour break, but still going here. My word count was only 2679, but it brings me to a total tally so far of 12, 669. I’m gonna keep shooting for that 15K before dinner, then try another 5k after I eat. Big conference tomorrow, so if I don’t finish today, I’m gonna be stuck doing this Monday and I want to query then! 🙂
Warmly,
Jenny:)
Hey all, 2:30ish here, and nothing too exciting to report. Slow going, lots of distraction, but some good plotting, so I’ll take it. I’m taking an hour break to spend some quality time rearranging the bedrooms with #4 and #5. Can’t wait to see what I pull out from under their beds…it’ll likely give me some ideas for a new book, haha.
Whew! 10:48am here. Two hours in, and exhausted already. Might have something to do with the fact that I am fighting the flu. Haha!
Just had a bit of string cheese. Trying to relax my hand and my brain a bit. Not working on anything in particular this time around. Just writing for writing’s sake.
Going to take some cold meds then hit the notebook again!
Jenn
Twitter: fearofwriting
One of the items on my list today was to invent a writing prompt for Libra (and I had fun doing it). This is for a series I’m doing based on the zodiac and Bev Walton-Porter’s book, Sun Signs for Writers. Bev is a friend and also a 10K Day participant.
I went to Bev’s blog a while ago to get some info for my post. I was greeted with an unexpected treat: a tribute to her dad who died 30 years ago.
This would be heartwarming in itself (and it’s beautifully written), but it’s also about how much Bev’s dad contributed to her current life as a writer. Don’t miss it! You’ll be glad you took the time to read this:
His Love of Words Lives On (Sept. 5)
Twitter: fearofwriting
Oops. That link for Bev’s blog did not work using the HTML for a text link. Here it is again:
http://elementalmusing.blogspot.com
Twitter: fearofwriting
YAY, JENN! You made it. Glad to know you’re with us. 🙂
Thanks Millikins!!
And congratulations to everyone else for their achievements today! 🙂 It’s so cool to see everyone feeling free to spend their writing day as they wish, working on those things they love or want to achieve. Very cool 😉
I had unexpected company for an hour, so I’m a bit behind in my update, but I figured I’d take the full two hour writing time and I accomplished 3582 more words. They’re really rough and I caught myself repeating already known information, as I’m getting a little tired, but I did catch it in time, so that’s good.
I’ve got a growing list of plot points I’ll either need to strengthen or introduce earlier in the book as the climactic ending is nearing and certain planned scenes have taken on a new (and better) dimension.
This brings my before-dinner total to 16251. Which means the 5K I want to do after dinner should push me past my last word count record 😉 I’m gonna get this puppy done today, yay! 🙂
Warmly,
Jenny:)
I suppose my day is coming to a close. I gots 40 pages of new material, but that’s all I can say for today. No complaints.
And Bev sure can write the hell out of a page.
Twitter: fearofwriting
40 pages? Heck, I’d be *very* pleased with myself for that result.
G’night, Joe. C U next time. 🙂
Twitter: pattistafford
Glad everyone had a great day. It’s all about loving what you do and getting to share it with others who have the same passion.
I had a great day and even got some writing done (which I didn’t plan.)
It’s movie time now. If anyone is still working on 10K – Break a Pencil.
Hugs All!
Patti
Congrats on the 40 pages, Joe! 🙂
And exactly, Patti 🙂 I love doing this for the camaraderie of it all 😉 I can be productive alone, but heck, where’s the fun in that? 🙂 🙂
Well I didn’t get to do another 5,000 words like I wanted, but hubby is ready to watch a movie and I’m running on empty myself. I did manage to get another 3862 in though, which is my best wc of the day for a block of time, so I’m happy about that.
In the end, I wrote 20, 133 words and while I didn’t finish the book, I’ve finished all but the last few climatic scenes and the ending. Which should take most of Monday to finish (drats!) but I’ll query anyway because it’ll take much longer to hear back from agents than it will to put the final touches on the manuscript.
Then it’s sit back and wait to see if I get any bites 🙂
Thanks to everyone for letting me share today with y’all, and special thanks to Millikins for setting up these days for us!
(((HUGS))))
Jenny:)
Well, I ended up having to go to a meeting through dinner and into the evening, so I didn’t get much more done. I’m just wrapping up a few things before going to bed (it’s 11:30). I guess I got more done than I thought I would, all things considered, and I’m really glad I wrote last night in the wee smalls!
Thanks for setting this up Milli, and expect an email a few days from now about a guest blog post titled Confessions of a 10K day addict, haha.