Note for new arrivals: The 10K Day starts on the morning of Saturday, October 24. 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
Hi Everyone!
If you’d like some quick but interesting reads during your breaks, here are two recent articles you might enjoy:
“6k Short of 10k” by new 10K regular, Ja’Nese Dixon:
http://www.10kdayforwriters.com/2009/10/6k-short-of-10k
– and –
Fear of Writing success story, Darryl Dawson, with a tale of how an idea from his new book, The Crawlspace, hit the news in a most unusual fashion:
“Your Flight Is Now Leaving . . .”
http://www.10kdayforwriters.com/2009/10/guest-blogger-darryl-dawson-%E2%80%93-%E2%80%9Cyour-flight-is-now-leaving-%E2%80%9D
Happy writing! ~ Milli
Twitter: pattistafford
Good Morning, Happy Writers!
Best of luck today!
Late start today. But I’m here as always.
Late start for me too! Didn’t think i’d make it, but I stayed up until one in the morning finishing Dustin’s spooky birthday cake he wanted–so I’m free for most of the day now! Yay! 🙂
I’m off to complete the last three chapters of my novel and then, if I’ve still got time, I’ll be editing like a mad woman 😉
Great to see y’all here and I hope the day’s super fun and productive for everyone!
Warmly,
Jenny:)
I’m here, but not for long. We were going to do our grocery shopping last night, but I wasn’t feeling too hot. So we’re going today. In spite of this, I plan to dig in and get busy when we get back. My goal is another 5K, just like on the 15th.
Happy writing, everyone. See y’all later!
Lois
Twitter: fearofwriting
Welcome, Wolfie, Jenny, Lois (and thanks for stopping by to say Hello, Patti!). I believe we will be joined by Mindy and Ja’Nese. Not sure who else.
I’m barely here, and still in jammies. Had a lousy night’s sleep 🙁 But I harbor big plans for today so will try to get my brain woken up. Need a second cup of coffee first. . . .
Twitter: pattistafford
Hi Everyone!
I am doing some writing today, but not really participating in 10K. My word count for the morning is extremely low–but they were great words, so that counts for something.
I’ve got Scorpions on for motivational music.
Write On!
Good morning everyone! I have a crazy morning to work through. I’ll write the good ole’ fashion way–pen and paper. (smile) I’ll check in later. I plan to finish tonight as close to 10k as humanly possible.
My plan: finishing my NaNo outline; toy with a short story for a contest; and outline a workshop.
Boy oh boy what a day! (::grin::)
I’ve been up since 7am preparing for my 10k. I actually got started about 30 minutes ago and have 224 words down. Had to get my nest set.
Preparation:
= Rewatched part of The Actors Studio interview with Steven Spielberg where he discussed Schindler’s List.
= Began to mentally work through ideas for a new short story — a back story for one of my novel’s characters.
= Drank coffee — ate — stalled.
= WROTE
I’ll be at it on and off all day and well into the night. This story means something to me.
~ Mindy
Congrats on what everyone has achieved so far! 🙂
I’m at 2004 words for this first round, but lack of sleep is catching up to me so I’m gonna take a little longer break. I’m halfway done with chapter 29, with the full book ending at chapter 32, so I’m hoping to get there before the end of the day.
Gonna fortify myself with chocolate and coffee and get back to work 🙂
Warmly,
Jenny:)
I’m getting a very late start, but I’m ready to begin working on my short story. I plan to crank out as many words as I can in the next two-and-a-half hours, because things will slow a little bit after that. I have to babysit around 4:30 or so.
I hope everyone’s having a productive day. Happy writing!
Lois
I’m working very slowly but still working. I’m up to about 700 words but cheated. I went back and gently edited losing a few words along the way. I took a nap and am back at it now.
This is my first draft of my first draft so I am pretty well letting it stand as written. It will get polished another day.
Incidentally, Milli. I LOVE the chapeau!
~ Mindy
I’m back with you ladies. I’m going to put on a pot of coffee and work for a while. I’ll check back in.
JD
Twitter: fearofwriting
Thanks, Mindy! Brian took a quick photo of me wearing a borrowed rice paddy hat hat in Chinatown (Montreal) when we were there for the jazz fest. I use that image for my travel writing ID.
I have not been very productive so far. Dratted insomnia! My brain is moving like sludge. But I did get one document finished. (I’m expanding the training manual that I use to train Course Presenters for the FoW Online Course.)
Ja’Nese, fresh coffee sounds good. Think I’ll join you. 🙂
Decided to have a nervous breaktown today, joy… lol.
Hopefully I can at least get the editing done I wanted to.
I’m at 2,868 words so far. Fox (actually, his niece, Amabil, on his behalf) left some horses outside Lone Hawk’s tipi. If they’re accepted, he can marry Little Deer. They’ve been accepted! 😀
I’m babysitting now, so I’m taking a short break. I’ll start up again in a little bit.
Keep at it, everyone! We can do it!
Lois
The coffee worked!
My word count is 3,163. Yeah!!! I’m going to take a break and crochet a bit. I’m nearing the climax of my story. I’m excited because I have no idea what’s about to happen next.
But I’m concerned, with half my day spent running around, it seems like I’ll only get to this outline.
Dum… dum…dum… (Can you hear that? Like that theatrical music played before a pregnancy is revealed on a soap opera?)
🙂
Stay tuned… and find out whether Ja’Nese will hit her goal of finishing the outline for “Black Diamond” today. (::giggle::)
(I’m really silly when I’m tired.)
Write on my friends. I’ll check in again later.
JD
Good evening everyone 🙂
My day in the real world has finally come to an end. Now I’m trying to slow my brain down and get some zen going before I dig into Word. Like most, I won’t be attempting a full blown 10k today (it’s 7pm here!) but I do want to get some words cranked out. I’m setting myself a tentative goal of 4k with some editing before I begin so I can set a direction for my little writing sprint.
Glad to see everyone on the boards, even if 10k isn’t written in the stars for us… this time 🙂 Happy writing to all, carry on- and I’ll be checking in periodically.
Twitter: fearofwriting
Welcome, Jodilynn!
You must be somewhere in or near the EST. It’s 7:40 here in Ohio and dinner’s over; the dishwasher is humming (making productive noises — I like that sound). I think *everyone* had a late start today, and I admire your zest in joining us after the sun has gone down.
Best of luck with your writing goals 🙂 ~ Milli
Hey everyone, sorry for disappearing. My son turned 17 on Thursday, but we celebrated tonight. (He’s been gaming with friends, so it’s not like I’m even wanted around 🙂 ) So, after a very long break, I’m back. My word count so far is 7448 for the day, but I’m still two chapters from the end. This originally started out as around a 90K novel, now I’m near 102K–so some really strong editing is going to have to bring this back under control. *Sigh*
I’m just gonna push through and see if I can finish tonight. If not, I got a book signing tomorrow, but I should be able to pound out the last of this. Then it’s editing time!
Warmly,
Jenny:)
Well, I’m calling it a night. Red Dwarf: Back to Earth is on and I’ve been wanting to see it for ages! 🙂
I had to babysit for a while, and I had to do some research on Cheyenne wedding ceremonies. Otherwise, I’ve written 3,933 words today. That’s as close as I’m getting tonight.
Happy writing everyone! I hope you all reach your goals!
Lois
Milli- thanks for the welcome. You are correct, I’m waaay east coast here in Maryland 🙂
Lois- congrats on the near 4k! That’s quite a feat for the busy day you described, not to mention the bonus of having some research under your belt, nicely accomplished 😀
I’m finishing up my editing now and about to dive into some writing. I’ll most likely grind late into the night and post my results in the am, if not the wee morning hours. Good luck, and congrats to everyone who got writing done today, carry on!
~Jodi
Well, I had to stop work on my book as an email came in reminding me I’ve got to have a blog up at Teen Seen in the morning. (Oops! 🙂 ) So, I wrote that and will add the 416 to my total for the day. Not quite 10K, but I’m really happy with my 9, 012 for the day.
Thank you bunches Millikins for hosting these. I look forward to them all the time!! 🙂
Everyone else, congrats on your accomplishments today. It’s so very cool to see everyone giving themselves permission to be writers for a day 🙂
Hugs to y’all!!
Jenny:)
Twitter: fearofwriting
You’re very welcome, Jenny-Bug! 🙂 I’m just glad everyone enjoys them enough to keep returning.
Congrats on your 9, 012 words for the day! C U next time!
XOXO
Twitter: fearofwriting
Hey, Wolfie . . . if you’re still out there let me know you’re OK. I didn’t like hearing about you having a nervous breakdown. Hope it was just a writer’s bad hair day and not something really awful. 🙂
I’m done. I didn’t make the 10k but my final word count is 6,156. I stopped at the climax of my outline. I think that will motivate me to finish the last scenes tomorrow.
My brain is fried. What a day.
Thanks Milli, and congratulations to everyone. We did it!
I look forward to the next one. Have a wonderful night.
JD
“…embrace the joy of writing. Embrace the quirkiness, embrace the adventure, embrace even the uncertainty. Art of any kind isn’t worth pursuing without passion. So never forget why you’re writing.”
This is going on my bulletin board!