Image Copyright © Tracy Mangold aka @InkyTwig. Thanks, Tracy!
WELCOME TO ALL those plucky writers who are participating this week!
This is the place to post your check-ins for Wed, Jan 23 and/or Saturday, Jan 26.
To learn more about this event, mouse over 10K Days in the blog menu above.
If you’re participating from overseas, feel free to start according to your own time zone. This check-in page is posted the evening before the event so you can. 🙂
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?
TIP: If you don’t see your comment right away after posting, try refreshing your screen.
1. You can mention your word count if you want to. If you’d rather not, please 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.
DON’T FORGET TO log out of forums, Facebook, Twitter, email, etc.
Go gettum, Tigers! – Milli
First check in from the Kiwi contingent. It’s 10.30 and we are on our first break!
Renee 1,838
Erin 1977
Rachael 2520
Stephen 978
(Guess who came late!)
Twitter: fearofwriting
Looks like very respectable numbers for your first break. Goodonya, Kiwis.
And thank you all for officially christening the start of the 2013 10K season! 🙂 🙂 🙂
We are about to break for lunch and have barely said a word to each other for the last two hours!
I’m working on the same thing I did last “day” – the first in (hopefully) a series of young adult fantastic novels. Currently on 4,675 words.
Erin is working on her vampire novel and currently on 3,712 words.
Rachael is totally not writing about sex. At all. Currently on 5,591 words.
Stephen is writing stuff and is on 4,017 words.
Lunchtime!
Twitter: fearofwriting
You guys are awesome!! Word counts looking impressive. Range of topics/genres was fun to read about. 😀
Whoops. Got auto-corrected! Fantasy novels, not fantastic novels. Although hopefully they’ll be fantastic!
Hi Guys! It’s the NZ crew from Hamilton.
Renee is on 6386 and can’t remember which day of the week she is supposed to be on. Erin is on 5196 and had turned a character from a polite Englishman to a vulgar Chinese man, Stephen is on 6426 and can’t tell the difference between its and it’s and I am on 7606 and trying to decide if it is remote plausible for a woman to be strangled by her abusive partner and for the ED to think the bruising is from trying to hang herself because he is very very convincing…. Might have to go back later and change it so that he does it with a belt…
Having a GREAT time! Eating cherries, apricots and chips. Also chocolate. And a cucumber. Go figure!
Twitter: fearofwriting
Fascinating update, Rachael. You sound like a colorful group. The snacks sound . . . diverse. LOL! But at least you’re carrying on the FoW tradition, which is that chocolate must be consumed at some point during the writing.
Go, team!!
😀
Twitter: fearofwriting
P.S. I’m thrilled to hear you’re all having a great time. That’s what REALLY counts! 🙂
Checking in from Kiwiland again.
Renee has discovered a whole new bit of her story that she didn’t know was going to happen, and is now on 7,845 words.
Erin is up to 6072 and happy with progress so far. Feeling like her writing is better quality than last 10k day, even though less quantity.
Rachael is on 8818 and slowing down but has written a big chronological chunk of stuff for the first time.
Stephen on 8748 and just finished writing a teen sex scene!
On to the home stretch now…
Twitter: fearofwriting
Another great update. What an awesome day of writing!!
I’ve reached a natural hiatus, and need to go and pick “the kid” from daycare. Might pick up again later, but am currently on 9188, so happy with my effort!
Renee 🙂
Twitter: fearofwriting
Terrific, Renee. 🙂 So wonderful to end the day with a feeling of satisfaction.
Last post from the library:
Stephen: 10,033.
Erin: 7,008
Me 10,118.
Yay!
Twitter: fearofwriting
Congrats to all of you!!! 🙂
Twitter: jmmerchant86
Go team Kiwi!
Looks like I’m the first from team Europe to log in, is Estrella joining us?
Errands have been run this morning, washing up done, now sat at my desk with a cup of tea, hoping to rewrite a story I started writing five years ago and bored me to tears when I read it last week. If I can’t click with it I’ll try some journalling, haven’t written much over the last few months so taking it slow today, hoping Saturday will be smoother.
Kick word arse guys!
Jo x
Twitter: fearofwriting
Good Morning, Jo. How did you story go so far? Still bored with it? Or did you catch on to your original feeling about the idea?
It’s slow going, massive reduction and element cutting needed and I’m getting bogged down in technicalities so stopped to read a book in the similar vein, studying author technique. But I’ve tripled my word count 🙂 Not that impressive considering it was 150 words when I started 😀
X
Twitter: fearofwriting
Awwww. What an adorable update. <3
I'm impressed, even if you're not. 😀 Sometimes the hard slog (and sticking with it) is better than some fancy word count. Even just in the way of what you learn from it.
xo
Good going Jo 🙂
Good morning from Arkansas! 🙂
I loved the updates from the Kiwi bunch! Sounds like you guys had a great time. 🙂
Howdy JM and Milli. 🙂
I’m only writing this morning, in between laundry, cat-wrangling and such. Will be working on a horror short story (the first time I’ve tackled the genre). And I NEED caffeine! Desperately.
Good luck and happy writing to all! 🙂
Twitter: fearofwriting
Good Morning, Maria. I can understand the need for caffeine in attempting a new genre (esp. horror :D). Hope your cat-wrangling has been instructional as well.
~ Milli
Twitter: fearofwriting
I’ve been staying up late and getting up late so here I am at 11 a.m. my time.
Not actually participating today — too much packing still to do — but I’ll be doing an hour or two of journaling first. HOWEVER there’s no way that can take place without cappuccino. Off to grind some beans. 😀
Good luck with the packing Milli. How much more do you have left to do?
Enjoy your caffeine hit!
X
Twitter: dream_mancer
Hey all!
Getting a late start, for me at least. Last night was the first night in weeks where I fell asleep before 4 am, go figure. So I’m starting without my usual 2,000 word padding. It’ll be interesting!
I’ve got a short story that I need to work on desperately, so I’ll be tackling that on my breaks at work. Just as soon as I inhale this coffee.
Good luck!
-Laura
Twitter: fearofwriting
Laura, I was just wondering where you were. 😀 Have fun working on that short story.
Twitter: lorigg
First break and a word count in the 1250 range. I worked on some journaling and a short article (blog post?). Missed the last few 10K days and really haven’t written anything in over a month so am happy with my progress so far especially since the journaling surprised me with some interesting ideas to follow up on.
Twitter: fearofwriting
Lovely to have you back, Lori. Nice word count for your first break. And nothing like a bit of journaling to stimulate the flow of ideas. 🙂
It’s almost 10 and I’m only just getting started. Tempted to rant endlessly, but I think I’ll keep it short. Had a visit I couldn’t refuse this morning from the breeder who let me adopt her beloved retired show dog (and needed to see that said dog is well and happy). She brought puppies with her, so we had fun, and she was polite and only stayed an hour. Now that I’ve cleaned up all the puppy messes (at least the ones I’ve found) I can finally start my writing for the day.
NOTE: One of today’s goals is to find out if working standing up reduces the wear and tear on my shoulders and back — last time I did this I was surprised at how quickly I started hurting. I will definitely be taking the recommended breaks.
Twitter: fearofwriting
Kit, congrats on your new dog. Sounds like one to cherish.
I hear ya on the wear and tear thing. I have to figure out something about that myself. I’m thinking of going back to dictation software, which I used to do quite a bit of but got weary of it. It’s perfect for non-fiction (high productivity) but not sure how atmospheric it would be for fiction.
Twitter: lorigg
Life calls and refuses to be interrupted. Off to a meeting about high school with my oldest. Then some time at the track with my youngest. Hoping to add to the writing while I watch in between her jumps. Second round today had more interruptions and therefore a lower count. still sitting under 2K.
Twitter: fearofwriting
Lori, let us know your success rate with writing on the bleachers. Sounds pretty challenging! 🙂
Twitter: lorigg
Little success with writing at the track. Too much activity and too much disconnect from the earlier writing. I couldn’t find the thread amidst the noise. Debating writing a bit tonight now that things have quieted down for the day. If not I’ll be back Saturday morning.
Twitter: fearofwriting
I’m still here journaling if you do write some more tonight. If not, we’ll see you on Saturday. 🙂
Time for my lunch break. I’m at 2894 which feels discouraging this “late” in the day, but I must remind myself that I started really late. And I have all afternoon, if I can just be disciplined.
I am having fun with my project but worry that my “to do” list will be done before I hit 10K.
Twitter: fearofwriting
Kit, the fact that you’re enjoying your project was what stood out the most for me. 🙂
Sometimes coming back refreshed from lunch can make a big difference too.
Milli,
I realize now that I’ve had a break that I am handicapped because I’m seriously tired. So I am going to keep at this but not push so hard and just be grateful for whatever I accomplish today. Not the way I wanted to approach this day, but my week’s been crazy-busy so far and the fact that I’m taking so much time for my writing today is in fact enough.
Twitter: fearofwriting
That sounds really humane, Kit. I like the part about being grateful for whatever you accomplish today. 🙂
Twitter: fearofwriting
I ended up doing more journaling than packing today. It’s been a day of interruptions but I’ve still got some journaling left in me. So that’s what I’ll be doing this evening. Instead of packing. Yeah. 😀
Milli,
Journaling sounds good!
I’m throwing in the towel. I hit 7524 words, which isn’t bad for a tired day! And I got the fun of finally launching my new draft of the book I’m working on (I’ve been prepping FOREVER). But I have to out this evening and I think I want to take a shower first.
So I’m calling this a win. Thanks again for cheering us all on.
Twitter: fearofwriting
AWESOME, Kit! First of all, the 7524 words is amazing for having been tired today. And YAY about the first draft being born!!
I’ve been wondering what you’ve been working on today. I’ll let you go have your shower, but next time I hope you’ll share whether it’s fiction or non (and maybe the genre?).
Have a lovely evening. You’ve earned it. 🙂
I’m working on a novelization of Rapunzel. All the prep work has been backstory (who the witch is and why she wants Rapunzel in the first place) and research (despite the fantastical element of magic, my setting is 6th c pagan Anglo-Saxon England). I am not an outline person, but I am definitely finding all the backstory work immensely helpful because it really shapes the story. I have a first draft that I wrote for NaNoWriMo in 2009 and this new draft is going to be very different. But I am excited to be writing it at last.
Thanks for your support and interest. It’s nice to be able to share my obsession with someone else.
Twitter: fearofwriting
It was fun to wake up to this comment! Thanks for satisfying my curiosity. I was fascinated to read about your process and the idea behind your novel. The period of history/setting, combined with the fairy tale being reworked, sounds amazing. A book I shall want to read when you’re done.
I’m thrilled that the 10K Day could contribute to its birth. Hope to see you here for future 10Ks! 🙂
Twitter: dream_mancer
Well, a crazily busy day derailed most of my writing plans, but I did get about 1,000 words added to my story. No journaling, which makes me irritated, since I planned on catching up on that, but see above: crazily busy day.
I don’t know how much I can write on Saturday, since I’ll be out of town for some shows, but I bet I can grab some words right after midnight.
There are still two more hours tonight, but I have homework to catch up on.
-Laura
Twitter: fearofwriting
Hey, Laura. Bummer about getting derailed by a busy day . . . but at least you wrote a grand. 😀
I hope Saturday works out for you. You are a juggler woman to even think about fitting some writing into a day like that!! But I’ve seen you do it before.
Twitter: dream_mancer
I ended up not being able to sleep and added another 3,000 words around 4 am. Of course. But I plan to do the same early Saturday morning. So I won’t be around, but I’ll try to write on my iPad when I can. Because I’m crazy like that. 😀
-Laura
Twitter: fearofwriting
I must agree. Crazy like a fox!!! 😀
Twitter: jmmerchant86
Team Europe checking in, rather late as usual.
I’ve set the short story aside for a little while because I’ve been challenged (again) to get my novel under way. My friend has just self-pubbed his second novel, he wants to launch his 3rd with my first on my birthday next year, so today I need to see if I can make any progress with the zero draft.
Hope you’re still having fun packing Milli! Good luck everyone else!
Jo x
Twitter: jmmerchant86
1700 words in journalling done, I’ve started using Scrivener to journal, my fingers type faster than my hand writes so fewer thoughts get missed.
Just read through my plot notes for the novel, gonna let the brain work them over while I take a walk down the road for more fruit and chocolate.
Twitter: fearofwriting
Jo, that’s great about the challenge to finish your novel – and with such a fun deadline. A birthday present to yourself. 🙂
I’ve done a bit of journaling myself today, though I can’t report a word count per se. It was “verbal journaling” – talking out loud to my muses. Got rewarded with a fantastic idea that I can’t wait to develop . . . in my new writing space after we get to NM.
Also, on the phone with a friend she suggested I rewrite my second screenplay as a novel. Great idea. So it’s been an inspiring morning for writing matters, despite not being able to participate in the 10K Day.
OK, back to packing. I’ll be checking in every hour, so keep those updates coming, Jo.
xo
Twitter: lorigg
Very slow going this morning. Fighting procrastination and doubt. Journaling usually helps but not yet today. Seems to be taking me to fight the doubts head on. I expect a low word count. However it will be a good day if I can break through and get to the other side of the excuses. about 500 words so far (and much commenting on blogs that I am procrastinating with)
Twitter: fearofwriting
Lori, my heart goes out to you. I know what a tough space that is to feel engulfed by. You’ve got a great attitude to it: no matter what word count you end up with, today’s victory will be to stay with it despite what the doubts are telling you. I’ll be cheering for you from over here. 🙂 Keep us posted.
~ Milli