Theories of Productivity for Writers

There are so many suggestions for practices and products to make you more productive, just searching for them can become a procrastination artform. By attempting many, many different organisational or productivity ideas, there is a basic truth I've learned: Everyone has their own natural rhythm in life, and as such, different methods work for each of us. 

For example, I find most productive techniques work well for me... for a very limited time. While it's new and shiny, my brain is in awe enough to follow instructions. But once I get used to the routine, my brain gets time to manufacture sneaky ways to lure me away from my good intentions. 

Here's a few theories of productivity and suggested methodologies. Try a few and choose what works for you.

30 days to become a habit.

Now, I've seen suggestions that it takes 21 days to form a habit, and my meditation tape recommends listening for 24 days in a row to achieve the 'habit' of creative meditation. I figured I'd play it safe and suggest 30 days. Habits formed can be active or resistant, i.e. you can 'do' something for 30 days, or you can abstain from something for 30 days. This trick worked well for my kids last year when I banned fast food. It's now been 17 months since their last trip to MacDonalds. The first few weeks were hard, but it did indeed become a habit. The ban is lifted, but my kids tastes have changed (they're 11 and 15) and now they don't want to eat that food. This month we've taken the step of banning Coke-a-Cola. I'll let you know how that goes!

So what are the rules? Basically, you must complete 30 consecutive days to form the habit. If your habit is to write a page a day, and you miss 1 day, your 30 days start again. Be clear with your goal and it's a good idea not to try and achieve too many at once. I'd start with just one for your first month. Want a free 30 day calendar? Andrew Dubber created one for his blog. You can download it by clicking on the image (or visit http://andrewdubber.com/2013/03/resurrecting-the-30-day-calendar/)

Challenges

There are always plenty of blog challenges to join, whether you want to write one short story a month and submit that story (write one, sub one), get 50,000 words in one month (Nanowrimo), or read an instructional text on the craft of writing each month (The Progressive Book Club), you'll find a blog challenge to meet your goals.

This method employs the tactic of accountability. If you announce your intentions to enough people, you'll feel obligated to see this through. Beware, there is a conflicting theory that if you announce your goals to people, and get patted on the back for your intentions, your brain can get tricked into believing it has already made an achievement and you'll be less likely to see the project through.

Triangle theory

A friend told me about this theory, and I embraced it because it's a very forgiving theory. Through our lives we pick up various responsibilities and projects. We'd probably be amazed at the number of things we've attempted. But at any one time, our life can only support three main focuses. We might change those three from time to time, but only three will fit comfortably within the pyramid that represents our life (pyramids are very popular with theorists).

Last year my pyramid consisted of Family, Writing and Fitness. This year I took up tutoring for work, so that has replaced Fitness. I've found this to be an honest approach. As much as I wanted to keep up my runs and workouts, I really don't. I can for a short time swap an item to get fitness back in, but I have to be honest and admit that something else would have to go. You might swap your focus daily, depending on your weekly schedule. And although there can be three things we can be productive in at any one times, only one will sit at the top of the pyramid.

Lists

Us writers love these, but they can actually increase your procrastination if you don't use them right. Many experts suggest the way our brain is wired means if we put more than five items on our to-do list, we are less likely to complete any tasks, but if you stick to five or less (3 key things you want to achieve today, is a good start), then you're more likely to achieve them all! Less is more. I do cheat a little here. I write a master list, with about 50 to do items, and each day I take the three main things I want to achieve from that.

Time chunks
Regular breaks are an important ingredient for any productive workplace. For health reasons you should look away from your monitor and off into the distance every 15- 20 minutes (http://www.spreeder.com/blog/avoiding-eye-strain/), you should also stand and stretch your shoulders and back regularly. Besides tired eyes and sore muscles, our brain gets bored stuck on one thing too long. By breaking tasks down into 20 minute segments, you'll be much more productive. Take a short break between tasks or switch to a different task. Keep your mind interested to work more productively.

Another time-related trick for productivity is to schedule your distractions. Set time-limits for social media, otherwise your triangle of productivity becomes more like this:

Want more? Here's some popular posts on productivity:

8 Ways to Prioritise Writing

Best Free Apps for Productive Writing

Organisation and the Writer - the Kanban method

KINDLE FIRE GIVEAWAY

To celebrate the release of my new mystery novel for girls, I'm giving away a Kindle Fire and a $25 Amazon gift voucher!

Simply download Dognapped? A Dog Show Detective Mystery or blog about the book to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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10 Tips for Writing Fan Fiction or Granny Weatherwax in 'No Game of Chance'.

Romantic Friday Writers have hosted another great writing prompt. To write up to 1,000 words of fan fiction into a romantic scene. I'm always suggesting writers try genres outside their comfort level. I'm not strong with the romantic scenes (and you'll discover that hasn't changed yet) and I've never written fan-fiction, so I figured the exercise would test me. 

What are the rules of writing fan fiction? Here's a few:

1. Remember the characters have already existed elsewhere. You can put them into a new situation or setting, but you can't change their past (unless you introduce a Doctor and TARDIS, then you probably can).
2. Know the voice of your character. Don't try writing about a famous character you've never read or studied. Learn them. Become an expert. Fans will know if Ron Weasley speaks out of character.
3. Study your setting. Not just the layout, but the feel, the mood of the setting.
4. Try to keep to the writing style. You don't have to exactly keep the genre (although fans will appreciate it if you do) but don't do a serious drama based on characters from a comedy. That's not the type of fiction the fans are after.
5. Add a little something. Despite what I said in number 4, you should add a little touch of your own style to the piece. Otherwise readers may as well just stick with the original text.
6. Share! There will be fans who will get a lot of entertainment from reading their favourite characters.
7. Toughen your skin. Die-hard fans may love your work, but some may hate it because you've dared to toy with their beloved characters. Don't take it personally. It really is them, not you.
8. Cite the original work. Be open and let people know who you stole your characters from. Don't take credit for someone else's work, otherwise it's not fan-fiction, but a sneaky form of plagiarism. Some people like to use a disclaimer (there's some debate over wether this is helpful or not). You can find an example here: http://www.ehow.com/how_8532096_write-disclaimer-fan-fiction.html
9. If it's erotic fan-fiction, warn the reader. And if you're taking characters from a children's novel for erotic fiction, be very very careful. You may spark anger from the original author (or their lawyers). Parody is legal, but it could still be a pain.
10. Have fun! Fan-ficiton is for enjoyment. Don't try to live up to the original author, or prove yourself better, just have some fun while you strengthen your writing skills. I had a real laugh writing my scene between Granny Weatherwax and Death.

If you've still a moment and want a giggle on me, here is my fan-fiction based on characters from Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. 

Disclaimer: I do not own Discworld or any of the characters in this story. They are owned by Terry Pratchett. It's hard to believe any mortal could own Granny Weatherwax, but I believe her and Sir Pratchett have an understanding. This story was written for my own perverse fun and I shall not profit from it in any way (a little like my own writing then).

The prompt was to be a romance scene between famous lovers, but I may have wandered off from that idea, not sooo romantic, but hey, there is the suggestion of almost nudity. Shudder.

If you're one of those poor people who've never read Terry Pratchett, but you're curious, these are the characters I nicked, um borrowed, okay nicked, from Pratchett (click on them to see their Wikipedia page):

Nanny Ogg

Granny Weatherwax

Death

No Game of Chance

'New wrap?' Nanny Ogg ogled the soft black fabric replacing the worn battered coat usually draped about Granny Weatherwax’s shoulders.

'No it ate’nt.'

'Now you mention it, I do remember you wearing it once or twice before.' 

'No you don’t, you remember me wearing it many times before.'

'Uh huh.' Nanny Ogg nodded, but when Granny turned she leaned in with a pair of shears drawn from her knickers (where she keeps everything she needs) and snipped off a price tag dangling down Granny’s bony back. Always better not to argue with Granny, or you’d likely find yourself wanderin' the forest void of memory, or craving shell-fish even though you’re allergic, or… well, it was just best not to.

Granny paused at the door. Just a moment, but long enough to show a mix of smugness, sadness and nostalgia in the crinkling of her eyes. Strange combination, but Granny was the oldest witch to ever live, and she’d plenty of time to master these unusual amalgamations, like her infamous 'mischievous-amusement, gleeful-hunger mingled with disappointing resolve to kill you' gaze.

Then her knobby hand turned the… knob and she was off. At this time of night? Granny claimed to be a traditional witch, but she couldn’t abide late nights. Nanny Ogg peered up at the grandfather clock (who’d once been a young wizard). Its hands inched close to twelve. They wobbled with fear, because although Granny insisted it be set to gong at midnight, it would infuriate her if it woke her. Only wood and mechanics now, still, the clock retained enough memory to fear aggravating the old crone.

'She looks like she’s got a date with destiny,’ Nanny Ogg confided to the trembling clock.

'Oh I wouldn’t call 'im that,' Granny Weatherwax mused as she approached the old barn up the hill from the cottage. There was no point questioning how Granny could hear a mumble from the other side of the property and yet not respond to the calling of her name up close. Sometimes whispers were just louder than everyday talk. Like his whispers. Oh she knew he was coming and she knew what he wanted.

Granny lit every lamp until they flickered brilliantly. Good. Strong lighting was very important for this rendezvous.

She sat at the small fold-up table and smoothed her hand over the iron-hard grey bun. Not a hair out of place (it wouldn’t dare). She pinched her cheeks and the last few surviving capillaries cracked.

I may not 'ave the curves and complexion of a young woman, but I’ve me own allure. She was wrong. There were curves. Just not in the right direction.

She didn’t hear his arrival, but felt it.

'Esmerelda Weatherwax?' A deep voice resonated through Granny’s bones.

She didn’t turn. Wasn’t quite ready to gaze into that face. She knew what she would see, or wouldn’t see.

'Call me Granny, or Esme if you must.'

'Uh, alright, Granny Weatherwax?' but the theatrical air of impending doom was lost on the second attempt.

'You’re late.'

'It’s been a busy night.' His voice echoed everywhere and nowhere.

'Ave a seat.' Granny waved to the chair opposite.

'We should be going—'

'Come on, said yerself you’ve had a busy night, rest a little.’

'I… uh… thank you.' Death smoothed his robes and sat. 'Now Granny, you’ve had a long life, don’t you think it’s time you came along… peacefully?'

'No. I don’t.' She wiggled a gnarly finger at the place where his face should be. 'You’ve been around longer, I reckon you know the world needs people like me. I’ve still got a lot to do.'

Death sighed. 'I don’t make the rules Granny—'

'No but you can bloody well break 'em.'

The elderly were always the hardest, they could be so stubborn. 'I can offer you a challenge, that’s the best I can do.'

'I know.'

'It’s not really a chance, I never lose.'

'I pick the game?'

'Yes.'

'Good.' Granny reached into her carpet bag, pulled out a deck of cards and started shuffling. The cards flipped and arched through the air then were skillfully dispersed.

'Poker Granny?'

'Strip poker.' She winked.

He shuddered.

Just as the sun began to push pink and orange through the sky, Nanny Ogg knocked on Granny’s door. No answer. She went in. Granny wasn’t there. She stepped out again  and peered up and down the lane. Nothing. She turned her gaze up the hill to the old barn. Nothing. Wait. The door was open and there was a flicker of lanterns in the dim morning light.

Nanny Ogg hitched up her skirt and hopped from foot to foot through the long grass in a straight line for the barn. Just as she arrived huffing, a figure emerged. Or didn’t. Or he did emerge, but he wasn’t there. He most definitely wasn’t there and he was grasping his bundled black robes. He looked guiltily at Nanny Ogg, or didn’t, and hurried on his way.

Nanny stepped into the brightly lit barn just in time to see Granny doing up the clasp of her brassiere. 

'Don’t you knock?'

'Um, sorry Granny, it’s only, was that Death leaving just now?

Granny chuckled. 'Yep, don’t think he’ll be back for a while.'

'He come for you?'

'Tried to, but I bested him.'

Nanny Ogg helped Granny into her wrap—it was still brisk out. 'But how? Death can’t be beat at any game.'

Granny wore a smile combining knowing, victory and gas. 'Yep. But he didn’t want to win this one.'

Nanny Ogg saw Granny snatch up the cards and it all came together. 'Ooh, you’re a sinful old hag Granny.'

'I still ate’nt dead.' And Granny winked.

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Why You Don't Want to be a Perfect Writer

Ray Bradbury teaches me to focus on detail.

I've come across writers dismissing writing classes as a waste of time.

I'm wondering if those people are attending the right workshops, or if they're attending with the best attitude? Being a course junkie, I've seen the usual personality types that come to courses and there's always a few people that are terrified of 'failing' the activities. They're certain they'll be the worst in the class and humiliate themselves. Often they won't read out their work, or participate in discussions. They'll sit up the back and build an invisible forcefield around themselves and it works. But it doesn't just stop humiliation getting through, it prevents feedback, encouragement and growth in their craft.

At the other end of the spectrum are the students who need to come first at everything. They're incredibly competitive and can sometimes be harsh with critiques (both receiving and giving). They'll sign up for a beginners cooking class, even if they're a seasoned chef because they want to come home after every class and say, 'I really wowed them tonight, I'm way better than the teacher'. They walk away reassured, but haven't pushed themselves outside their comfort zone, as a result their writing hasn't had a chance for growth.

I don't want to be the best writer, and I'm not afraid of being the worst. I've written a lot of crappy stuff. In fact, in writing workshops, on the spur of the moment, all my writing is clunky and crappy. But I'm learning and improving. I don't want to be the best writer, I want to be the most-improved. I don't believe the sum is greater than the parts (well okay I do, 'cause the maths people insist but only if by greater they mean more). More is not better, it's just more. I don't want to be the best writer, I want to be the best writer I can be today. And I want that level to be way lower than it will be next month. 

I read authors' works and acknowledge how much better they are at sentence structure, description, dialogue, weaving themes. Then I put aside my jealousy and celebrate their skill. Talent you're born with, but skill can only be acquired by working at it. So, I work at it.

I'm using short fiction to tighten my writing style and I've been studying Ray Bradbury's stories. Simple, approachable, magical. I'm practicing zooming in on a small detail, to make the story come alive, the way Bradbury does. I've also challenged myself to write in second person, because he pulled it off so beautifully in one of his stories.

I hope as writers you can feel proud of your progress and excited about the lessons to come. Embrace the learning. You don't have to take on writing classes to learn, there are many ways, but writing classes can still be a good source of information.

What challenges are you going to tackle to push your writing?

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Themes of Friendship

Friendship is a strong motivational device for fiction. If you're writing YA fiction or have young characters in your novel, chances are you'll include a theme of friendship and what it means to you. Peer groups are said to have more influence in teenagers' lives than family (for more info on that visit Peer Pressure).

There's been a lot of great friendships in fiction, look at the trio in Harry Potter, Frodo and Sam in Lord of the Rings, or the touching protectiveness of Katniss with Rue in The Hunger Games. Of course, friendships aren't always positive, Truman Capote had a very disturbing bond with the killers he wrote about in In Cold Blood, and the friendship between George and Lennie in Of Mice and Men was just sad.

In Undead Kev, I'll have a theme of friendship that explores loyalty and responsibility. There's many different sides of friendship and many ways you can use it to drive your narrative, some possible themes to mix in are:

• Jealousy
• Loyalty
• Trust
• Dependence
• Attraction
• Betrayal
• Responsibility
• Death

And of course many more! Do you have a theme of friendship in any of your stories? Did you find it predicted your character's behaviour? Today I'm taking part in a writing challenge over at Romantic Friday Writers to come up with a short story for the prompt: Oh how I hate my beautiful friend! I've brought back Rosie for this one, she can be a bit foul mouthed sometimes, but I bleep her out. 

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Crime - Truth and Fiction Exercise

My favourite crime show!

My writing centre (QWC) and the talented Meg Vann hosted another amazing writer's workshop - Research for Crime Fiction. This one was made even more special by the setting - The Queensland Police Headquarters, which hosts the Qld Police Museum. What a perfect place to study crime research!

All writers went along with a brief outline of the crime novel they would like to work on. My crime fiction is Warracknabeal Kids: 

In the summer of 1939, a freak fire tore through the Warracknabeal Racetrack, destroying the decrepit clubhouse, but nothing else. This was suspicious enough, as the insurance payout would fund a much needed rebuild. When the town scallywag, 13yr old Harry Conner, finds a dead body in the burnt-out ruins, there's no doubt this is foul play. But the body disappears and no one believes him, not even his father, the local sergeant. Harry is on his own solving this case and he's wondering if it has anything to do with his own mother's disappearance two years ago. Perhaps his father knows more than he's saying. Meanwhile, across Victoria, the state is experiencing the worst bush fires it has ever seen.

My story was inspired by learning the clubhouse really did burn down in 1939 and the circumstances were suspicious (locals said the insurance payout was the most luck that track had ever seen). I decided to add a body and a town full of quirky characters. Real life provides plenty of prompts for murder mysteries, just watch the news or read the papers. But if a real crime inspires you, how can you go about using it for a novel without offending people involved?

One exercise we tried was to mix up events, characters and locations from different eras and crimes. We walked around the Police Museum taking note of the crimes and artifacts that interested us. This is something you could try using online resources for your news articles. Here's the steps we took and my responses:

1. Choose one person (victim, investigator, witness, etc) and record three details about that person: Eileen O'Donnell was one of the first women officers in Queensland, joining the force in 1931. She was good at catching bag snatchers. Women could not make arrests, but mostly did typing or chaperoning male officers when they arrested young women.
2. Choose one setting and record three details (from a different source): A vet surgery was the setting for Brisbane's notorious cat-lady murder. Found inside was the body and blood samples from two people, one belonging to the victim. Smell of ammonia and cat urine. Smooth linoleum floors. Very violent struggle.
3. Choose one incident/event: 1977 string of rapes and murders. Victim found in apartment by boyfriend. He had been at night classes at local TAFE before discovering the body.

The next step is to change any names (people and locations) and mix the elements together for a story idea. This is what I came up with:

   'Step back love, don't want to taint the crime scene.' Officer Robert Hacker put an arm out in front of officer Joyce Malloy, as if protecting her from stepping into traffic. 

   He'd already warned her several times on the way to this scene that it might be brutal and she could wait in the car if her stomach wasn't up to it.

   Joyce let out a 'humph' and stepped around Hacker's arm. She'd been on the force since 31. Her and Louise the first women officers in Queensland. Five years. Hacker had not yet served six months and he was giving her orders. 

   In her time on the force she'd seen robberies, assaults, wife-beatings, but, as she peered into the doorway of the veterinarian's office, she acknowledged she'd never seen anything this bad. Through the stench of feces and urine wafted ammonia, and in crates cats howled for release.

   Joyce stepped over the dead woman's extended arm, taking care not to tread in the glossy dark blood spread across the otherwise dull linoleum. 

   Another one dead. Women in men's professions. This one a vet, the last a lawyer. The knife used to rip the life from the deceased left by the body, just as the report had said about the previous victim.

   'Woah, you're a bit keen there Joyce.' Robert stomped in and for a moment almost lost his balance, slipping in the menacing fluid.

   He looked down, up at Joyce, back down, then threw up over the body.

Think you'll give this a try? It's a worthwhile exercise, you never know what you'll end up with!

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Why Writers Should Flash

Flashing is a great way to tighten your writing, instead of having pages to set up your story, you only have a line or two. It's also a great way to feel more productive, a novel takes a long commitment, but with flash fiction, you can get several pieces quickly to the point 'the end'. I find it very challenging and have a lot of work to do before I can claim to master the flash. Luckily for me, Romantic Friday Writers provide plenty of challenges for flash writing. Why not give it a go? Click the picture to sign up to this challenge, your prompt - Being the Perfect Ex.

Unsure how to tackle Flash Fiction? Try these links for some tips:

Fiction Factor - Writing Flash Fiction

Matt Moore Writes - How to Write Flash Fiction

He’d stay if he knew.
‘I've got the photo album. You love looking at it, remember?’
No. She did not remember. Not the album or the woman holding it.

‘Here’s your favourite, you and Lilly.’

Lucy straightened. It was the photograph from the Autumn dance. Lucy was wearing her new tight skirt, just like Lilly. The girls had changed in the ladies room, Lilly warning Lucy, Keep your mouth shut, Mum’ll flip if she finds out. And there he was, dark hair combed back, thumbs in pockets, wild eyes daring the camera. Lucy ran a finger over the the figure in the picture.

‘Max.’

The woman turned the page.

Lucy peered at the next photograph. ‘Who?’

‘It’s you.’

‘I’m so… old.’

The woman laughed and gave her a hug. ‘That was your seventieth, everyone came, remember?’

Seventy? But last night her and Max… they fought. He left. 

‘Here’s one of the whole family.’ The woman pointed to a group of smiling strangers. 

‘Who’s this?’ Lucy poked at a face.

‘That’s your nephew, Sam.’

‘Who’s this?’

‘Ron, Lilly’s husband, and look there’s Lilly. Jess and Rachel are Sam’s kids. See, I’m there too, with Richard.’ 

Lucy's finger jabbed a pasty image with lifeless eyes and then waved it at the man with the matching face seated by her hospital bed. 
‘Him?’

The woman frowned. ‘Henry, remember?’

‘Where’s Max?’

The woman's shoulders dropped, she reached across and closed the album.

‘Did I tell him?’

‘Tell him what? Who is Max?’

Keep your mouth shut. Mum’ll flip if she finds out.

‘We had a fight. Lilly will know him.’

‘Lilly died last year, remember?’

Lilly’s gone?

Lost. Everyone she loved gone. A moment flittered over a lifetime.
Except... ‘Do I have a child?’

‘Yes! You do remember, don’t you?’

The woman’s dark eyes shone with pleasure, those same eyes… a name...

‘Gemma?’

Gemma hugged her. She was hers. A flash of memory, a wild-eyed girl, maybe four, in a muddy dress.

‘Gemma… your father...’

Gemma pulled back, her grin wide. ‘It’s okay Mum, Dad’s here too. He always comes to visit his sweetheart, don’t you Dad?’

The old man’s focus didn’t move towards them, but he nodded.

Henry? Max had known. They’d fought. He left.

Lilly’s warning. Yes, she’d just shut her mouth. She was Henry’s sweetheart.

I'm not at all sensitive when it comes to feedback, feel free to critique if the mood strikes you, I do listen... sometimes.

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A Word A Day?

I got to play model for Rhonda's photography!

I know a lot of writers have other fetishes they participate in, for some it's drawing (for me, it's trying to draw), others might have a love of old cars, bake, and some of you are photographers, or at least budding photographers. One challenge circling around for photographers is the A Photo A Day Challenge.

A good friend of mine has taken up this challenge and just started up her new blog:

http://aphotoaday-rhonda.blogspot.com/

Rhonda is very talented and skilled with digital media and is also passionate about photography. She's sharpening her skills by producing a photo every day. This got me thinking about all arts, and indeed interests. Surely by toiling at our craft EVERY day, we will build our skills. I've taken challenges before to produce 500 words per day and during NaNoWriMo there were no days off. This year I'm feeling a little squeezed with all the preparation I need to do to teach two new subjects at high school, but I should keep my ink nib dipped in some way daily. I'd love to say I'll edit for 30minutes everyday, but I hear it as a lie even as I think the words. So...

I've decided that as long as I do something literary everyday, I'll be happy. That's all, a minimum of one activity. I can read a book about the craft of writing (did that today), listen to a writer's podcast, edit my manuscript, write up a pitch-line (like I will tomorrow for the challenge at Erica and Christy), or make notes in my notebook (which I did today!). If I have a really bad brain-dead day? I'll just write one word in my notebook (but it better be a good one).

Are you taking up any new challenges?

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It's Coming!

The NaNoWriMo contest badges for 2009 are up!

You can be my writing buddy by going to my NaNoWriMo page here.

My tactics:  (from someone who has never entered before)

• Don't tackle anything that needs constant research, and if it does, skip that and fix it later (you can edit in December, you won't have time in November)

• Plan your plot - If I try to write constantly for 50,000 I'm likely to start with a family story and end up with space porn, but only after going through a period of postmodern zombie/military action. I need structure.

• 
  
  Don't start something you've been planning. Start something new that you are not yet attached to. Come December you can get crazy about your plot and characters, but you won't have time to dwell in November - there's writin' to do!
  

• 
  
  Tell everyone you're doing it. Put it on your blog (like so). It will make it a lot harder for you to drop out after 539 words.
  

• 
  
  Drag your friends and family into it or join a region group (you can do that on the site). If you have writing buddies you will urge each other on and help with plot barriers. I'm enticing my two daughters to do the young writers challenge - they pick their own word count.
  
  
  

What I love most about this challenge is that it is international and although there are would-be authors struggling over manuscripts every day, now I will actually feel part of that group knowing we are all busily typing at once. Join me... join me.. join me....

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