Backed Against The Challenge Wall

13 Stories to Go in Seven Days…

No story tonight because, to be honest, there was just too much to do. Too many letters to send, too much work on other stuff as well. And I even packed a few more boxes.

So going to focus on stories for the next week. I still think I have a chance at hitting this challenge of 30 stories in 30 days while moving. But I think I am the only one who thinks so. (grin) Thankfully, the wave of stuff I needed to get done is pretty much done.

If you were planning on coming to either the Master Business Class this October or the Anthology Workshop next March, and didn’t get a letter from me about the new location and fee structure, write me.

Going to be fun focusing on stories for the next few days. Almost anything going sideways will cause this to be impossible, so fingers crossed against strange life rolls.

Now, here we go, a challenge inside a challenge. I have seventeen stories done already, a complete win. Now going to try to write 13 short stories (not flash fiction, regular short stories) in seven days.

Stay tuned. As I said earlier, the towel is still solidly outside the ropes.

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IF YOU MISSED THE COAST WORKSHOP MOVE ANNOUNCEMENT…

All the details we have right now are in a couple posts below this one. Both the Master Business Class in October and the Anthology workshop will be moving to the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas. I will be contacting everyone already signed up in the next week.

Still room in both workshops. Write me with questions.

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Day One… Scared Money… 2,700 words…. Total April words… 2,700 words.
Day Two… Rainbow Peak… 4,900 words…. Total April words… 7,600 words.
Day Three… A Beautiful History… 2,300 words…. Total April words… 9,900 words.
Day Four… A Song For The Old Memory… 2,050 words…. Total April words… 11,950 words.
Day Five… A Brush with Intent… 1,000 words…. Total April words… 12,950 words.
Day Six… Ghost Diet… 2,700 words…. Total April words… 15,650 words.
Day Seven… Rescue Two… 3,300 words…. Total April words… 18,950 words.
Day Eight… The Woman Who Knew The Time… 3,200 words…. Total April words… 22,150 words.
Day Nine… Long Hair Henry… 4,400 words…. Total April words… 26,550 words.
Day Ten… I’ll See You… 1,500 words…. Total April words… 28,050 words.
Day Eleven… Girl on the Bed… 2,000 words…. Total April words… 30,050 words.
Day Twelve… Everything Got Colder… 2,050 words…. Total April words… 32,100 words.
Day Thirteen… (did not write)… 00 words…. Total April words… 32,100 words.
Day Fourteen… (did not write)… 00 words…. Total April words… 32,100 words.
Day Fifteen… Old Memories… 2,700 words…. Total April words… 34,800 words.
Day Sixteen… Models’ Four.. 1,900 words…. Total April words… 36,700 words.
Day Seventeen… (did not write).. 00 words…. Total April words… 36,700 words.
Day Eighteen… Green Canyon.. 2,500 words…. Total April words… 39,200 words.
Day Nineteen… (did not write).. 00 words…. Total April words… 39,200 words.
Day Twenty… Something In My Darling.. 1,600 words…. Total April words… 40,800 words.
Day Twenty-one… (did not write).. 00 words…. Total April words… 40,800 words.
Day Twenty-two… Reluctant With Intent.. 2,000 words…. Total April words… 42,800 words.
Day Twenty-three… (did not write).. 00 words…. Total April words… 42,800 words.

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MAY INSIDER’S GUIDE Workshops

— Insider’s Guide to Writing Serial Fiction (2,000 word parts of a novel) (Starts May 6th)
— Insider’s Guide to Writing Detective Fiction. (Starts May 6th)

$300 each, limited to ten writers plus lifetime subscribers. One time workshops. They will not be regular. Sorry. But Lifetime Subscribers have access to them of course going forward.

THESE ARE NOW ON TEACHABLE TO SIGN UP.

——————

MAY REGULAR WORKSHOPS

https://wmg-publishing-workshops-and-lectures.teachable.com

Class #49… May 1st … Depth #3: Research
Class #50… May 1st … Author Voice
Class #51… May 1st … Dialog
Class #52… May 1st … Writing into the Dark
Class #53… May 1st … Writing Fiction Sales Copy
Class #54… May 1st … Writing and Selling Short Stories
Class #55… May 2nd … Depth in Writing
Class #56… May 2nd … Business
Class #57… May 2nd … (open)
Class #58… May 2nd … (open)
Class #59… May 2nd … Novel Structure
Class #60… May 2nd … Writing Fantasy

5 Comments

J.M. Ney-Grimm

April 24, 2018 at 7:36 am

But I think I am the only one who thinks so. (grin)

I’ve watched you do amazing things with your writing challenges, Dean. So I think you can do it, and I’m looking forward to seeing you do it this time, too. Write on! 😀

djmills

April 24, 2018 at 3:20 pm

Cheering you on!
2 stories a day will get you there, or even 3 stories a day to allow for life rolls towards the end of the week.

Scott Gordon

April 24, 2018 at 4:36 pm

Some struggles today. A little over 2,200 words at the moment, most of which is for My Crazy Pet Frog: The Nightmare Pizza Before Christmas. The setup is much the same as the last story I wrote: I had a cover and two chapters, but it has largely sat untouched up until this time. I had no choice but to go through all of the material and break chapter two into two. I also had issues with the framing of the story–the point in time in which it occurs–that had to be addressed before I could move forward. This brought out the internal editor and slowed me down a bit. Still, I’ve been able to make some important strides on the story.

This is also the day that I usually take advantage of the $5 movies at the AMC in Disney Springs. It’s quite a bargain, but I’m less than enthused by what’s playing. Should I reward myself like I usually do? Or stay in and hit those 4,200 words? I’m leaning towards the latter. Besides, there’s plenty to watch for free at home, and of higher quality, it seems. Will let you know if I hit my goal.

Scott Gordon

April 24, 2018 at 4:38 pm

If anyone can average two short stories per day to beat the challenge, it’s you, Dean.

Scott Gordon

April 24, 2018 at 7:24 pm

Ok, I scratched and clawed and found a way to finish. My Crazy Pet Frog: The Nightmare Pizza Before Christmas is done, and I sacrificed movie night at AMC to do it. I’m proud because it was a struggle yet I was still able to overcame the obstacles. There were plenty of opportunities to throw in the towel, but I stayed focused and got what I wanted in the end.

Another finished story. Who would have thought?

I had not planned on finishing this story tonight, but it seemed to be the right length. No rushing to the end, no puzzle writing madness, just methodically creating content that I could use.

Today’s tally now stands at 4,388 words, and My Crazy Pet Frog: The Nightmare Pizza Before Christmas is approximately 5,800 words in all. With a week of this challenge under my belt, writing an average of 4,200 words per day is absolutely crazy, but damn you get things done.

J.M. Ney-Grimm

April 24, 2018 at 7:36 am

But I think I am the only one who thinks so. (grin)

I’ve watched you do amazing things with your writing challenges, Dean. So I think you can do it, and I’m looking forward to seeing you do it this time, too. Write on! 😀
djmills

April 24, 2018 at 3:20 pm

Cheering you on!
2 stories a day will get you there, or even 3 stories a day to allow for life rolls towards the end of the week.
Scott Gordon

April 24, 2018 at 4:36 pm

Some struggles today. A little over 2,200 words at the moment, most of which is for My Crazy Pet Frog: The Nightmare Pizza Before Christmas. The setup is much the same as the last story I wrote: I had a cover and two chapters, but it has largely sat untouched up until this time. I had no choice but to go through all of the material and break chapter two into two. I also had issues with the framing of the story–the point in time in which it occurs–that had to be addressed before I could move forward. This brought out the internal editor and slowed me down a bit. Still, I’ve been able to make some important strides on the story.

This is also the day that I usually take advantage of the $5 movies at the AMC in Disney Springs. It’s quite a bargain, but I’m less than enthused by what’s playing. Should I reward myself like I usually do? Or stay in and hit those 4,200 words? I’m leaning towards the latter. Besides, there’s plenty to watch for free at home, and of higher quality, it seems. Will let you know if I hit my goal.
Scott Gordon

April 24, 2018 at 4:38 pm

If anyone can average two short stories per day to beat the challenge, it’s you, Dean.
Scott Gordon

April 24, 2018 at 7:24 pm

Ok, I scratched and clawed and found a way to finish. My Crazy Pet Frog: The Nightmare Pizza Before Christmas is done, and I sacrificed movie night at AMC to do it. I’m proud because it was a struggle yet I was still able to overcame the obstacles. There were plenty of opportunities to throw in the towel, but I stayed focused and got what I wanted in the end.

Another finished story. Who would have thought?

I had not planned on finishing this story tonight, but it seemed to be the right length. No rushing to the end, no puzzle writing madness, just methodically creating content that I could use.

Today’s tally now stands at 4,388 words, and My Crazy Pet Frog: The Nightmare Pizza Before Christmas is approximately 5,800 words in all. With a week of this challenge under my belt, writing an average of 4,200 words per day is absolutely crazy, but damn you get things done.