Challenges Starting

STARTED EXERCISE…

Number of things happening today. Last day to sign up for the May online workshops. The first day of the Short Story Challenge that I am reading stories for. (That took me some time to set up my paperwork and tacking system on my side. First stories were wonderful.)

And for me, I started my new exercise challenge. (I started the novel writing challenge for myself yesterday.)

My exercise goal is once again to run a marathon in Las Vegas in November. That was the goal last year and I lost 30 pounds working at it, but I needed to lose more and have more milage under me to do it right.

So I pushed back to this year. I have kept off the 30 pounds I lost through this horrid winter and I now plan to lose about 25 more to get to running weight.

Also last year I started in July. This year I am starting in May. So I should be down in weight and up in running miles by July and that will give me even more time to get this old body ready for the 26 miles.

So today, on my first day, I got in 5.5 miles in distance. For me that is 11,000 steps. A good start.

So last day to jump into the May online workshops.

Also, the Strengths workshops are still available. You want me and Kris to see where you are at in craft, business, and sales, now is the time to jump into those. Write me if you have questions.

No work on the novel yet tonight. Might still get over there. If I do I’ll add it into tomorrow’s totals.

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Challenges…

There are two of them now if you want me to be your first reader. 

30 short story challenge is starting either on May 2nd or June 1st. Your choice. Write 30 short stories in 30 days or 60 days. I have exactly six people signed up to try it. Three in May, three in June. Room for a few more crazy writers who want to get some stories done (as I am just finishing). Information, cost, and rules at https://deanwesleysmith.com/i-opened-my-mouth-so-here-is-how-it-could-work/

Novel a Month for three months challenge is starting June 1st.  Someone mentioned math. The minimum length for the three books is 30,000 words, so even if you didn’t get a half-book head start in May, you would have to write minimum only 90,000 words in three months, about 1,000 words per day, or about an hour for most. But it will get you three done in three months. I will limit this to five or so at the most, so don’t delay if interested. Information at https://deanwesleysmith.com/a-novel-challenge/

Again, I will be your first reader on both challenges. And both have bail-out points. See the rules on the links. Ask if you have questions.

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May ONLINE Workshops 

All May online workshops are available and have openings.

Last Day to Sign Up!!

ALSO, the workshop schedule through August is now posted. You can sign up ahead for any workshop you want through August.

So for information on how to sign up, go to…

www.wmgpublishingworkshops.com

Any questions at all, feel free to write me. And if you are confused as to which workshop to take first, we have a full curriculum posted on its own page.

Class #41… May 2nd … Author Voice
Class #42…  May 2nd … Business
Class #43…  May 2nd … Endings
Class #44…  May 2nd … Writing Fiction Sales Copy
Class #45…  May 2nd … Writing and Selling Short Stories
Class #46…  May 3rd … Depth in Writing
Class #47… May 3rd … Advanced Character and Dialog
Class #48… May 3rd … Cliffhangers
Class #49… May 3rd … How To Edit Your Own Work (new)
Class #50… May 3rd … Plotting with Depth

HOW TO EDIT YOUR OWN WORK IS AVAILABLE STARTING IN MAY

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MAJOR WRITING BUNDLE

Not at all sure why anyone who wants to be a writer doesn’t grab this bundle. Amazing stuff for only $15 or $20 bucks.  And AbleGamers is the charity on this bundle, which is one of the best causes I have ever seen.

Authors in this are Mary Buckham, Tonya D. Price, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Lawrence Block, me, Maggie McVay Lynch, Leah Cutter, Chuck Heintzelman, and Joanna Penn. Plus a $50 lecture from WMG, a discount to get Jutoh, and a discount to all the stuff at a Writer’s Cafe.

You can get it all for $15.00 or $20.00 and give some to AbleGamers. If you are serious about learning your craft and business of writing, this is about as cheap as it comes, folks.

The Write Stuff Bundle 2017

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The Writing of HEAVEN PAINTED AS A SUNSET: A Ghost of a Chance Novel

 Left off on January 5th before writing the book in Las Vegas. Left off at 28,500 words.

Cut back to 16,500 word mark. Restarted. 
 Day 1 (of restart)… Words written… 1,100.  Total so far… 17,600 words.
 .

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Tracking Running… May 2nd, 2017
5.5 miles. No running.
Weight 195. (Goal 170)
Month to date distance: 9.5 miles
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Tracking Word Counts… May 2nd, 2017
Totals For Year 4, Month 10, Day 2 (Year started August)
Writing in Public blog streak… Day 1,321

— Daily Fiction: 00 original words. Fiction month-to-date: 1,100 words  
— Nonfiction: 00 new words. Nonfiction month-to-date total: 00 words 
— Blog Posts: 300 new words. Blog month-to-date word count: 900 words
— E-mail: 34 e-mails.  Approx. 2,800 original words.  E-mails month-to date: 71 e-mails. Approx. 5,200 words
— Short Fiction Goal: 120 stories (July 1st to June 30th). Stories to date: 38 stories.
— Novel Goal: 12 Novels. Novels finished to date: 5 novels.

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