Challenges Update… Novel, Short, and Exercise

Novel And Short Story Challenge

There are two challenges starting September 1st. A short story challenge and a novel challenge.

I sent letters to those signed up in the challenges tonight since they start in a week. (Room open in both challenge if interested.) What I got as responses from three people so far were that they were surprised that I wanted them to check in every Sunday during the challenges.

Of course I do. Over the space of two or three months, all of us have down times and get stuck or have something going slower than desired. I will be there for everyone in the challenges to report into, talk about the good and the bad each week. I am there to help the writers do these challenges and have fun with the writing.

In essence, I will be there for perspective and advice.

So yes, I never mentioned that ahead, but I would like to have everyone check in with me after every week of the challenge. So you sort of get me not only as a first reader, but as a writing coach cheering you on as you go along.

The short story writers do 30 stories in 60 days, turn them in to me. The novel writers do three novels in three months and turn them in to me as they finish each one.

After you are done, you get your two regular online workshops ($600 value) to take when you want.

As a first reader, I comment as a reader and as an editor some. I say what I like, what doesn’t work for me, and general stuff like that. I D0 NOT COPYEDIT or REWRITE your story or help plot a story. However, I did tell the short story people if a short story would work as a novel. (grin)

And more importantly, if I thought a story worked, I said so. Simply and clearly.

I WILL ONLY TAKE FIVE FOR EACH CHALLENGE.  So jump in real quick if you want to do this. Only a couple spots left open at this late date.

SHORT STORY Challenge:

— Write thirty short stories in 60 days. You can take the full time or you can write them in a month. Up to you.

— I will charge $600 to be your first reader. You get two online workshops of your choice, a $600 value when you are finished, just for giving it a try, even if you don’t hit all thirty. (In essence I read for free.)

— If you feel the challenge is not working for you, you can take an off ramp and get the two online workshops at any point. So you can try this risk free.

NOVEL Challenge:

— Write three novels in September, October, and November You can take the full time or you can write them quicker. Up to you.

— I will charge $600 to be your first reader. You get two online workshops of your choice, a $600 value when you finish or the time runs out. (In essence, I will read for free if you do the challenge.)

— Novels can be any length over 30,000 words and at least half of the first one must be written during the time of the challenge.

— If you feel the challenge is not working for you, you can take an off ramp and get the two online workshops at any point.

Any questions, feel free to write me or ask in the comments section.

My Personal Exercise Challenge

Two weeks ago on Saturday I started a personal exercise challenge. I want to get into shape and lose a bunch of weight. So I started watching how much I ate and I started walking 10,000 plus steps per day. (5 miles a day for me.)

You know, the standard proven method of losing weight… Eat less and move around more.

I am on a streak (that dreaded word.) As of today I have done 10,000 steps a day for 15 days straight. And I have ran a total of 2.5 miles per week in small bits.

I have also lost six pounds, so ahead of the two pounds per week pace I wanted. Expected.

So far, so good. Got a ways to go, but I will do an update here every few weeks to let you know how it goes.

Now off to write a short story for an invite anthology.