1k-a-day Day 3

Tracy's Day 2 word count: 1339
SS current word count: 36 754
LI current word count:
WS current word count:

I have no excuse for not writing more yesterday. I struggled all morning to produce my 1k for SS and once I finally cranked out the words...I fiddle farted with all kinds of things, save writing. I contacted a friend to help me revamp my website (Thanks Erika! It's gonna be nifty!). I scanned my bookshelves and skimmed/re-read a few of my favs. I even cleaned the cupboard under the sink. Come on, NOBODY cleans that cupboard, NOBODY. Anyway, I shall try to keep focused today and make my momma proud. ;) Good luck everyone!

Tami's Day 2 word count: 1,111
Parlor current word count: 2,381
WD current word count: 5,993

Since I'm re-writing Parlor, I've chosen to show my word count as if I'm starting a new WIP (so adding yesterday and today's word count together for the current total). It was weird adding to the already 50k+ words that I had since it was almost a complete first draft. I haven't worked on WD yet for 1k-a-day, but when I do, I will be adding to the existing word count as it's so early in the 1st draft process.

Now onto my day. Writing was a little rocky after spending the day at the San Diego County Fair. Fairs are always so surreal as people walk around with fried butter (yes, they honestly had fried butter this year...don't ask), chocolate-covered bacon and other strange things you would never think to eat and then go on rides that turn you upside down until you puke. Fortunately, I was smart and only had a huge turkey leg, fresh potato chips, cotton candy and a few bites of the chocolate-covered bacon (my husband made a pinky swear that he would eat it). Walking in the ocean fresh air with the sun beating down on you, coming home and writing is the last thing on earth on your mind. BUT, I will say that I sat down and wrote 1,111 words, though it was painful. Since I'm working on re-writes, I'm trying to make each word count toward the goal of a second draft and not just a word that will send me closer to my word count. Anyway, super long story short, I hit my 1k for day 2!

I hope you all had it a little easier than I did (and ate a little healthier than I did) for the start of the 4th of July weekend in the US. Today is a new day, and one step closer to 30k this month. Keep your music rocking and your fingers tapping!

1k-a-day: Friday Giveaway

As promised, we're giving away books this month to sweeten the writing challenge pot. Today I have Betwixt by Tara Bray Smith up for grabs. Here's the blurb from Amazon:

For three teenagers, dark mystery has always lurked at the corner of the eyes and the edge of sleep. Beautiful Morgan D'Amici wakes in her trailerpark home with dirt and blood under her fingernails. Paintings come alive under Ondine Mason's violet-eyed gaze. Haunted runaway Nix Saint-Michael sees halos of light around people about to die. At a secret summer rave in the woods, the three teenagers learn of their true, changeling nature and their uncertain, intertwined destinies. Riveting, unflinching, beautiful, Betwixt shows a magic as complex and challenging as any ordinary reality.

And the winner is...(thanks to my hubbie picking a random number)......dadadddadadadadda....Sherry Ficklin!

Please email me at tracebelsher at yahoo dot ca with your address and I'll mail it off. And keep writing 1k-a-day is just getting started!

1k-a-day Day 2

Tracy's Day 1 word count: 1252
SS current word count: 35 415
LI current word count: 37 135
WS current word count: 6504

My 1k came easily on Day 1. I finished before lunch. However, I went back to my laptop a few hours later, all cocky-like, and thought I'd breeze off at least another k on one of my other projects. Ummm...nope. I was distracted by anything and everything online. Plus - Canada Day. I tried again several times, but ended up downloading new songs from iTunes or some such thing un-writing related. I decided to be happy with my smidge over 1k for SS.

Great to see the starting points of all who are joining us. This month is OURS! How did you do, Tami?
________

Tami's Day 1 word count: 1,270
Parlor current word count: 51, 768
WD starting word count: 5993

For day 1 I worked on re-writing the first chapter of Parlor. Did I mention how much I hate re-writing chapter one? Man, it was hard and I'm still not happy. I'm sure tomorrow will start with deleting a few words I wrote today before moving on to chapter 2, but that's the ebb and flow of re-working a story.

I plan to head to the Del Mar Fair, stuff my face with fatty food in hopes of getting great ideas from the sugar rush today! Hope everyone had a great day 1 of 1k-a-day!

1k-a-day: Day 1 - Put Us In Coach

Okay, TEAM YAedge. Tracy here. Well, this is it. The month we've been waiting for, the month where we show our WIPs just who the boss really is...time. And we're committing to write for however long it takes us to produce 1k-a-day. All month long. At the end of our writing frenzy, we'll have 30 000 glorious words...maybe more if our muses are generous.

Stretch out those butt muscles every few hours. Keep the java flowing. Get your iPod playlist set and crank the tunes. Put us in coach! We're ready to play...

Oh, and Happy Canada Day to all our Canadian writer buds - me included. I'll be heading to the beach for live music and fireworks this evening - but only if I get in my 1k...a beach party is a great motivator. :)

I’ll be recording my word counts for three WIP over this challenge, but my main focus is completing Second Skin (the next book in the Skinned series) so it can go off to my editor ASAP. It's sad that I'm still working on the same stories from our last challenge in November, but that's the way revision goes. Hack/slash and write some more!

SS starting word count: 34 163
LI starting word count: 37 135
WS starting word count: 6504

Tami, my friend, what say you on our kickoff of 1k-a-day?

Great start to 1k-a-day Tracy!!! I'm so excited, I woke up early this morning. I'm geared up to knock this WIP out of the ballpark! I've spent the last week and a half reading over the first draft of my WIP which I'll call Parlor for now (hate the name, but it's easy to remember). If you remember, this is the book that I worked on this past 1k-a-day and NaNoWrimo. The first half was crap, but I was really happy to find that the second half was actually decent. I will be rewriting it this time around. When times get tough and I'm stuck, I will be switching over to my other WIP, Worst Days, but my focus will be on Parlor for the most part.

I'm brewing the coffee, turning on some music and getting down to business this AM.

Good luck to everyone! Remember to post your word counts at least once within the week to be entered to win a book. Also, if you'd like to follow along with our progress throughout the day, just search the hashtag #1kaday on Twitter and feel free to post your progress. You'll see a few tweets that aren't for 1k-a-day unfortunately, but let's take that hashtag over!

Parlor starting word count: 50 498
WD starting word count: 5993

Dr. Who and 1k-a-day

Well, don't I feel all late to the party. I just watched the first episode of Dr. Who (series 5, I think, with Doctor Eleven) and my world was rocked. Where has this show been all my life? Tami and the other YAedgers who watch DW...I proudly join the ranks of the newly DWinated.


I'm a believer.

I'm hooked.


Damn, I have to get my hands on the DVD - tell me it's out there somewhere!


Okay, now that my fangirl gushing is over, how about that 1k-a-day challenge? Ain't that gonna be the kick in the pants we all need? ;) Tami posted a few of the YA titles she's putting up for grabs in July, and so....here's my list:


ARC (acquired at BEA) of HALO by Alexandra Adornetto




E-book ARC (acquired at BEA) of Ascendant by Diana Peterfreund

girl, HERO by Carrie Jones (hardcover)

Revealers by Amanda Marrone

Betwixt by Tara Bray Smith

And a signed copy of my book (along with some swag), Under My Skin.

Whoopa! Just 2 days to go, my friends! I hope you join us...don't just read a book this summer, WRITE one. Click on the 1k-a-day challenge rule icon on our sidebar for contest entry details.