July 6, 2011

Challenge Happy: A Round of Words in 80 Days

Challenges motivate me. Mom and I spent many years working on Depression Cookies. From the idea spark to publication was ten years. We want to write a sequel in one year while keeping our blog momentum going. No small task. It's summer!

Yesterday, I spoke about a community of writers. Just last Friday I participated in Novel Publicity's Karmic-Liking Friday. Through this I met fellow writer, Yves Brown McCalin who yesterday posted about the A Round of Words in 80 Days challenge. The stars aligned! And again I have my writing community to thank.


The concept of ROW80 is for participants to focus on their writing. The challenge happens four times a year with slight breaks in between. This is Session Three, which officially started July 4th. The challenge: choose a measurable goal (not just I'm going to write more often) and commit to it for the 80-day session. There are twice-a-week checkins on Wednesdays and Sundays where you will update the progress on your goal to the website and/or #ROW80 on Twitter. For more details, please visit http://aroundofwordsin80days.wordpress.com/about/.

My Goals for the Eighty-Day Challenge:

* 750 words a day on my WIP (six days a week, even diets allow for a cheat day or life's insanity), otherwise known under the working title of Depression Cookies II.

* Blog 4-5 times per week on Depression Cookies and a minimum of 3 books reviewed per month on Mom in Love with Fiction. The Ultimate Blog Challenge will continue to motivate me to post frequently in July!

* Read two books (in the 80 days) on Writing.

I'm excited to begin this challenge, and I'll update here how it's going. If only there was a challenge for keeping my house cleaned, kids happy, husband happy, etc. I'd be set.

What part of your life is in need of a Challenge?

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sounds great! Good luck with your goal!

Tia Bach said...

Thanks, Catie!

Claudia Lefeve said...

Great goals! look forward to seeing your progress this round :)

Kate @ Teaching What Is Good said...

You are AMAZING, girl!!!

alberta ross said...

oh yes a challenge for housework - maybe I'd manage to keep house relativly tidy then!!!! good goals all the best for this week

Amber Stults said...

Good luck with your goal!

Lisa Rose said...

Good luck with your goals! I found ROW80 through a writing community, too. Gotta love them!

Tia Bach said...

Amber, Claudia & Lisa, Thanks! I'm interested to see my progress, too. It's my first writing challenge (I've done one blog challenge and am currently doing one).

Kate, Thanks. I feel blessed to have you in my corner.

Alberta, Ah... a housework challenge. I need one, but I don't want one. ;-)

Thanks ladies!

Vicki Keire said...

I would totally fail a housework challenge! :) I love your book's title. I'll have to check it out.

Martha Giffen said...

Great goals! It's amazing how far we progress if we will just set the goals and start moving forward. Good luck to you! I'm doing the 30 day blog challenge right now and guess what? It's day 6 and I'm still blogging! LOL

bookworm said...

My housekeeping (which was never that good to begin with) has totally become nonexistant through the Blogathon (May), then continuing to blog through June, and now the Ultimate Blog Challenge. I guess I need an Ultimate Put the Laundry Away in the Same Day (or week?) Its Done Challenge.....

Tia Bach said...

Vicki, Thanks. We love to hear people say they love the title. It holds special meaning to us, but seems some have been confused (cookbook or about the Depression, it's about neither).

Martha, I love the blog challenges. The one I did in May kick-started my blog and this one is keeping me going through the summer!

Alana, Always love when you stop by. And, yes, let's do a Laundry Challenge next. ;-)

Lisa Carter said...

Tia, This is just fabulous! You have totally been kickstarted and there is no stopping you now!

I'm aching for another challenge and have bookmarked ROW80 for the next session. As I finish up projects and we get ready to go to Costa Rica, I just can't commit. I have, however, kept up posting 4-5 times a week on my blog after Blogathon. What's lacking is time for my own writing projects.

Wishing you much luck with all of yours -- not that you need "luck"; you're clearly motivated and it's wonderful to see, and to learn from.

Tia Bach said...

Thanks, Lisa! I am all about challenges. I can self-motivate when necessary, but I so prefer to answer to something and have a goal.

I'm so excited to hear about your Costa Rica Challenge (see you do have one coming!).

I really appreciate new friends like you. Friendship and challenges, what more do I need to be motivated.

And a side note: I've written 1670 words in two days on the DC sequel after talking about it for two months!

Don Gonzalez said...

That's great that the challenge has helped you get going on your next book. Thanks for sharing this. Good luck with your progress.

Tia Bach said...

Thanks Don!!