Last month I connected with a really neat lady named Milli Thornton.  She sent me a very nice email after I commented on a blog post.  As it turns out, Milli and I have a great deal in common in terms of inspiring writers and helping them to get over their fear of writing.  In fact, Milli has a book out called “Fear of Writing: For Writers & Closet Writers“.  From what Milli describes, it may be very similar to “The Writing Experience” .  Milli let me know that she had just completed the 10k challenge- A once a month challenge to write 10,000 words in a day.

Well, I was immediately intrigued.  I was thinking about partaking in the NaNoWriMo last year, but I just wasn’t able to dedicate an entire month at that point in my life.  Setting aside a single day for 10k?  Now that’s a different story.

I’ve got two partially finished novels and frankly, I need a kick to my backside to get going again.  They’re good stories and it kills me that they are left to languish in the nether regions of my Open Office archives.

July 16 is the next 10k Challenge day

I’ve already decided I’m going to take part this month.  I’m working everything around that day this month.  10,000 words is roughly twenty pages further along in my novel.  I’m excited.

Here are the rules, as listed on her blog:

1. No editing or rewriting.

2. No looking back over what you’ve written during the 10K Day.

3. No rummaging—either in notebooks or in your computer files—for writing you did some other time.

4. No research. Make it up.

5. Don’t fuss about the rules of writing. Just write.

6. Don’t fuss with structure. You can format, add chapter headings (or whatever) some other time.

7. No struggling. (“Allow yourself to be crappy.” — J.R. Turner)

8. Take a 15-minute break every two hours. Use this break to refresh your body, brain and spirit.

9. Report to your writing companions during your break. These “check-ins” should be kept brief.

10. No agonizing over your word count. Yes, the goal is 10,000 words, but not at the cost of your peace of mind. This is not a competition—not even with yourself!   Have fun instead.

With those kinds of rules, how could you not participate and have a grand old time?

There is a great support system in place including a forum and a place to post your ongoing wordcounts through the day.  Go spend some time poking around at Milli’s and we’ll see you at the challenge!

Tell me:  Do you think you will accept the challenge?  Why or Why not?

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