Write Your Novel this Summer Challenge

Write Your Novel this Summer: It’s time for our first check in!

Mandy Webster
kitty
Kitty says, “Stop looking at me and get back to writing!”

Well, it has officially been one full week since the start of our summer writing challenge. I plan to check in once a week on Fridays throughout the entire summer. Since I really haven’t accomplished anything yet, this week I will simply report on my starting point.

I started the summer writing challenge with a total of 65,128 words written. That’s about 240 double-spaced, Times New Roman, 12 pt font pages.

While figuring out where to jump back into my story this week, I read my last few chapters and did a bit of surface editing here and there. I have also done a bit of freewriting, which I will not add into my word count. I am still in the freewriting stage at the moment, trying to get back on track with my story. Hopefully by next week I will be cranking out some actual chapters again.

I know I challenged you to write an entire first draft of a novel this summer. Technically, I am breaking the rules, I guess. I feel like I have only written about halfway through my story, so the novel I am writing will end up being rather thick. I will probably end up doing about the same amount of writing as if I were writing the standard Oprah’s Book Club-sized book.

Since I’m breaking the rules, it’s okay if you want to also aim to finish an already started work in progress as well. We’re pretty informal here. The main idea is to get all of us writing and actually finish something by the end of the summer.

SO, how is your novel coming along? Please share in the comments below or join the conversation on our Facebook page. If you choose to share your own weekly updates on your blog, please feel free to post a link to your blog post here as well. Happy writing!

~Mandy Webster

Related articles

Published by Mandy Webster

Amanda L. Webster is the author of If You Didn't See It Coming, One Bad Cat, Demons of the Night, DIY High, Valley of the Bees, and F-ing Freddy Fisher. She is also a writing teacher who lives part-time in a sorority house.

11 thoughts on “Write Your Novel this Summer: It’s time for our first check in!”

  2. Hiya.

    I’m going to check out the links you posted. I think any and all ways to tap into our creative wells puts us ahead of the game.

    Here’s what I’ve been up to this week: http://bit.ly/1aW3FEp

    Thanks again for doing this. I hope this is the start of a beautiful writing friendship. 🙂

    Cheers,

    Tonette

    Reply

  3. I have off of work next week and the plan is to go to three different coffee shops during the week and work for three or four hours a pop and see what happens, free writing, character development, whatever. I find that it helps to do brain warm ups or writing warm ups before I start, just like with exercising.

    Reply

  4. I wrote about five pages last week, which I feel pretty good about. My character is in a transitional scene that takes place between one group of experiences that will be amplified at the beginning of the next chapter. He is trying to figure out what a bunch of things happening in his life mean or imply, or whether or not they are actually happening. So I guess I am also trying to figure some things out. How do I send the main character forward. He is going to have a significant shift in perspective, and I am winding my way into writing it for him.

    Thanks for hosting this summer writing exercise. I miss writing workshops and this is really helpful!

    Craig

    Reply

    1. You got farther than I did. I am currently working on some writing exercises to try to get “unstuck.” I think my story may be too big, and am trying to decide if I need to narrow my focus a bit. It’s kind of like short story class where some people tried to fit an entire novel into a short story, only I’m trying to fit an entire series into one book!

      Reply

  5. Have any of you heard of CampNaNoWriMo.org ? The summer one (July) is very kicked back. You set your own goals, but if you are in a cabin you can chat with the others and encourage each other. It is only in day 4 and you could do it in tandem with this one.
    Love your place here. Still haven’t learned to ping :>)
    Patti

    Reply

    1. Hiya.

      I’ve been participating in all incarnations of WriMos this year. They’ve helped my Series tremendously and the support of fellow writers keeps me going. 🙂

      I do like the flexibility of the Camps, however. Recent changes include the option of daily word count edits. I’m caught up with my entire family being sick, so after I enter my totals for JulNoWriMo and tweeting my word counts for that and Camp, I’ve forgotten TWICE NOW to update on the Camp site <– ha! camp site. Anyhoo, everyone's in great spirits no matter what challenge I join, so I've enjoyed the writing ride, thus far.

      Cheers,

      Tonette

      Reply

      1. Cool, you are on a roll. I just wanted to make sure everybody knew about it.
        Stop by my place some time…gonna go see yours.
        Write on!
        Patti

  6. I just came across this (and the facebook site) and love it! I have loved writing for years, but just lately buckled down to actually start writing a book. I just finished the draft of my first book and have started on a second, while I am waiting for my star editor (also known as mom – former English teacher and writer herself) to give me her feedback on the first one. Good luck to you!

    Reply

Leave a comment