June Writing Challenge! (Because November is a busy month for teachers…)

I’ve started my 2^nd Annual June Writing Challenge, with the goal of writing at least 500 words each day of June. So far, I’ve been relatively successful. Unfortunately, I did miss one day—yes, already!
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However, I’m remaining optimistic, especially since I’ve had high word counts some of my other days.

Here are my current stats:

Sat: 598

Sun: 1358

Mon: 0

Tues: 1887

Wed: 514

Thurs: 1828

My observations so far…

I write better in the morning, especially with a caffeinated beverage at my side. If I wait until the end of the day when my kids are asleep, I feel groggy and have a tougher time being creative with my word choice.

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It’s not just about the word count, but also about the quality of the words. This may seem obvious, but, of course, quantity is always easier to measure, so it’s what we tend to work with. I know that, as I looked back on my words from Saturday night, they weren’t as interesting as what I pulled together on Sunday or Tuesday mornings when I was more alert and in a more creative state of mind.

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Using an author’s beat list has been a great help! I’ve re-read what I had of my story last month and created a beat list to help guide me the rest of the way through my mystery novel. Using the list as a guide, I know what main action will take place in each scene and chapter, and it’s been a valuable way to not only keep me organized but also keep me inspired when I’m not sure quite where to start.

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Please feel free to join me if you’re wanting to challenge yourself to get more words on paper this summer!