Comic: Writer's Santa Wish List

Comic: Santa's deadline

1000, 500, and 250 words a day: Personal Writer Challenge ... With Leeway

As some of you already know, I've been doing more illustration work lately. Right now, my main illustration project is Michael Ian Black's I'M BORED picture book for Simon & Schuster. I've also been doing a ton more sketching to improve my craft.

The writer side of me, however, has been languishing. I signed up for NaNoWriMo but had to give it up because of illness in mid-November -- that's when I started thinking about how much I need to get back to regular writing. And how I need to revisit my Daily Writing Goal challenge myself!

To be realistic, I'm going to start out next year by aiming for 250 Words A Day (and only count words written for my novel(s)). Hopefully I'll find 250 words way too easy and upgrade to a higher word count goal.

Making New Year's Resolutions involving a daily writing goal can be a dangerous thing, I know, but I need something like this. What about the rest of you? Anyone else up to a daily writing goal challenge for next year?

The goal of the Inkygirl Wordcount Challenge simple: to inspire writers to write.

Too often, I find that writers start motivational challenges like NaNoWrimo with enthusiasm and good intentions, but give up when they start missing their daily targets for more than a few days in a row...undermining their confidence and defeating the purpose of the original challenge. I wanted a challenge with build-in leeway, to take into account that sometimes Life Gets In The Way.

I also wanted a challenge that lasted the whole year rather than just a month.

You can find out more about the 250, 500 and 1000 Words A Day Challenge here.

So who's in with me? And wordcount goal are you setting?



Please vote: Writers Digest 101 Best Websites For Writers

Hi all,

If you've found Inkygirl useful, inspiring or entertaining this past year, I'd be appreciative if you'd nominate my site for the Writer's Digest 101 Best Websites list.

How to do it:

Send an e-mail to writersdig@fwpubs.com with "101 Best Websites" in the subject header, and mention that you're nominating Inkygirl.com.

Whether or not you decide to nominate Inkygirl, I'd like to thank you all for your encouragement and support this past year. This site is run by one person (yours truly) and funded out of my own pocket, and the info and feedback I've been receiving by e-mail and in comments make it all worthwhile. Thank you!

- Debbie

p.s. If you'd like YOUR site to be considered by other writers for nomination, do post your site name and URL below!

Cartoon Caption Challenge: Pencil-nose Snowman

Comic: Frosty and the Stamp

Comic: Mom's Christmas Wish List

Comic: Finding A Quiet Place To Write: Idea #241

Comic: Snowman Gift

New comic up on Writer Unboxed today

Instead of my usual general writer comic, I've posted a Q&A comic as part of the Reader Q&A on Writer Unboxed. Topic: SCBWI conferences/workshops as being a good choice for beginning writers interested in kidlit/YA.

Comic: Great Cough Syrup For Writers

One Of The Many Reasons I Love My Agent, Ginger Knowlton

Natalie Goldberg video

Sorry for the lack of posts. Pre-holiday craziness and a stubborn flu bug has knocked me out of the blog loop for a bit. Catching up now.

Thanks to Open Road Integrated Media for alerting me to this brief but inspiration Natalie Goldberg video. I'm a huge fan of her WRITING DOWN THE BONES, which I reread regularly in bits and pieces. It doesn't matter which random page I pick -- inevitably I'll find a nugget of writer inspiration or hope which helps fuel my work day.