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 WOOO-HOOO: It’s the Winter Writing Festival’s Week One Check-In!!!!!Posted by Elisa Beatty Jan 17 2013, 12:01 am in Winter Writing Festival The Third Annual Ruby Slippered Sisterhood Winter Writing Festival is really rocking, with the Ruby Sisters and dozens of their always-talented friends writing their hearts out!Today we complete our FIRST FULL WEEK, and it’s time to officially check in!If you’re reading this on the Festival website (the blue site), jump on over to the regular Ruby Slippered Sisterhood blog ( the ruby-colored site, at rubyslipperedsisterhood.com) and leave a quick comment about your experience with the Festival and your progress so far. (See info on SWAG you could win, below!!) A few bits of business before we move on: 1. CHAT ROOM SPRINTS ARE FABULOUS!A reminder to those who haven’t jumped in with the writing sprints yet: our Chat Room http://www.rsswwf.com/ichat/ is open over at the rsswwf.com site. The sprints have helped MANY Festival participants make amazing progress! You don’t have to be in first-draft mode either: the sprints work just as well if you’re in the planning or revision stages too. It’s just a great way to get butt-in-chair and stay focused for a couple hours! If you’re still unsure, or feeling a little shy, check out Kim Law’s really helpful post about how the sprints work right here. 2. We’re at EIGHT POINTS! (That’s where you should be if you made your goals all week. You should have nine points if you got the bonus for signing in on the first day! And some of you have been heaping up extra points–so if you’re ahead of that already, good for you!If you made your goals, please add a line in your comment in all caps saying I MADE MY GOAL!!! You will hear us cheering loudly!!! If you’re a bit behind, NO WORRIES!! You can always double up on later dates, OR revise your goals is your original ones were a tad too ambitious. The point is to KEEP WORKING and MAKE PROGRESS!! We can’t say it enough: the Festival is designed for YOU! 3. Git yer red-hot Festival Participant Badge right here:If you didn’t get your badge up on your personal website yet, you can grab a copy right now. Just right-click on the badge below, choose “SAVE IMAGE AS” and save it to your computer. You can then upload it to your own website as you please!
4. Is it too late to join??? NEVER TOO LATE!!!If you’re just discovering us, or if you’ve got friends burning with jealousy because they’ve heard of all of the progress you’ve made in the Writing Sprints, tell them to jump right in!! They can give themselves Super Bonus Golden Sunshine Points (or some less embarrassing name, if they prefer) to make up for any days they’ve missed so far, and move forward from there. AND NOW FOR THE SWAG:Anyone who checks in at the Ruby blog today will be entered in a random drawing to win one of the following prizes (just because we love you!):
Now it’s YOUR turn, Festival-goers!! How did the week go? Did you make your goals??148 Responses to “WOOO-HOOO: It’s the Winter Writing Festival’s Week One Check-In!!!!!”Leave a Reply |
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Checking in!!
Unfortunately, I had a week from hell
but I’m still on 5 points which I’m pretty excited about because I hardly had time to breathe.
Will work extra hard next week!!
5 points is TERRIFIC with a week from hell! Great job. And just keep pushing forward. No doubt you’ll catch up in no time. Good luck on a more calm week next week!
That sounds good to me, Roxanne, if you made progress despite the week from hell!!
Remember, the Writing Festival is seven weeks long, so there’s plenty of time to catch up!
And if you DO decide your original goals were too ambitious, you really, truly can revise them midway. The point is just to KEEP MAKING PROGRESS!!!
At the end of the 50 days, you’ll have good stuff to show for it!
Checking in!
Yeah, week from hell here, too. I’m only 1 point in, but hoping to get a lot done next week.
That week from hell likes to share with everyone, doesn’t it? Great job getting something done. Good luck next week!
You got started, Raven, and that’s what counts! (See my note to Roxanne, above).
Here’s to a fabulous upcoming week for everyone!!
Waving Hi Raven!
I 100% forgot about writing yesterday (got distracted and then fell asleep early), so I’m a point short. I totally got started a day early though, so I’m going to say it balances out
LOL! Sounds like a plan. Great job, Wendy!
Sounds perfect!!
Have a great Week Two!!
I MADE MY GOAL!
The writing part is pleasurable, and the editing is a bit tough but fun.
Woohoo!! Way to make a goal!
YAAAAAAAAAAY, EVE!!!!
And you’re having fun, which is awesome!!
I MADE MY GOAL!
The sprints have helped me up my word counts. Can’t wait to sprint some more
Woot! Snoopy dance for goal making!
We love sprinting with you. Glad they are helping!
The sprints have powerful, powerful mojo!!!
Everybody listen to Delia!!! Sprints are GREAT!! Don’t miss out.
I’m behind. I’m stuck in writer’s block hell. I’m hoping when I break through it, I am going to not be able to stop writing and will catch right up! I do love the sprints, even if I haven’t been very productive so far in them.
Ah, I’m sorry about the writer’s block! Maybe write something else for a day? Even if it’s nothing more than thoughts on a past experience? Write about your favorite childhood memory or something. Maybe the act of writing will free your mind and let you work through where you’re stuck!
Good luck. Hope to see you in more sprints!
You’ll catch up.
Sometimes just when you feel the most stuck, a sudden revelation comes to you that makes it all come together.
I highly recommend asking yourself, “What’s the worst possible thing that could happen to my character at this moment,” then try making it happen…..
8 points, baby. I love revising, just love it. I’m 100% serious. It’s been a great writing week.
Excellent! I’m going to try to make your sprints Sunday. That day I’m going for HUGE word count, so I’m going to be depending on you to help get me there
Woo-hoo!! Go, you Revision Goddess, GO!!
Um, do you want to finish my revisions?
Thx for a great sprint. Will be back this week.
I’m checking here. The sprints are great. 20 or 30 minutes is a nice length of time, but not so long that I start to get antsy. And thanks to all those great sprints,
I MADE MY GOAL!
Hooray!
Great job Julia! And yay for sprinting with us!!!
YAAAAAAY, Julia!!! Way to go!!
I’ve got to get my tuckus back in the sprints…they really work well for me, too!
Kim, Tamara, thanks for hanging with me in the sprints.
Sorry, Elisa! I meant you!! <3
I’m behind. Started late, family issues, but I have at least five points, so I’m plodding along. Going to join sprints to stay focused.
You’re doing terrific! (says the woman with on ly 5 points herself
) Glad to know you’ll be joining the sprints! I’ll be looking for you 
You can do it, Jean!
I’m happy to get out the steel-toed boots and push you into the sprints, my friend…in the gentlest way possible.
Five points during a bad week is a strong start!!!
Eileen can kick hard with those steel-toed boots…so get yourself into that Chat Room QUICK!
I’m behind too, Jean, so don’t feel bad!
Waaay behind. I’m stuck in the doldrums with no wind in sight. I’ll have to double up to catch up. Off to record my 1 point – the free one for signing up on day 1.
Good luck on your goals for week 2, WWFers.
That should have been a frowny face
No problem. It’s just one week of extra work, right? Piece of cake!
Will we be seeing you in the sprints this year?
Yes I’ll be in the sprints. I did one last year, and hope to get a good productive feel for it this year.
Yay! Don’t be shy! Everyone’s welcome, and it really does help so much.
Go ahead and use the smiley face, Cia…stick with it and you will catch up!!
(And don’t be shy about revising goals if something else would work better for you.)
Have you been in the sprints? They really can work wonders. And if you give yourself a point for joining in a sprint, you know you get your point no matter what.
Thanks, Elisa.
I MADE MY GOAL!!!
The Winter Writing Festival has put me back on track!
Thank you!
Fantastic!!! Woohoo!!
WOOOOOOOOOOT, KATHY!!!!
That’s exactly what we’re here for!
I MADE MY GOAL!!!
Woot! I even surpassed my goal of 10K and got 12.5K. The sprints really do it for me. Love being there with such talented, supportive, commiserate women. And we’ve been playing “Can you beat Darynda?” which doesn’t happen often but gives us good word count (those who are writing new words).
Off to Starbucks to work some more on my goals…and a latte!
That’s a great game! She joined one of mine and I declared that the next sprint I saw her in, I would give her a run for her money!
Woohoo on surpassing your goal!!!
LOL…I wanna play that game!!
And congrats on the 12.5 K!!!!!!!
I MADE MY GOAL!!! (PLUS!!!!)
This was the ruby-slippered kick in the tookas I needed! Thank you. My future editor thanks you, too!! *S*
Lisa
LOL! Great! And we love to kick tookases
Woo-hoo, Lisa!!!
We are indeed ass-kickers extraordinaire!!
I’m waaaay behind, but I’m going to start doing the sprints when I can so I can catch up!
Good deal. We’ll help you get caught up!
Good luck next week!
Absolutely…the sprints will cure what ails you!
I MADE MY GOAL!!!
(Even though I had to tweak my goals a teeny, tiny bit. That’s allowed, isn’t it? I realized they were a tad ambitious. But I’ve been working hard all week and meeting my tweaked goals!)
And yes — the chat room sprints are super mega fabulous!!!!
Totally allowed! It’s all about YOU and what YOU can reasonably do. Great job figuring out you needed a bit of a tweak. And YAY for meeting your goal!
Aren’t they awesome, Pintip?!! I love seeing your name pop up there!
I made my goal.
(Mops brow.)
Hee hee…great job working up a sweat!
LOL.
I MADE MY GOAL- all days but one. But through a combination of new words, polishing submission package and submitting to an agent, I’m at 8 points.
After getting a very speedy rejection, I was able to meet my goals yesterday ONLY because of the WWF. And chocolate covered potato chips.
Mmmm…chocolate covered potato chips! They sound gross, but they’re chocolate, and they’re salt. Duh. So good!
Great job making your goal,a nd pooey on the rejection!
I was kind of hoping to be a little farther into the next book, but oh well. At least I have double motivation now. RSS WWF and the only way to get past rejection is to move forward.
We’ll get you there!
I made my goal–I did write 5000 words last week on my WIP (which is 500 words a day for 10 days…so hey, slightly exceeded maybe.) I’m at least very happy with my writing, whether I qualify for anything else on this contest or not. *LOL* I also cooked enough food to last all week, technically, but have yet to want to eat it and have been cooking other things instead–so I’m going to have to tweak that goal a bit.
I need to get over to the link and check out the sprint stuff.
I think those will be very beneficial to me.
Yes, definitely come over and check out the sprints! Sometimes we award golden crowns
Great job making your goal. Good luck next week!
Made my goal. In the ‘time with hands on keyboard’ sense. Which, since the point of this exercise for me is to actually get some words down and I ain’t done that yet…
Have you tried MacFreedom or one of the other programs that temporarily blocks your internet to force you to write?
Or check out the website Write or Die….that can be fabulous.
Have you been in the sprints? Come join one!!!! Having other people waiting on you to produce some words in 20 minutes is a great motivator. (I’m still waiting on the answer to your technical question….)
That seems a recipe for frustration. If I need to check something and I have no Internet, writing stops. I cannot do [insert food here] when I need the characters eating something I can’t think of offhand. I have to look it up and have it right before I can keep going.
I MADE MY GOAL
Some days blood has dripped onto the keyboard, but I did it. Now to get going on my life, so I can get to the keyboard this afternoon and make today’s goal.
YAY, YAY, YAY!! Go, Kate!!
Me? Uh…didn’t quite meet my goal. But that’s ok. I knew I wouldn’t this week. But ask me where I stand after Sunday!
Me and a whole lot of writing are about to happen over the next few days!
Great job, everyone! I love sprinting with so many people!
Thank you so much for hosting sprints! You rock!
I have big plans for the weekend, too!!
I MADE MY GOAL…and then some!That isn’t to say that there will not be extensive re-writes involved at a later date…but I am getting the words on paper and ideas are flowing again thanks to the WWF! This was just the kick in the butt I needed
YAY, Sharon!!!!!!!
And we’ll keep on kicking for the whole 50 days!
I made my goal. Not in terms of word count (still behind there), but in terms of the amount of hours I spent in front of the WIP. This week is for trying to catch up on the word count!
Excellent, Cynthia!!
Have you been sprinting? It is to word count what lunges are to building thigh muscle.
I Made My Goal! Worked hard to bank extra points because I’m going away this weekend to celebrate my anniversary. Will take the computer, but don’t expect to get too much done aside from spa appointments and lolling around. Am very sad I haven’t joined a sprint yet – that is my goal for next week!
Happpy anniversary! And congrats!
Hurray, Christi…and happy anniversary!!
Yes, see you in the sprints next week!
Happy Anniversary, Christi!
I MADE MY GOALS!
The chats I’ve attended have been fun. There was whip cracking, we named a city in a YA novel, helped fix a plot problem and so many other things! I have 8 points (are we counting today to get the 9?) Formatting is moving along, ordered the proof copy of my print book and working on setting up guest blogs posts to herald the release [trumpets blaring].
Good luck everyone in Week 2! Hope to see you in the sprints!
Melanie
That’s awesome Melanie! Keep up the good work.
~T
Happy dancing for you, Melanie!!
If you got a bonus point for signing up on Jan 10 and you earned a point each day starting Jan 10, then, yes, you should be at 9.
No idea if I made my goal as the word counts are written on the calendar over my desk at home. I meant to add those up last night, but forgot. Will check in again this evening when I get home.
I do know I’m THIS close to the end. 3 scenes, maybe 4 left. Then it’s on to revisions. Enjoying (and feeding off of) all the enthusiasm around here!
Sounds like you’re doing great, Terri!
I’m sending all sorts of good vibes your way!
I MADE MY GOALS!!
I’m at 9 points, and loving every minute of the sprints!
I’ve been pulling and tugging my chaptermates to join me as well. (And I love seeing all the Firebirds from the GH’12 taking part, too!)
Yahooooooozers!
Yahooooozers, indeed! Keep spreading the word…and I’ll see you in the sprints tomorrow, I hope!
I have to go into the office for the afternoon, but I’ll be in the sprints in the morning (unless my day gets shot to heck.)
But I’m looking forward to working this weekend!
Yay! See you then!
I KIND OF MADE MY GOAL. I’m very involved with finishing up my next release, so I didn’t get as many words in on my new WIP, but I expect to make it up this weekend. Are we allowed to slide one week and make it up the next and still get the points? My time has to be split so much between writing and editing, but I can’t always do both an equal amount all the time.
Absolutely, you can make up points as you go!
And also adjust your point system to reflect the way you really work..even midway through the Festival!
I MADE MY GOAL!!!
While 100 words a day (usually 200-300!) isn’t a lot, the fact that I’m actually doing it is huge.
Every word gets you closer to done! My motto has become “I am the tortoise who wins the race.” Don’t look at how fast others are–look at how consistent you are. And gradually 100 will become 300 will become 500 and you’ll have a finished product–but more importantly, you’ll have a habit you can keep.
It is indeed huge!!!!!! Go, you!! Go, go, go!!
Checking in! 13 points so far, and averaging around 2000 words per write-in. Loving the chat room!
WOW!!! So glad the sprints are working for you, Karen!
I *pretty much* made my goals! LOL
I got everything done except the last thing on my list – but that’s only because some other writing-related things came up and I had to re-prioritize. I’m entirely okay with that, and feel good about what I did get done (which is the most important part, IMO). I hope to get that last thing done by Sunday. WOOHOO!
Congrats to everyone on their hard work and persistence!!
Congrats, Anne Marie! Sounds fabulous to me!
I MADE MY GOALS!
and I survived week one of the semester fairly unscathed, and didn’t do anything naughty in the chemistry lab, so all in all I’d say it’s been a great week. I keep missing the sprints though, I need to work on that.
Here’s to keeping up the hard work everyone, and investing in more coffee than should be consumed in a weekly basis for the next eight weeks… :-X this will teach me not to take mini-semester classes at the beginning of spring.
Good Luck and Congrats to everyone whether they made the points or not, you committed and stuck to it.
Tiana
Yay, Tiana!!
Yes, we want to see you back in the sprints!
I have seven points, woohoo!
Pretty close to where I “should” be and I’ve revised every day since Monday. So I am very happy. The extra accountability seems to work for me, so thanks Ruby Sisters and friends! 
Hope my fellow WWF writers are also having a good week. If not, get back on the horse and try again. We’re pulling for you.
Lynn
YAY, Lyn!!! You’re doing beautifully!
I MADE MY GOAL!!!
I’m at 10 points & didn’t use my days off this week so I’m feeling pretty darn awesome. I added 11,500 words to my WIP. I love the sprints–thank you, thank you, thank you to the lovely ladies who host.
S
oops! It cut me off! I was saying that Sprints and #1k1hr are what’s getting me through right now. If you’re finding making sprint times challenging, check out #1k1hr on twitter for support and spontaneous sprints.
YAAAAAAY, ANNABETH!!
You are rocking it!
I MADE MY GOAL!
It’s been a very good writing week. =)
WOOOOOOT, Jena!!!!
Keep on going!!!
The festival is definitely helping me keep my butt in the chair as I work on two end-of-January publishing deadlines, so thanks for that. I haven’t explored any of the sprints yet but am considering trying a few of them out in the next couple of days.
Good week so far!
Thanks again!
Congrats, HD!!
Really, truly, no doubt about it…you should try the sprints!!
Hope to see you there this weekend! (I’m hosting tomorrow morning…jump right in!)
This has been a productive revision week thanks to the Sisterhood’s inspiration and I was glad to fit in a few sprints. More to come!
I MADE MY GOAL on 6 of 7 days.
Many thanks to the organizers, sprint-leaders, and wintertime writing companions!
Hurray, Catherine!!
Sounds like excellent progress!
I earned my points this week. And the hardest one was the day I had to take off. It felt so naked, not sitting at some point with the laptop draped across me. But I persevered and it felt good.
Perserverance….even naked perseverance….is the key to pretty much everything!
Checking in and happy to report that I MADE MY GOAL! It was a tough one because it was a crazy busy week in the day-job, but managed to carve out a little time each day to get at least my goal of 500 words or a blog written or revise.
Also managed to sneak in a couple of sprints this week. Hoping that this coming week will be a lot more calm so that I have more time to enjoy the process!
Yay, Colleen!!
It’s so fabulous to make progress like that even when the day job gets greedy with your time!
It’s a model for a good way to move forward NO MATTER WHAT!
Checking in..well slacked a little last few days because I have had to deal with extra life crap and not feeling well either. But I can do a few sprints and catch up quick. Thanks all and have fun.
See you in the sprints, Anita!! You’ll catch right back up!
Checking in to report I’m on schedule for reaching my 50 points by the end of the WWF.
One of the best experiences I’ve had from the WWF is the sustained sense of camaraderie amongst the participants. And I can’t forget all the friends I’ve made here during the first two festivals – and the new ones this year.
GO RUBIES!!
~Hugs~
Patti
Thanks so much, Patti! It’s been a pleasure having you with us all three years!!
Congrats on meeting your goals!
I’m at 7 points so almost completed my goals. I’m shooting for consistent effort. So far so good.
7 points is great! Give yourself a pat on the back, and keep going!
Having a 50 day Festival gives you lots of time to get in the groove.
I made my goals and have acquired 12 points, but only 2,217 new words. Giving myself goals and participating in the sprints have given me direction and encouragement to kick start my new year. I’m like a camel in the desert. I can go a long way as long as I know where I am going at that there is an oasis here and there to replenish my drive!
Glad the sprints are helping…keep attending them, and that word count will rise dramatically!
OMG I love the sprints!!!!! I have three whole points! Woot!!!
Way to go everyone! ~D~
I hear you’re a bit of a demon in the Chat Room! Can’t wait to go head-to-head sometime!!
I’m behind at 5 points, but I’m determined to catch up! Seeing everyone’s progress is inspiring me to get to work. Yay!!
5 points is good!!! You can definitely build from there!
I’m in the middle of the road. I’ve been working on revisons and pulling my hair out and sometimes shedding tears at others over what I thought I was doing.
But you’re working, Kathy, you’re working!!!!
Keep going!!
Well…I’m a bit behind, but I’ve still got 5 points. Looking forward to more sprints and more revision, revision, revision…and more revision.
Hope to catch everyone at a sprint…tomorrow night?
Sprinting will definitely get you there!!
I MADE MY GOAL! It helped that I have been on vacation this week.
Yay!!!! Just use your momentum, and you can keep building points even when you’re back at work!
It has been the week from hell — and it’s not over yet — but I MADE MY GOAL! The manuscript is zipping along and I’ve got notes on the other projects that are simmering on the back burner. Made the sprints only once — see week from hell comment — but hopefully I can make more this week.
Hoorah!!! I love seeing all these people making their goals even during hell weeks!!!
Little increments here and there really do add up as long as you keep making time for them.
I made my goal, but it wasn’t because of new writing, so–although I’m pleased at the OTHER writing-related work I completed I need to get my a** in gear next week!
Congrats, Sarah…and here’s to an even more productive week to come!!
I did well, although I need to do more actual writing.
Stick with it Sorcha…you’ve got some momentum rolling now: I’m predicting lots of new words in the week to come, especially if you get into the sprints!!
Just checking in (a bit late, I thought I’d already done so, but can’t find it.)
Loving the sprints as always, thanks to everyone who hosts these. I made 7 points as of yesterday, but it’s been a busy week and I do hope to catch up.
You’re doing great, Lyn!!
I MADE MY GOAL!!!! In fact on most days this week, I quadrupled or quintupled my word goal. In addition to a word goal, I have a chapter/wk goal which I need to do to finish my draft by the 28th and… I met that goal on Weds! So I’m feeling extra good, like I’m ahead, which is a good thing to keep in mind in case I fall behind later. Haven’t tried sprints yet because the key to my success is freedom software booting me offline
FABULOUS, Stephanie!!!
I’ve heard great things about Freedom software…don’t mess with success!!
MADE MY GOAL….=) most of it in writing, but a bit more in revising….rock ‘n roll baby!
carrie
Excellent, Carrie!!!
Thanks Elisa – I made the most progress of the Festival so far today, I finished rewriting two rather difficult scenes and completed revising two chapters so I can now speed ahead with the rest of the revisions, those chapters have really been holding me back. Thanks to the Sisterhood and the sprints, I’m a happy bunny!
Hurray, Lyn!!!
See you in the sprints again soon!!
And the Swag winners for this week are (in the order they were chosen via random.org):
Wendy
Christi Barth
Cheril Vernon
Eve
Raven Raye
Watch for an email from me!