Take the 250 Words a Day Challenge!

Hello Writers and Those Who Love Them:

In recent weeks, I’ve had a couple of amazing experiences with writing clients that can be summed up in three digits: 250. I used to proselytize about the benefits of the old Graham Greene method of writing 500 words a day (see my video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQjCbm2wN8Q), but let’s face it, writers have lost a lot of focus and mojo with our iPhones and Facebook posts since the days of G-Squared. (Yes, I just gave the author of The Third Man a rap name). So in the spirit of spreading the love, I throw down this velvet glove and say:

Take the 250 words a day challenge!
250 words = one page. If you can write a few chatty emails, tweet a couple of ironic observations, or write a three page note to your cat sitter (guilty!) then you can certainly bang out a page a day. As you mathematicians have already concluded, that could get you a whole 365 page manuscript within a year. But realistically you will probably end up with many more pages, because we all know the hardest thing is often to just get started. And as for going Greene, here’s what one of my clients said after I suggested trying for more words:

“I think 250 words a day works well for me because it's so no pressure on days that I feel super busy or distracted, and I've doubled or even tripled it so many times on lighter days that I think I will strike a good average without raising the absolute daily minimum. If I find I start to just scrape by, we can re-negotiate! For now this feels good: slow but very steady.”

So there you have it: in 278 words!
Please drop me a line and let me know how it's going for you.

Now, some quick biz:

My next Bang the Keys writing workshop starts on April 11.
It runs Wed. nights in Brooklyn
April 11, 18, 25, May 2, 9 & 16. $275.

Small group. Big love.
Contact: JillDearman@gmail.com
www.bangthekeys.com


This six-week workshop is meant for you if you’re a writer who has …
•A hard time balancing your own writing time with your fabulous New York life
•Too many clients, bosses and loved ones demanding a piece of you
•Too many negative voices in your head (you know, the ones who scream: It's too late, you'll fail miserably and why bother)?
•Have written yourself into a corner and need some innovative and practical help with the craft of writing and the art of editing
And if your goals are to …
•create a writing routine/schedule that allows you to "show up" for your own ideas
•develop methods for writing regularly and productively rather than just when the muse strikes.
•develop strategies to create and meet your own self-imposed deadlines.
•complete one short work in six weeks or come up with an ironclad outline for a longer project.
• connect with supportive and dedicated fellow writers

Each week we will also focus on an aspect of revision, as well as other aspects of the craft of writing. All genres welcome.


THE BOOK
If you don’t live in the vicinity, I hope you will check out the book
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bang-the-keys-jill-dearman/1100310722


THE APP
And my APP, chock full of writing exercises
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bang-the-keys/id412669850?mt=8

FREE WRITING EXERCISE AS FEATURED IN THE WRITER
http://www.writermag.com/en/Writing%20Resources/Prompts/2012/01/Writing%20prompt%20No,-d-,%2029.aspx


And if your work needs editing …

SPRING EDITING SPECIAL:
Whether you are working on a short story, novel, nonfiction book, essay, book proposal, screenplay, memoir, play, book of poetry, or a genre bending cookbook/political thriller, please feel free to contact me to get precise info on a package for you.

I offer two options:
Option One) Analysis
Option Two) Analysis plus Line Editing
I also analyze/edit dissertations for those who are all but disgusted with their theses!
Contact info: JillDearman@gmail.com

For everything else: www.bangthekeys.com


Thanks and happy writing!