Marathon Training and WIFYR

Tomorrow, guys. It’s tomorrow. That means tonight you need to carb up. A big huge pasta dinner. Hmmmmmm.

I wonder what the equivalent of a carb-load for writing is? What do you need to do to prepare yourself, your space, your family, your schedule, your bum, your clothes, your car, your life for the next three days of writing? Whatever it is for you, do it.

For me, it’s a big huge pasta dinner.

Or maybe a mini-marathon tonight.

ALSO . . . Here’s a message from Kimberly Reid who is fabulous and fancy and has awesome friends who are organizing some contests in relation to the WIFYR Conference this summer. You don’t want to miss this conference. Really. You don’t. And now’s the perfect time to sign up. She says . . .

Hey, friends. Some of my writers group members and I are holding contests on our blogs for anyone who signs up for Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers. You can win books, signed books, and gift cards for books—all for registering for a conference you probably wanted to go to anyway. Can’t wait to see your comments on my blog (www.kimberlywebbreid.com), Valynne’s (www.valynne.com), Emily’s (www.emilywingsmith.com), and Brodi’s (brodiashton.blogspot.com). If you’re unsure about going to the conference, I’ve listed my top ten reasons why you should (http://kimreidbooks.wordpress.com/2010/03/08/the-best-writing-workshop-ever-and-free-books/). This is the cheapest conference for the quality of any I’ve seen or attended, and with the venue change it’s going to be more exciting than ever.

There will be longer guest post and a proper introduction to Kim in the upcoming weeks when we do more on the WIFYR conference. If you read her blog you will see just how awesome she is.

Okay. I think that’s all. Except drink lots of water. Stretch out your fingers. Buy some pasta. Read your favorite writing book. Wean yourself from the TV. Tomorrow it starts.

Love.

And Happy St. Patrick’s Day.

And you can still sign up. You should.

P.S. I will throw a copy of EVERYTHING IS FINE into the contest pot. If you  a) sign up for the conference and b) leave a comment here saying why you signed up for the conference (duh, for the free book, of course) c) tell me it’s okay that my three year old prefers diapers to Batman underwear, you could be the proud winner of a shiny new copy of EVERYTHING IS FINE. I’ll even write whatever you want me to in the cover.

Ann Dee: My New Hopeful Haircut

I have decided to have a low goal and a high goal. If I don’t reach my low goal, I have to get the same haircut my husband gave my kid last Saturday. It’s called a Mullet-hawk:

Imagine it in red. If I don’t hit 6000 words, this is what I’ll be sporting. I really will do it. My husband has already designed in on his computer. I look fantastic.

If I reach my high goal, I am going to hire someone to clean my house. I just thought of that. What if I did do that. Wouldn’t that be the awesomest? Just once but  they’d have to do it. Really do it. Can I make a checklist for them? Like they have to do the fridge and my closet and the spider storage room and give me a massage and do the laundry and unpack my basement and till the garden and make dinner for the next month.  Does anyone have any recommendations? I just had a better idea. If I reach my goal, I am going to make Carol come clean my house. How is that, Carol?

If it doesn’t work out, if I can’t find anyone to do it, which I totally will, the alternative prize is some fancy pants. Really fancy pants. And dinner. Fancy pants and a dinner and maybe a prom.

If I finish my YA novel, someone is going to be in serious misery for about six months.

Or I get me some fancy pants, a dinner and a prom of my very own.

No matter whether I win or lose, however, you will see the results. I am going to document my marathon experience and I think you should too. I mean, this is going to be epic. Who knows what’s going to befall all 90 + of us this weekend. Take pictures, have your family write in their journals about it, get your video camera out, give a minute to minute account. We are thinking that after this totally big and exciting weekend, we should have some (all? come on, you know you want to) of you guest blog about your marathon-writing. We can all inspire each other.

In any case, take a picture of two. Maybe a before and after. Or a prize picture. We’ll use it here to celebrate. This is a historical moment.

Happy Marathoning in two days!!!!!

**Who is with me on the mullet-hawk? Come on.

****Haven’t signed up yet? Don’t be ashamed. There is still time. And tell your friends. We are all in this together.

Writing Challenge: Marathon Training

Have you heard of this?

It punishes you if you don’t keep writing. Punishes you. Scary.

On that note, here’s a marathon training warm-up:

Before the week is out have a trial run for your marathon.
Set aside everything else for two hours of straight writing.
Get your bag of M&M’s with almonds.
Get a 64 oz container of drink (your choice).
Warn the family.
Warn yourself.

Now write. Straight through.

Post your results here.

** Want to sign up of for the real thing? Go here.

Ann Dee: Fevers and Marathons

We are all feverish here in the Ellis home so this will be short and sweet.

March Marathon

Date: March 18-20

What: Write your heart out. During those three days your focus will be writing. Think of this as national-write-a-novel-in-a-weekend weekend.

Grand Prize 1: We all have jobs, kids and responsibilities so it’s going to be a balancing act. However, grand prize of a first chapter manuscript critique goes to the person who writes the most words in those three days. These don’t have to be good words, they just have to words that work in a manuscript. No free write freebies.

Grand Prize 2: Because we want company, recruit your friends. The person who persuades the most writers to join the marathon will receive a copy of both THE CHOSEN ONE and EVERYTHING IS FINE.

Other Prizes Just as Grand: In addition to the grand prizes (and since we are all at different phases in our various projects/have different writing processes) we want to encourage all of you who sign up to make a personal goal  that you want to achieve during the marathon. Maybe it’s to finish revising that MG you’ve been working on, maybe it’s to come up with ten new picture book ideas. Whatever you need, whatever you think you can do that will help you jumpstart your writing, make the goal. Also decide what kind of prize you are going to give yourself if you achieve your goal. Make it good. Make it something you want. Want want. Like a pony. Or a dinner at Sizzler. Come on. For those of you in Utah, we could all celebrate at a restaurant or a park or Lagoon. We’ll party. If there are others in your area who join you in the marathon and make their goal, plan an extravaganza.

How to Sign Up: Leave a comment on this post. List your name, your goal, and your prize if you reach the goal. Also list who referred you to the marathon. We will put a link to this post until the beginning of the marathon on March 18-20