Kira Disapproves

…the more words I can write for the last week of the Beg-a-thon Write-a-thon!

I hit my 5,000 and then some this week. More exciting? I passed the 50,000 mark on my half-edited novel, currently laboring under the somewhat weak title of “Perfectly Average.” I’ve been working on the novel for almost ten months now, but the Write-a-thon combined with the earlier part of the summer when I was able to write at my parent’s house have helped me to really feel like an end is in sight.

Thank you!

(And, in case you were wondering, it isn’t too late to donate. http://www.clarionwest.org/events/writeathon/KiraWalsh. <– go there and click the Paypal link!  Or, if you’d rather, you can hand deliver/send a check or cash to me. I promise I’ll send it along. You’ll get a Thank You letter from the CW Office confirming it.)

Progress Report:

5,600 words (this week)

Four chapters edited of Perfectly Average! (More than my three-chapter goal!)

Nothing sent out! (I’ll get there….)

I’ve been putting off doing a write-a-thon update.

1) Because I’m still a little behind on my goals. I made my goal this week, but I didn’t write enough to make up for last week.

2) Because I wanted to include pictures in this post, but my cursed blog issues continue.

3) Because writing a blog is NOT writing write-a-thon goals and, well, see #1.

But that’s just a lot of whining and excuses. If nothing else, doing the Write-a-thon has helped me see how hard it can be to really get those words in every week. It’s also made me more aware of how important the workshop that the Write-a-thon supports is. At Clarion West, you’re gifted with six weeks to do nothing but write, talk about writing, and read the writing of your peers. Sure you have to apply. And you have to actually write about a story a week. But the entire experience is designed to make that writing possible. It’s best-case-scenario writing, despite the hectic schedule and lack of sleep. Even when I don’t meet my goals, the confidence and the writing tools that I took away from CW help me not to get too discouraged and to find a way back to writing. So, even if I’m still a little behind, that’s what I did this week.

Want to really help encourage me to get writing in the final days of the write-a-thon? Well, money always helps. If you can spare even a dollar or two to support me (or any of the other awesome write-a-thoners) and CW, I’d really appreciate it. Every little bit helps. And every little bit goes right back into the workshop. The write-a-thon itself is powered by volunteers.

My write-a-thon page (for donations) is at: http://www.clarionwest.org/events/writeathon/KiraWalsh

I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this here before or not, but Clarion West received a challenge grant from Amazon.com last year. If they can raise $25,000, Amazon will match that, dollar for dollar. So even a single dollar goes a long way…it turns into two!

Thanks again for all your support. I’m going to make my submission goals. I’m just trying to keep things interesting…

And! To come this week…kitchen pictures and a secret project report!

Progress Report:

2,300 words (this week)

One chapter edited of Perfectly Average

Nothing sent out!

Well, as you can see, this week my lofty goals hit a bit of a speed bump. I am going in to this week owing words. All I can say is, kitchen renovations and French are taking up my writing time. I’ve also been working on a secret special project that is not un-writing-related. Details to come on that in a blog later this week or early next.

Point is, I’m willing to get back on the wagon. Especially the submission and editing wagon, which are the real sticking points for me. And have been since Clarion West. Thank you for your continued suppourt and encouragement, especially Randy, Theresa, and Margie!

Here’s the address of my write-a-thon page in case you would still like to donate: http://www.clarionwest.org/events/writeathon/KiraWalsh

Even a few dollars would help! You can also click the sidebar there to get a list of many other amazing writers you can support. Pick your own! My friend Tracy, for example, will write a name into a story for you if you donate $100 or more.

Also, completely unrelated. But here’s something for the “I wish I had thought of this first” category: “REM sleep behavior disorder and other sleep disturbances in Disney animated films” (I hope that link works. My blog is still failing. And I don’t have the time or know-how (savoir faire! French!) to fix it.)

 Write-a-thon Week Two

6,647 words (in week two)

One chapter edited of Perfectly Average

No submissions yet…. (That’s my big goal for Week Three!)

________

This time last year, I was at Clarion West and we were wrapping up our second week of classes. The awesome Mary Rosenblum had just left, and we were waiting on Cory’s arrival, excited after our first round of critting full-length stories. However, we were also reeling from the theft of four laptops from the house we were staying in. It happened right at the beginning of the weekend, on a Friday morning while we were in our last class with Mary. Someone broke in through an upstairs window. Having your laptop stolen anytime is awful, and having it stolen from a writing workshop adds insult to injury. My laptop wasn’t stolen, but I felt almost as bad as my friends who lost theirs. The atmosphere of support and friendship in that house was incredible, and having that violated was so sad and scary.

While I wish the theft had never happened, what happened next was just as unexpected and more than awesome. Word went out to the writing community, and donations started pouring in. In a matter of days, the workshop had enough donations specifically to the laptop fund (that’s above and beyond what people gave to the Write-a-thon that year) to replace all the computers that were stolen. That support helped us recover from the theft quickly and get back to writing. And that support epitomizes the workshop experience as a whole…a feircely protective and close-knit community that is at the same time open and welcoming.

Strangely enough, during week two of the Clarion West write-a-thon this year, I had a bit of an unwelcome reminder of the theft. Two of my good friends had their laptops stolen in a home robbery, just moments after one of them had left the house. I felt that I could at least somewhat understand the violation and fear they experienced at having someone trespass in their home. Although the most important thing is that no one was hurt, losing their laptops must be upsetting on many levels. They’re students and writers, too. And for anyone a computer is a personal thing that we spend a lot of time with. A difficult thing to lose.

I’m sad to be able to draw this particular parallel. But I wanted to thank those same friends for supporting me in the Write-a-thon, even as they’ve dealt with the worry of this theft. Thanks, Harold and Nikki! And thanks to everyone who has supported me in the Write-a-thon with either funds, encouragement, or both!

Now, on to week three…