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URL shortcut for this challenge: http://bit.ly/dailywords
Connect with other Daily Writing participants on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dailywrite
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.
Plus some of us write more slowly than others and do more outlining and editing along the way.
I also wanted a challenge that lasted the whole year rather than just a month.
Hence, the 250, 500 and 1000 Words A Day Challenge.
What are the rules?
Try to write 250, 500 or 1000 words a day (pick one of these goals), at least six days a week.
As long as you are sincerely and consistently TRYING to meet your wordcount goal each day, then you can post the badge on your blog or website. If life occasionally gets in the way, that's ok -- as long as you promise yourself to get back on the wagon as soon as you can. If you sometimes don't reach 1000 words (or whatever your goal happens to be), that's also ok -- but try again the next day.
The badge has to link back to the appropriate challenge page (click on one of the above).
Where can I get the badges?
Click on the appropriate badge above for more info.
What's to stop someone from posting the badge just for show?
Nothing. But since there are no prizes other than personal, the writer is only cheating herself.
Be honest with yourself. If many days pass without you giving full effort to meeting your daily wordcount goal, then take the badge off your site. If you're going on a long vacation and you know you're unlikely to be doing any writing, then you should take the badge off your site. For the Challenge to work for you, the badge has to mean something.
What if I find I consistently write less or more than my wordcount challenge?
Switch your wordcount challenge to a goal you feel is consistently achievable. If you start with aiming for 1000 words a day but are getting frustrated because you always write less, try for 500 words a day. Or 250. If you can write on five days, not six, then that's fine. Feel free to suggest other wordcounts. If there is enough demand, I'll make more badges.
Remember, the goal of this challenge is self-motivation and increasing your own productivity. If you're just getting frustrated, then you need to change the challenge.
. What type of writing counts toward the challenge?
Again, this is up to you to decide. Some writers may just want to count words written for a first draft of a novel. Others may want to include how many words they've revised. Still others may count ANY words they've written, including blogs, Twitter, non-fiction, outlining, poetry and other writing. As Chris Brogan says, writing begets writing.
SOME TIPS:
If you don't reach your wordcount one day, don't try to make up for it by writing extra words the next day -- that increases your chance for repeated failure, which increases discouragement and the tendency to give up on your wordcount goal. DON'T GIVE UP. Modify your wordcount challenge goal if you have to.
RELATED ONLINE COMMUNITIES
I Wrote A Thousand Words Today Club: for those who write for young people.
SOME USEFUL TOOLS:
Simple word counters
Writertopia Wordcount Script: just paste in your text, hit SUBMIT and you'll get back the number of words.
Enso Words: Enso is free and runs on Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Vista. Spellcheck, wordcount, other features.
General wordcount trackers
Curious Device: another little progress meter: straightforward word counter.
Writertopia progress meter: provides two graphical progress meters that can be embedded in your web page or blog.
Yahoo widget wordcount: written for NaNoWriMo, but looks like it could be used for a general wordcount.
Wordcount tools for Wordpress
Scribometer Progress meter by David Anaxagoras. This is the one I use (see the right-hand column of Inkygirl.com). David writes:
Hi Debbie! The 1,000 words a day challenge is a great idea. I’ve updated my Scribometer progress meter WordPress widget to track any unit the user wants to measure, so now it can be used for words as well as script pages or cups of coffee consumed.
ProgPress: A progress meter plugin for Wordpress
Murray's Wordcount Wordpress Plugin: wordcount for a post