Izzy has had a great idea. She has suggested a communal writing fest for those of us with nothing better to do over the festive season than eat nuts and fall down drunk.

The idea is to work on a fairly major piece of work and see how much of a rough draft we can get done. We can encourage each other and compare notes, word counts, hangovers, whatever.

I think we should each decide what we want to do - I've got a new novel on the bubble which I would like to work on – and then set our own individual, realistic targets.

Izzy, EmmaD, Fredegonde, and I have signed up already. Anyone else up for it? The more the merrier.

Dee

I'd like to join in, bearing in mind that for me major work is a short story. Is that okay? I do well with external interface (sorry for using that word, it's just what came to mind! lol)

Ani

Excellent. I'd say do whatever you want, Ani. Set your own target. Make it a challenge, but realistic. (unless Izzy disagrees… it’s her idea)

Dee

My target is a chapter, minus the elements I can't write yet. Or, working out how to do those elements, and going back to put them in Chapter One. Does that make sense?

Emma

I have a week between Christmas and New Year. My target will be 5,000-10,000 words. Anything beyond that will be a massive bonus.

Dee

So how will we organise ourselves?

Will we set it up so we can keep coming in and saying what we've done and throwing bits around, and where will we do it?

And when will we start? Boxing Day? Or something?

Emma, you make sense.

I think what I might do is take on the big revision of one of my stories that I've been avoiding. That is a big project; but maybe I shouldn't do that because I might be out of synch. Must think on that.

Fantastic Dee - that's great, I'm not too good at organising so this all sounds excellent to me. Yes set out own targets, writing, drafting, editing, whatever is needed, but as you say, something that is going to be personally challenging. This will be very much a personal thing.

I would suggest we state what the target is here on WW so that we get the adrenalin going. For me this very public declaration will be a committment that I will feel awful about if I didn't "get there" and will help to keep me away from the rubbish that I pig out in front of on the TV at this season.

I would say that we can start whenever we want - everyone will have different committments, both work and family, but I think once the target is set, then maybe no excuses should be allowable?

When do we want to state the "end" - presumably most people's holiday season will with variations finish on the 2nd, so maybe we should aim for this to compare results?

How does all this sound?

Am very happy to exchange progress and add my own mite to keeping fingers attached to hot keyboards.

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Yes and am very happy to comment, help brainstorm, anything really as am just so grateful for any support to get a major piece going.

My target would be a 30,000 word first draft for my children's novel "Green Boy" which I am working on Chapter 4 at present. About 4,500 on the first three chapters which have been up on the Children's group and my WW. Am expecting the writing to be legible but in need of masses of editing, with probably several "loose ends" to mull over. I have this week as well as next to get there.

2nd as an end date sounds very good.

Shall we start the day after Christmas?

When should we post our goals?

Do we just want to keep our discussions (how much we've done, bouncing ideas, how close to/far from our goal we are, etc - except feedback) in a forum thread, with links to refer to our work in the archive?

We could arrange champagne breakfasts around this. (I just happen to like champagne and orange juice together, never get to enjoy it because boyfriend is so ascetic.)

Ooh yes, champagne breakfast is good! Means I won't drive out anywhere for the rest of the day!

Yes we could start formally on Boxing day - so shall we all log into WW then and state at what stage we are and where we intend to be on 2nd?

Yes, using the archive would be good!

OK, great. But, seeing as Boxing day is the only day I have some family commitment, I'm going to start at 10am on Christmas day. I plan to write 5,000-10,000 legible words by the time I fall off my perch in the evening of January 1st.

Owzat??? Save some champoo for me…

Dee

And I am going to revise. That's what I really need to do, so my goal is to revise, revise, revise; one complete revision every day: Dec 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 1 Jan and final touches on 2 Jan. That's 7 revisions plus a polish. And it's already been revised a few times.

Hope I'll be ready to submit by then!

Ani

PS -- Dee, there'll be plenty of champoo for you. We could even have a cork popping contest.

Not sure I can quite cope with something as structured as some of the suggestions, but I'll be cheering from the sidelines!

Emma

This sounds a great idea - I had already set myself a target - to revise my novel & fill in the missing bits - but good to make it public. Unfortunately (!) I will be on an island in the Andaman Sea 26th to 30th & doubt I will get a lot done. However, from 31st to 7th I am family-less & have only a little work so I'm going to set myself that time to work on this personal target. I will log on when I can & still post some of finished work somewhere on the site.