Welcome to the next 70 days!
It’s TIME! Yahoo!!! If you’ve already signed up, you know the deal. If you’re stopping by for the first time, you can see the sign-up post here or the origin story here. Here’s what happens next . . .
1) You agree to write from 750 to 1500 words a day (depending on your project needs) between October 15, 2007 and January 15, 2008 (93 total days - 70 challenge days = 23 free days). The goal is to finish with between 60K and 100K words, whether a single book, multiple novellas, etc. Whatever combination gets you there!
2) There will be check-in posts here every Wednesday and Sunday. Stop by and in the comments, let everyone know how you’re doing.
3) There will be additional posts here throughout the week. Stop by as your writing time allows, or add the blog’s feed to your reader.
4) If you have time and would like to meet your fellow writers, click on the blog of the sweating challenger who has commented above you on check-in days and offer some rah-rah go-go encouragement.
This year, we’ve added five new sponsors. Those of us running Sven’s gym are Alison Kent, Jo Leigh, HelenKay Dimon, Larissa Ione, Stephanie Tyler, Shiloh Walker, Lauren Dane, Diana Peterfreund, Jaci Burton, and Portia Da Costa. Expect to see us popping up on various sweating challengers’ blogs over the next 70 (93) days.
Now what are you doing here?!? Get to writing! But first, hop over to your sponsors’ blogs (you can use the links above) for some words to help launch this party!
October 15th, 2007 at 3:13 am
Ah crap, what am i doing? I have lectures at 10 and 3, now i’m going to have to write looong into the night. Perfect! I’ll check out the blogs later. Thank you to the new sponsers for joining us!
October 15th, 2007 at 5:08 am
Agh, I’m a sponsor! Seriously though, I love Sweat70 and I’m glad to be on board… Haven’t actually started my K for the day, but just went out for a walk and got some good ideas for the bit I’ll do today!
October 15th, 2007 at 6:27 am
Well, I’m at work (EDJ) but will continue plotting on my lunch break. I am visitating this weekend, so there will be little opportunity to work then - I will have to get more done this week to make up for it!
October 15th, 2007 at 6:34 am
I’ve got three, no… make that four…books waiting for me, and I’m ready to do some serious damage tot he word count~goal is to finish at least two.
Good luck, everybody!
October 15th, 2007 at 6:45 am
Great inspiration around the sponsor blogs. I’m going to shower and get started. Need to finish this wip … Thanks all!
October 15th, 2007 at 7:16 am
How is it that the first day I really want to sit down and write those words is the one day that I have about 4 separate things going on each taking up most of the day! *sigh* Still I know where I’m going with the piece I’m working on so I will have the words done by the end of the night even if I have to stay up much much later then normal
Good luck everyone and I’ll see you all via blogs or at the check in on Wednesday
Nicole
October 15th, 2007 at 7:17 am
Okay, I’m ready. This challenge is going to be, well, a challenge this time around, but I don’t have a choice. I’ve got a book to wrte, a proposal to write, and a gob of revisions and copyedits, so I needed this push!
Good luck, everyone!
October 15th, 2007 at 7:35 am
Ugh! I signed up last time but was an embarrassment to all things Sven. I’m grateful for the community that you guys have built up with this contest but I have to do better this time and take advantage of it.
Here goes…
October 15th, 2007 at 8:06 am
I think I’m ready. If all goes well, I’ll have two books done by the time we’re finished and that’s going to be pretty impressive for me.
I’m trying to not take the fact I spent yesterday feeling like crap as a sign. For good or bad, though, here we go!
October 15th, 2007 at 8:47 am
AAAACK! It starts today! Must put butt in chair! Must put butt in chair!! I have GOT to finish this book and get on to the next one!! Everyone please feel free to apply a stiletto or tennis shoe wearing foot to the appropriate portion of my anatomy and keep me moving!
October 15th, 2007 at 10:04 am
Great posts, sponsors (and hello, new sponsors!), and good luck everyone! I’m going start my K for the day. (ooo, that rhymes!) You know I’m tired when I use three exclamation points in one four-line paragraph….
I’m a little braindead from a busy weekend, but no time like the present to get started, right?
October 15th, 2007 at 10:12 am
*holds aching head.
I’m trying to decide what to do. Cause there is nano in November, too.
ARGH
Perhaps I’ll work on the last three of my series for Witchy Woes - at 20k a peice that is 60k min. And do my Urban Fantasy 60k for Nano.
Or perhaps I should finish up all these other started stories that I can’t seem to finish because I find more enticing pretties to write…
*bangs head on desk.
I downloaded a ‘toy’ to ‘help’ me get my writing organized. Perhaps I will will outline. Does that count towards my word count? *grabbing at straws
October 15th, 2007 at 10:37 am
Like Caro, I hope to have two books finished by Jan 15th, but will be happy with the one. I imagine, too, I’ll be writing more like 85 out of the full 93 days, LOL! Doing both means 2250 words a day (if I only count 70 days). Doing just the one means 1285 words a day. I’m going to split the difference and aim for 1775 or so!
October 15th, 2007 at 10:43 am
I just got my 1K for today! Yay!
1,085, to be exact. Now I need to start on SBTS revisons!
October 15th, 2007 at 10:47 am
This time is going to feel a little strange and will involve a lot of juggling. I’m going to have revisions with my new editor and I’m trying to complete my third book for the year. So I’m promising to have it done by December and if I can get at least 750 words a day I can do it. (on top of revisions, I must be insane.) Then again I have a math class that last two hours, two days a week. I’ll have the time.
Also hi to the new sponsors and sweaters (hehe)
To the veterans, we can do this.
October 15th, 2007 at 10:53 am
I’m a first-timer to this challenge but raring to go! I have a few different manuscripts to work on (and 2 books to finish that are already contracted) so I’ve got my work cut out for me. I’m thinking of putting a word meter on my blog to count overall word count instead of trying to sort it out piece by piece. Thanks for doing this everyon!!!
October 15th, 2007 at 10:58 am
I’m here! I’ll most likely do my words tonight after the kids are in bed but I’ve got some plotting to do today as well. I’m so excited about this second round!
October 15th, 2007 at 11:00 am
After being stuck and afraid for over a month, Sven got me putting words on paper again. Some are crappy words but they are still there on the page. And they can be uncraptified later. Woohoo. I got my count for today. Which quite frankly as I stared at the ceiling at two this morning seemed impossible. Thanks Sven.
October 15th, 2007 at 11:09 am
Hee! I’ve done my K for the day… 1024, to be precise. I *could* do a bit more, but am having so much fun zipping around to people’s blogs and saying hello and good luck for the challenge! I *love* the sense of community this challenge creates!
Jenna… I’ve been scared too, but I managed to make a start on my ‘fear’ project today.
Bianca… I’m doing an overall wordcount too. I might be doing bits and pieces of other things as well as the main WIP, so I find it easier that way.
October 15th, 2007 at 12:04 pm
I’m here! I have to get started first before I go the blogs or I don’t get anything done. I have a total of 2,096 for the day already, and I plan to do a little more after lunch to hit 2500. I got to get a little ahead since I have a trip out of town this coming weekend:)
Good Luck everyone!
October 15th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
I’m just about to get started. Long weekend and I’m dragging this morning, but Portia has already stopped by and I got to go to work now! I am doing two projects this time around, a second draft and a new manuscript. 70 Days is the perfect challenge.
October 15th, 2007 at 12:42 pm
2.5K, Melissa! Wow… and way to go!
I’m awfully slow to get going in the morning too, Jane, but I haven’t done too badly today, thanks to Sven and my own personal motivator, Mr Blue. He’s tough!
October 15th, 2007 at 12:47 pm
I’m getting started right now. So excited for the second Challenge. Good luck to everyone!!!
October 15th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
Portia–congrats on starting your “fear” project. I am so pleased with myself and for you that I keep doing the happy dance..in my chair of course, since I’ve superglued my butt there.
October 15th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
Portia-
I love the “community” also. Being a military wife, I am constantly on the move, and have to rebuild a lot of friendships. ONe thing that kept me going was Survivor Writers, a three page a day writing challenge. It made me commit to my writing on a daily basis:)
And thanks. I think it is the excitement of starting that had me going this morning. It will probably slow down the further I get into this short story.
And I am bowing to you on the walking before writing. That is my next challenge next week. Walking every weekday(and I have no reason not to because we have an indoor track on base).
Mel
October 15th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
I’m loving this idea! I saw a link from a fellow author over at Cobblestone Press ( http://www.cobblestone-press.com ) and I just had ot check it out. I’m already signed up for Nano and write an average of 2000 words a day so I doubt meeting the goal wil be too hard, but I love the idea, so here I am.
Good Luck everyone!!
Shannon
October 15th, 2007 at 1:32 pm
I’ve hit my word count for the day but I’m going to be doing some revisions this evening and finishing up a character letter. *grin* So glad to see everyone and so excited to be doing this for the first time. Jane, you better get your butt in gear…lol!
Hope everyone has a great day!
Michelle
October 15th, 2007 at 2:16 pm
Someone shoot me please? It’s 20:14 my time and i have done…nothing =( i was so excited about this earlier, but now it’s all gone out of me. Why did i sign on for another round?? *bangs head*
October 15th, 2007 at 2:30 pm
I’ll be working on 2 different ones, so I’ll just have a wordcount for this one for now.
However, inspired as we were, my crit group is running a challenge alongside the 70 days and we’ll be keeping track on my blog hehe.
What did I let myself in for!
October 15th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
AJ… why not just try and do a couple of hundred words, just to say you’ve got off the starting line? Sometimes I do that, and I feel better for doing even a little chunk of writing.
October 15th, 2007 at 2:57 pm
AJ–
Portia has a good idea. A few words will make you feel better and you never know, you might surprise yourself and write more than you thought. That happened to me this morning. I thought I’ll never make it to 1k and I wound up with over 2k. Talk about surprised. But I do think you’ll feel better if you at least put something down. It doesn’t have to be terrific but at least it’s a start. good Luck.
October 15th, 2007 at 3:18 pm
I did 1400 for the start off. It’ll be hard keeping track this time since I’m starting with 11300 words already, now I have to actually do math to figure out how much I’ve written. Ugh!
I think it’s a good problem to have, though. 
Now to figure out how to work in my revisions. I’d love the luxury of doing revisions in the evenings at home instead of at work like I do my drafting, but alas, too much to do.
October 15th, 2007 at 3:33 pm
I just signed up. Big thanks to Marjorie Liu who had this link posted on her livejournal.
My WIP is called “Dragon Pearl”. It’s a follow-up to my completed book, “Dragon Son”, which I’m trying to get published. This challenge excites me! I love motivation.
I’m looking forward to hearing more from everyone!
October 15th, 2007 at 3:34 pm
[…] 15th, 2007 by Susan B. So today is the first day of Seventy Days of Sweat Round 2. Seems like that should have a catchy […]
October 15th, 2007 at 3:53 pm
AJ - it’s just the first day, heck, the first hours of the first day, there are 69 more to go and a nice pad of an extra 23 in there. Don’t let yourself get tied up with the bottom line.
First and foremost, the bottom line is that you make yourself put writing in a place of importance in your life. Some days the words flow, some days it’s like pulling teeth.
When one thing isn’t working, I try another angle. Work at the scene from another perspective, look at my character notes - just to see if a different way to look at it won’t jog something loose.
October 15th, 2007 at 4:41 pm
I’m here and I’m ready to get started. I’m actually writing a short story (10k) and a rewriting a full length (Hopefully 60k). So far I’ve written two pages on the short today and if this headache will go away, I’ll be digging into that rewrite tonight. I have to finish it by the end of the year. Must must must.
October 15th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
Thanks for all the encouraging comments =D I’ll see what i can do tomorrow
October 15th, 2007 at 5:26 pm
A few hours ago or so, I signed up for the first time to this challenge. I pulled the site back up, and although I see my comment that I wrote concerning my goal, I cannot find my name under the list of participants. Or maybe it’s there, and I just can’t see it because I’m having one of my “I can’t see what I’m looking at” moments. So I don’t know what happened, but if anyone is reading this and can make sure that my name is on the challenge, I would appreciate it. I’m not asking this because I want anyone to see my name for the sake of just seeing my name, but it’s all about making my acceptance of the challenge public, as someone wrote somewhere here. I need this boost to keep me motivated, and I don’t want to punk out later with some kind of “mind” excuse such as “Well, my name never really was on the list anyway.” Can anyone help? Thank you so much.
October 15th, 2007 at 7:37 pm
Today! It’s today? Oh my, where did time fly. Okay, I’m breathing easier now. Whew! I guess I better get started.
October 15th, 2007 at 7:42 pm
So far I’ve done three pages plus some research work as well as my full-time 8-5 job today!!!
October 15th, 2007 at 7:58 pm
Question: how do you all get those word counters on your blogs? I’ve got a livejournal, and can’t figure out how to put one in.
October 15th, 2007 at 8:05 pm
Thanks to Springsteen, Tunstall, John Prine and headphones, I got ‘er done. Inspiring to see all these happy camper posts. Write on!
-Suzy
October 15th, 2007 at 8:22 pm
3 pages of utter shiite today. But tomorrow I hop to write another 3 pages of adulterated shiite, which will be an improvement, indeed.
October 15th, 2007 at 8:38 pm
Okay the kids of course did not behave, with Trace (who has CP) acting up with his worst day yet. And Hubby (also with a head injury) of course had to sleep, leaving me no free time. The house took forever to clean. I had 12 phone calls between noon and five p.m., with Treehouse blaring in the background because my office still isn’t finished.
But I did it!
Because of this challenge and all of you. I actually did it! I pumped out 1,943 words today, 943 more than my goal. Ya me!!!
Here’s wishing everyone a great day two! Chins up, fingers on the keyboard, smile on face… GO GET EM!
October 15th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
October is Marching Band Competition month, leaving me very little keyboard time. So rather than focus on writing, I’m working on the story outlines. Currently I’m working on two stories, Double O Blonde and Magic Touch. While I don’t expect to finish either, I’m hoping to write 2,500 words per week. While this is less than the 1,000/day target everyone else is shooting for, I believe that each word I write is that much closer to finishing the books. With a little luck, I’ll finish one story or the other before the end of the fifth challenge {laughs}
Good luck to everyone and a special thanks to Alison and the rest for hosting this competition.
Take care…………Wayne
October 15th, 2007 at 8:52 pm
I’m here, a little late in the day, but I’m here. Woke up this morning to find the wireless on my laptop dead, good and dead. So after several manic hours of trying (and failing) to bring the sucker back to life I decided that maybe being away from the internet would be good. Yeah, right. I did however, get the first couple pages of “Come Undone” onto the computer. So now my challenge story is on the computer and in some vague order. It’s nearly 10pm and I haven’t written a word new, but that’s where I’m off to.
Here’s hoping everyone else had a better day.
October 15th, 2007 at 9:48 pm
I’m doing NaNoWriMo this year so won’t offically start reporting in until November 1st for my novel, but I’m currently working on a 30,000 word of which 30% I have already drafted (just over 9,000 words). I don’t know if I can count that for the 70 days but today I did write 1,018 words for the novella. My goal is to have the draft completed before NaNo starts. I’m looking foward to officially reporting in to Sven regarding my novel.
October 15th, 2007 at 10:00 pm
Day 1 goal met at 1308 words AND a new book acceptance distracted me. I’m going to try to write 10K a week. We’ll see how that goes. Back to it!
October 15th, 2007 at 10:04 pm
Got at least 750 words in today. Hope to get more.
October 16th, 2007 at 12:05 am
I did it. I put in over 1050 so I’m happy. I’m aiming for 1k per day. I’m so happy. Last time I think I didn’t make it the first day or even the first few days. I started doing my own 1k/day thing on Friday and while I got a couple of 800+ days the last two have been over 1k each.
We need smilies LOL
October 16th, 2007 at 12:29 am
I’m determined to make it this time! I just finished writing 3k! I have to write when the kid passes out
October 16th, 2007 at 2:14 am
Sounds like everyone is doing great on the first day! Even if those who’ve not done any words, at least they’re thinking about their projects and getting in the zone.
Peggy, don’t worry. I’m sure Alison will add your name to the roster soon! I think a lot of names are still coming in.
Hey, Vanessa, my 1K was pretty much shiite too… but I’m consoling myself that at least it’s shiite I can edit later. It’ll need plenty of work, but it’s words on the page.
October 16th, 2007 at 3:32 am
Okay, did 3.150 words of outlining yesterday (and why is it, that when you start outling a novella you keep wanting to add in enough complexity to make it into a novel? :sigh:
So no writing, writing - but a good start none the less (I’ll need it to make up for the weekend that’s coming)
Well done everyone, and thanks for all the comments!
October 16th, 2007 at 6:20 am
[…] If you’re interested in joining me and over 250 people in this challenge, check it out here. You can still join, even though the challenge has already started. I signed up late yesterday […]
October 16th, 2007 at 6:46 am
I did six pages of new writing last night (1500 words) and went back through my first three chapterst to redirect the motivation of the characters. Feels good!
October 16th, 2007 at 9:35 am
WTG everyone. I did 1012 words yesterday, (I didn’t count the three hundred plus words I put in my recycle bin) and am already at 900 for today. Trying to get this novella done by Nov 1…when Nanowrimo starts. Sooooo…1000 words a day minimum til Nano begins, then up to nano-count.
Marty, I’m off to check out your blog before I RUN to the dentist (literally, I’m running sooo late today!)
October 16th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
I had a better writing day
Did 3,226 words for WIP Love And Ever After, and I’m actually feeling excited that I can do this. Kids were better today, allowing mommy some writing time. I’m so into the story now, I just want to write. But I took a break, as pacing myself I know is important. My problem is never starting a new project. It’s finishing it.
Good work and luck to everyone today.
Cheers
October 17th, 2007 at 9:37 am
I probably won’t get any more done today so I’m going to go ahead and report in - 4590 words so far!
October 17th, 2007 at 10:02 pm
I started a day late but I’ve got a little over 2k so I’m really happy.
October 17th, 2007 at 10:21 pm
Be sure and check in on the official check-in posts every Wednesday and Sunday so you don’t miss out!
October 18th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
Ok, I’m ready.
I think.
October 19th, 2007 at 12:00 pm
I’m waiting for NaNo to start actually _writing_ but have been tossing around a few ideas. Jeez. Why do we do this stuff to ourselves? And for free! lol.