March Madness, Week 2 - How's Progress?

Have you kept up with your writing so far this month? Have you started something new, or are you plugging away at an older project, determined to get it finished this month? Or, like me, have you gotten a little distracted through the first ten days of March?

I started well, determined to do a little writing every day, whether I felt motivated for it or not. I knew I would be getting edits for a different project this month, but I wasn't sure exactly when. I have not received my edits yet, however, I did receive a heads up of some research I would need to do along with my edits, and also the (very tight) schedule for returning my edited manuscript. So all of this is to say that I HAVE been working, very hard in fact. But mostly on research and I did let my original March project wane a little.

The truth is, research makes me grumpy and creative writing is actually the only cure I've found for grumpiness (that or a glass of wine). This week I plan to get rid of the grumpy, and do a little creative writing on my March project Every. Single. Day. You heard me. It's in writing now.

How about you? How's your progress? What are the well-thought-out excuses you're ready to give me for why your progress has been less than expected?

Or...feel free to brag if you're right on track. The rest of us will look up to you in awe, and follow in your dedicated footsteps!

Onward, March writers...

March Madness, Anyone?

Is anyone else missing our yearly March Madness writing challenge? Unfortunately, I have not had time to organize anything official this year, but I am gearing up to do some serious writing through March.

If you're in the same boat, let me know in the comments. Let's keep each other company...I mean ACCOUNTABLE.

March Madness Random Check-In! #WIPMadness

Hello, hello!

I hope you are all busily accomplishing lots of plotting and writing and revising this month. As for me, the month is actually going better than expected. I have completed my two projects that I wanted to complete this month, and as of today I have started working on query-type blurbs for each of these books. Writing blurbs has got to be the hardest job of all in my opinion, so even though my spirits are high today, I'm not sure how long that will last!

Besides the blurbs, I'd love to get onto writing the first draft of a book I've been putting off for a while during April, so I plan to spend the rest of the month looking at my notes on that one and seeing if I can find some inner drive and motivation.

How about you? How has the month shaped up so far? With one week left, what do you think you could conceivably accomplish toward your goals before April 1st?

March Madness Random Check-In! #WIPMadness

Happy St. Patrick's Day, fellow writing friends! How is your progress going through this mad month of March?

I continue to work through my second project of the month, a novel I am revising. Thanks to Spring Break, I haven't had to homeschool my son this week in the mornings. I usually spend about an hour first thing in the morning, focusing on whichever project I'm working on at the time (My aim, which my wonderful family is very good about supporting, is to focus my creative energy before speaking - or tweeting - to another person.) This week, I've been clocking in about three hours each morning, and I'm getting surprisingly close to the end of this pass! I'm very happy about this, but the part I'm not so happy about is the amount of crazy notes I've left throughout the manuscript for "Future Denise" to fix, because I don't know how to fix them during the scope of this pass.

So, yeah, good news and bad news, I guess. How about you? Have you set a schedule for your writing this month? And if so, have you been sticking to it? How have your goals been coming?

March Madness Random Check-In! #WIPMadness

How are the writing goals going, March Madders?

I can't say I've been having a super-easy March, so far, but I have been writing! I finished my first revision project a day later than anticipated, and have since been working on a revision of my second project, a book I haven't looked at in almost a year. It's fairly normal for me to struggle getting into a new project, and that was definitely the case with this one (especially since the first order of business was completely rewriting the beginning! Worse than a blank slate, for me, is having a completed project with a complete vision that you have to take and somehow tear apart and start from scratch with.)

Anyway, I'm proud to say I have been plugging away, despite my lack of feeling "in the groove." And actually, come to think of it, I'm feeling a little more in the groove each day now. So apparently perseverance works for something!

How about you? Are you still working away at your proposed project? Or did you switch it up to work on something else? Or were you just sitting around, refreshing your screen, waiting for this incredibly inspirational post to spur you on?

March Madness is Here! #WIPMadness

Hi, and welcome to all my dedicated writing friends! As  many of you know, in March each year, I hold a secondary NaNoWriMo-like challenge here on my blog. This year it's a little lower key, but we can all still support each other with our goals, right?

So set your goal for the month in the comments below. This can be a first drafting goal or a revision goal or an illustrating goal, or even a blogging goal! We don't have all the stringent rules of NaNoWriMo (but still just as much camaraderie and fun!)

Join in! Even if you've never dropped by here before, you are more than welcome, and we hope to have a few little prizes along the way to bolster motivation.

As for my goals, they are going to be split this month. I had hoped to finish a project by the end of February, but with my fabulous ability with keeping track of details, I neglected to remember that February only has a short amount of days (Thankfully ONE extra this year!) It would have been a challenge to finish by the end of the month even if February had 31 days, but keeping that in mind, I plan to challenge myself and finish this project by March 3rd. Then, on March 4th, I plan to start on a revision for a novel which I just got some fabulous suggestions for from a critique partner. My goal is to complete this revision by the end of March.

These are both challenging enough goals that I think I'll have to work very hard to complete them. What are your goals for March? I encourage you to set a bar that's not overwhelming, but will still motivate you with its challenge.

I look forward to keeping up with you this month to see how we are all progressing! Happy writing, revising, and whatever else you are working toward this month!

March Madness (and other areas I've dropped the ball!) #WIPMadness

For the last several years, I've held a March Madness challenge - one that has nothing to do with basketball - on my blog (and on the blogs of awesome writer friends). Well, as the title suggests, I've dropped the ball this year. I looked at the calendar today and knew it was too late to pull together the organization for this event. I'm sad, because in the past this has been a great time of encouragement and fun for me.

While I don't have time for regular blogging these days (life has taken a ridiculous turn to the hectic lately) I, for one, will be tackling a new project come March 1st. I just wanted to put it out there...does anyone want to join me, set a goal and conquer it this March? Like I said, I can't commit to regular check-in posts, but I would love the camaraderie if anyone is up for it (and my house is overflowing with books these days, so I might even be able to offer some prizes!)

Let me know in the comments if you have any interest in joining me. If not, bless you in whatever you are pursuing these days.

March Madness Check-in 29 - #WIPMadness - It's Nearly Over?

So sorry about yesterday's missing post!  There was some technical difficulties over on Dawn's blog. No one used that as an excuse to slack off,  right? 

I cannot believe the month is almost over! I'm happy to report that I've seen lots of positive comments about goal attacking and completion around the hosting blogs and on Twitter. To that, I say CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

And even if you haven't completed your goals? Guess what? You're still here!!! You ARE diligent. You ARE committed. You ARE going to succeed in life--even if you didn't make your exact goals, your diligence will pay off in your future, I promise. 

We have loved having you here with us, and you've been an integral part of OUR processes. I honestly would not have set such lofty goals (and very nearly completed them) if it weren't for all of your participation in March Madness this year. And to that I say: CONGRATULATIONS and THANK YOU!

As for me, I am so close I can taste my goal! I've been working super hard all week, and will keep this short so I can get back to it. I hope to tie it up before the 31st. How about you? If you don't think you'll reach your goals, did you get more done this month than you would have without this challenge?

I still have prizes to give away, and I admit, with all my crazy hard work this week, I lost track a little of giving much away. If you have taken part in March Madness and have not received a prize yet, would you mind making my life just a little bit easier and emailing me at d(at)denisejaden(dot)com, and I will make sure you get something fabulous to celebrate your participation. 

I want to send out a HUGE ENORMOUS HEARTFELT THANK YOU to all of my March Madness co-hosts. They have been so incredibly generous, both with their time and with prizes and so very responsible. It was a joy to visit each of their blogs along the way.

The last thing I need to talk about today, on my last check-in post for the month, is CELEBRATION. If you've known me for any time at all, you know that I'm a big believer in celebrating all of the tiniest victories. There's enough soul-crushing, difficult stuff we have to face in the writing world. We need to celebrate ALL of our successes to combat that! Even if you've simply checked in all the way through the month, that deserves to be celebrated!

As usual, I plan to celebrate with some nice red wine, some delectable chocolate, and possibly some guacamole. How about you? 

It's too bad we can't all get together to celebrate, but know that I will be raising a glass to all of you on the 31st!

Eek! I forgot to lead you on to tomorrow's post! On Monday, we're over on Kim's Blog. See you there!

March Madness Check-In Day 22 #WIPMadness - How Motivated Are You?

Last week I went for a "hike" with my family. I put "hike" in quotes, because, to be honest, whenever I hear about people going for a "hike," they're usually just talking about going for a walk in the woods.

We have a fairly famous "hike" in the Vancouver area called The Grouse Grind. I know people of all shapes and sizes and athletic abilities who have completed this "hike." We have another trail, a little closer to home that is supposedly about half the length of The Grouse Grind, and my family and I decided to try it as a warm up to help decide if we wanted to give The Grouse Grind a try. You see, The Grouse Grind is so busy with people, that you're not allowed to turn back part way and go downhill. Once you've started it, you must complete the "hike."

So we headed out to The Abby Grind, stocked with a bit of water and sweaters, since it was a cool day. Well, the sweaters came off during the first fifty feet. My eleven-year-old son took off ahead of my husband and I, and I was having trouble keeping up to my husband's giraffe-long legs. But soon my husband petered out. I caught up and then passed him as I put one very slow step in front of the other headed almost straight upward.

My husband was a hesitant participant in this "hike" to begin with, so I wasn't surprised when he said he probably wouldn't push through to the top and planned to turn around. However, my son was now so far ahead of us, above us in the woods of this mountainside, that not only could we not see him, we couldn't even get a reaction from yelling to him.

My lungs were burning, my legs were burning, and I hadn't even reached the halfway mark! But my son was out of reach, my husband was going to be no help in keeping track of him, and so the Mama Bear in me emerged. I sometimes had to stop every four or five steps and pray against heart palpitations, but with my concern for my son in the forefront of my mind, I made it to the top of that mountain!

Sometimes the goal doesn't seem worth it, or the reward doesn't seem like enough, or you may doubt your ability to complete it, or you may just feel really, really tired. But just take a moment and think...what if you HAD to complete your goal this month? What if something dire was at stake? No matter how far behind you are, I'll bet you could do it, couldn't you.

I'm behind, but I pictured that scenario for a minute, and the truth is, I can do this. I can make it happen. I just need to reach deep and pull it out of myself. How about you? CAN you make your goal happen this month? How proud would you be of yourself if you did, especially if it meant overcoming some pretty huge lapses and obstacles?

I'm proud of myself for completing The Abby Grind. I'm even considering attempting The Grouse Grind.

Also, I no longer put the word hike in quotations.

Don't forget to check in over at Kim's blog tomorrow!

March Madness Check In Day 15 - Breaking It Down - #WIPMadness

We're just over the halfway mark of March Madness! Woohoo! Congratulations to all who have stuck with it from the beginning, and if you have not set your goals yet for March, what are you waiting for? You still have TWO WEEKS LEFT!

For those who are soaring through March Madness this year and getting tons accomplished, way to go! Keep with it! Keep checking in to inspire the rest of us!

I want to talk today a little about those times when we're not keeping up on our goals, or we're further behind than we'd like to be at certain checkpoints (like the halfway point!)

First of all, you're not alone. I've been there many times, and, in fact, I'm facing that kind of situation right now.

Secondly, this is not an unfixable problem. And maybe the "problem" isn't even a problem at all. Perhaps along the way you've realized that the goal was bigger than expected, or maybe you've realized your story had to go in a different direction than anticipated, and this has required stepping back to discover a new plan of attack.

The most important thing, wherever you're at with your goals, and for whatever reason, is that you're not thinking of your work (or yourself) as a failure.  This kind of outlook is debilitating, and will stop you in your tracks. At first you may think, "Yeah, I'm a little behind, but I'll catch up tomorrow." Then tomorrow comes, and you don't really feel like catching up. The next day rolls around, and you've become so far behind, and you are now so unmotivated, it seems nearly impossible to close your Twitter window and open your manuscript. Sound familiar? Or is this just me?

One solution I've found is to micro-focus until I've built a few small successes to bolster me up again. Opening my manuscript IS an accomplishment when it's hard to do, as is writing one new sentence. Pretty soon, I'm writing an entire new paragraph. Sometimes we miss those small accomplishments if we're focusing too hard on the Big Goal. A question I often ask myself (with writing and with other areas of life) is "Am I going in the right direction?" If the answer is yes, maybe all the little details of when and how and how much are not that important.

Sometimes I think we need to be more like little kids. I love this picture, because it reminds me that kids have no problem celebrating the little things in life, like creating a silly cartoon character or winning a round of a video game. We adults may have more of a tendency to tell ourselves it's not enough, or not good enough, or not worth celebrating. Forward progress of any kind IS worth celebrating. Making yourself accountable to us was a huge step in its own right, so if you're feeling down at all today, remind yourself that you're here, you're doing this, and even though this month may not be looking exactly how you envisioned it, you are accomplishing things! One of my favorite song lyrics is from Avril Lavigne: "I'm waking up to say I've tried, instead of waking up to another TV Guide." That's all of us. We're all trying, and it's a lot better than not trying. 

What do you do when you get behind or feel like you just can't motivate yourself to do anything?

And finally, what's one thing you are celebrating about yourself or your progress today?

Don't forget to check in over at Kim's blog tomorrow!

March Madness Check-In Day 8! #WIPMadness

If you haven't set your goals for March yet, or seen the arsenal of prizes we are giving away to people working toward their goals this month, it's not too late! Check out this post and chime in with any kind of bookish goals you want to work toward this month.


But actually, I'm going to talk a little about non-bookish goals today. I noticed among the goals posted, that many of you have physical or health goals this month too, along with your writing goals, whether it's to lose weight, eat healthier, or exercise more. I'm also working through some physical goals. I'm generally in okay shape. I exercise regularly and eat fairly well, and I've never been terribly overweight. However, a few years ago I went through a very difficult personal year and put on some weight that I haven't been able to shake off. My clothes haven't fit right, and I just haven't felt like myself every since.

So I've finally decided to do something about it. I'm not a fan of starving myself or doing anything crazy. My husband is a personal trainer, so he helps keep me in check with any weight loss strategies. He often tells clients who don't want to feel overwhelmed with their goals simply to start by doing a little more and eating a little less.

I think it's a great mantra to keep in mind. Another phrase that goes through my mind regularly now is "What would be a healthier choice?"


I recently read a holistic book on weight loss called The Gabriel Method by Jon Gabriel. He focuses heavily on adding better choices into our diets, rather than concerning ourselves with what to cut out. He also spends a lot of time teaching on using visualization to achieve goals. I admit, this is not an area I've ever been very good at. But I'm trying it, not just with my diet and exercise, but also with my writing. I spend a few minutes here and there, closing my eyes and imagining a writing session where I'm so enthused and bombarded with great ideas, I can't get them onto the page fast enough. I can't say for sure that this is what has brought the improvements I've seen recently in my writing, but I'm fairly sure it is what's made a difference to me healthy wise.

Picturing myself full of energy and thinking of my body as a well-running machine has actually made me crave unhealthy food much, much less. And I've finally shaken the habit of relying on sugary snacks to fuel my creativity.

Do you have any experience with visualization or any other techniques that have made your writing and/or health goals easier? I'd love to hear about them, and I'd also love to hear about how your March goals are coming along so far.

Don't forget to check in on Kim's blog tomorrow!

MARCH MADNESS is Here! Day 1: Set Your Goals!

If you’ve been looking for a challenge to get your writing into gear, you’ve come to the right place! Through the month of March we will be cheering each other on to meet challenging goals with our writing, reading, blogging, or illustrating.

Basically, anyone who wants to challenge themselves regarding books and win prizes for it!

Today is goal-setting day! 

(But if you don't make it here on the first day, not to worry.
Feel free to add your writing goals here any time during the month of March).

March Madness officially begins today, March 1st, and this is how it works.

1. Set a goal here (anything writing, reading, blogging, or otherwise book related). It can be as small and simple of a goal as turning off your Internet while you write, or finishing reading a book you've been trying to get through during the month of March. Or it can be as large as writing or revising an entire book.

2. Check in daily through the month of March at our designated check-in points. Let us know how you're doing with your goal. Share your victories and struggles. Encourage others. The key is support and camaraderie.

3. We give you prizes just for stopping by and letting us know how you're doing, and for encouraging others!

Sounds easy and fun, right?! The following will be the check-in points for the month of March. Check in as often as you can, as we will be announcing prize winners throughout the month on all of the different blogs, but we're writing too, so we don't have time to chase around anyone who has won.

We plan to have check-in posts up and running by 9AM PST (noon EST) each day.
Mondays –  Check in with Kim Baccellia -  http://kimbacceliasweblogfantasy.blogspot.com/
Tuesdays – Check in with Shari Green – http://www.sharigreen.com
Wednesdays – Check in with Mary Ann Scott - http://thebrokentree.blogspot.com
Thursdays – Check in with Carol Garvin - http://careann.wordpress.com
Fridays –  Check in with Tonette – http://www.tonettedelaluna.com

Saturdays – Check in with Dawn Ius - http://www.dawnius.com/blog

Sundays –  Check in with Denise Jaden – http://denisejaden.blogspot.com

The prizes! We have some truly awesome prizes up for grabs this year! I'll start by giving away a prize to one person who comments below with their goals within the next 24 hours!

Here are the prizes that are up for grabs (these are in no particular order and have been donated by my generous co-hosts for this event!) I've added in brackets where we are able to mail each prize:

A critique of your first five pages - (courtesy of Denise’s agent Michelle Humphrey – INT’L)

A handmade bracelet - (courtesy of Mary Ann Scott – INT'L)

A surprise book on the craft of writing (courtesy of Dawn Ius – US/CAN)

An audiobook of Writing With a Heavy Heart  - (courtesy of Denise Jaden – INT’L)

A FULL Manuscript Critique! (courtesy of Tonette de la Luna - INT'L)

A Writing-on-the-go Writer’s Kit – (courtesy of Carol Garvin – US/CAN ONLY)

Book of Choice (to $20 Cdn) from Book Depository (courtesy of Shari Green - INT’L)

A swag pack from Anne and Henry and Falling For Alice - (notebook, charms, bookmarks – Courtesy of Dawn Ius – US/CAN)

A surprise box of YA Fiction - (courtesy of Denise Jaden – US only)

A package of fiction books, including KI, SPIRITED, and possibly an ANNE & HENRY ARC – (courtesy of Dawn Ius – US/CAN)

A beautiful Van Gogh Sunflowers Canvas Cuff Bracelet (courtesy of Kelly Calabrese - US Only)

Some popular high-demand advance copies of YA fiction – Choose one or two from the following selection (courtesy of Kim Baccelia – US/CAN)

Isn't that quite the ARSENAL of prizes?! Wow, thank you to all of our awesome hosts!!

(Also, check back, because in the past I have had March Madness participants so eager about their progress  or about the great camaraderie that they have offered additional prizes during the month!)

Why do we do this, you may ask. Well, I can only answer for myself. First of all, people who set tangible goals and stay accountable with them are as much as 90% more likely to achieve those goals. And I REALLY want to achieve my goals this March. Secondly, I love the camaraderie. This business makes writers feel lonely enough, so any chance I have to feel like I'm not in all of this alone, I'll take it! I love NaNoWriMo each year, but this group is a little more personal. We get to know each other and care about how we're doing on our projects and in our lives. And if one check-in a day is not enough camaraderie for you, we also hang out on Twitter under the hashtag #WIPMadness, so please join in on the conversations there as well.

As for this year's goals, I'd like to draft a book that I outlined over a year ago. I haven't even looked back at this outline for months, so I'm still unsure of how it will hold up, but I'm jumping in with both feet anyway! 

How about you? What are your goals for this March? Have you done this challenge with us before, and if so, how has it worked out for you? I'd love to hear!

Don't forget to leave your goal(s) in the comments below, and head on over to check in with Kim Baccellia -  http://kimbacceliasweblogfantasy.blogspot.com/  tomorrow! Remember, the more you check-in and encourage others, the better chance you have of winning some of the above awesome prizes! And if you set your goal within the next twenty-four hours in the comments below, you have a good chance at winning one right away!

ONWARD, Fearless Writers!

MARCH MADNESS Writing, Reading, and Blogging Challenge! #WIPMadness

It’s almost March and time for an Almost-Nano Challenge! If you have a writing project you’re ready to start, or a work in progress you’re ready to finish, come and join the fun. Accountability is our main aim and the more support we have, the easier it will be to sail on through the month of March, bouncing along on each others successes!

And, like last year, we're opening up March Madness to readers who want to challenge themselves to read more, bloggers who want to challenge themselves to blog more, and illustrators who want to challenge themselves to illustrate more! Basically, anything to do with books!

And did I mention there will be PRIZES? Prizes will not be awarded based on how much you write, read, draw, or blog, but simply on how involved you are in the Big Accountability Plan. There will be check-in points most days throughout the month of March. Each time you check in and record your progress, your name will be entered into a draw for some great prizes, donated by our fabulous blog hosts, including some high demand advance copy books, audiobooks, and a writer's survival kit! And not only that, but the more you encourage others along the way (in the comments), the more times your name will go into the hat!

Spread the word, and check out http://denisejaden.blogspot.com Sunday, March 1st, to put your goals officially in writing and find out the locations of the check-in points. If you’re ready to get serious, don’t do it alone…Get serious with us!

Now is the time to be setting your Ambitious Goals for the month of March! (Trust me, you will be able to accomplish much more than you normally would with the added camaraderie and support, so don't be afraid to set the bar a little higher.) If you haven't already, start meeting up with us on Twitter under the hashtag #WIPMadness .

Please spread the word about this Challenge. There will be lots to win throughout the month and the more support we have, the better all of our goals will go this month!  If you're interested in being a blog host for one day per week through the month of March, please let me know. We still have room for a couple more hosts!

So check back in here March 1st. If you're such a proud participant that you want to let everyone know, grab the March Madness badge from below, and put it somewhere prominent.

Everyone is welcome and the more the merrier! Let's march into March like the mad group of writers we are!!!

March Madness Check-in Day 27! #WIPMadness

I cannot believe the month is almost over! I'm happy to report that I've seen all sorts of "I'm finished" and "I've completed my goal!" comments around the hosting blogs and on Twitter. To that, I say CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

And even if you haven't completed your goals? Guess what? You're still here!!! You ARE diligent. You ARE committed. You ARE going to succeed in life--even if you didn't make your exact goals, your diligence will pay off later in life, I promise. 

We have loved having you here with us, and you've been an integral part of OUR processes. I honestly would not have set such lofty goals (and completed them) if it weren't for all of your participation in March Madness this year. And to that I say: CONGRATULATIONS and THANK YOU!

As for me, I have completed my goals for the month, but then added a few new ones, which I'm still plodding away at and hoping to tie up before the 31st. How about you? If you don't think you'll reach your goals, did you get more done this month than you would have without this challenge?

I still have prizes to give away, so today, congratulations to...

Ghost Girl!

Congratulations!!! Stop by the goal-setting post, choose your prize and then email me at d(at)denisejaden(dot)com. We'll get it out as soon as possible.

I want to send out a HUGE ENORMOUS HEARTFELT THANK YOU to all of my March Madness co-hosts. They have been so incredibly generous, both with their time and with prizes and so very responsible. It was a joy to visit each of their blogs along the way.

The last thing I need to talk about today, on my last check-in post for the month, is CELEBRATION. If you've known me for any time at all, you know that I'm a big believer in celebrating all of the tiniest victories. There's enough soul-crushing, difficult stuff we have to face in the writing world. We need to celebrate ALL of our successes to combat that! Even if you've simply checked in all the way through the month, that deserves to be celebrated!


As usual, I plan to celebrate with some nice red wine, some delectable chocolate, and possibly some guacamole. How about you? 

It's too bad we can't all get together to celebrate, but know that I will be raising a glass to all of you on the 31st!

March Madness Check-In Day 20 #WIPMadness

If there's one thing I'm convinced of when it comes to writers, it's this: There is no such thing as writer with too much free time.

Every single writer I talk to, one of their biggest battles to finishing a project is finding the time to do it. Why is that? Because writing is the biggest time-sucking profession/hobby that exists! Often I think we are all crazy to be pursuing such goals. I mean, think of how long it takes just to READ a book, let alone write one. Then think of the time spent revising, the time spent waiting for critique partners and beta readers to give you feedback. And I'm not even going to touch on the length of time the whole publishing side of things can take (because I don't want to depress you!)


So writers, I think, will never feel like they have enough time. They always want to be able to draft and develop their writing projects faster. But I also think this is part of what makes the written word--especially full-length novels--so special. So much thought and processing and bake-time goes into each one. Reading a good novel will envelop us and stick with us the rest of our lives. So there are rewards. But today I want to talk a little bit about battling the busyness.

If you find yourself too busy to have the amount of writing time that you would like, I have a few suggestions that will hopefully add some peace to your life:

1. My first suggestion, which all of you here at March Madness already have a handle on, is not to do it alone. Having camaraderie and accountability and encouragement is SO IMPORTANT when it comes to pushing through on the long haul of writing. It's good to remember that we're not alone and we ALL face similar time challenges from time to time.
2. Admit that writing is your dream and passion. People around you will be much more supportive and willing to help you find the time and space to write when you use words like “dream” or “calling” or “passion”.
3. Stay sensible in what you commit to. I notice that writers who set big lofty goals with their writing, also tend to set big lofty goals in every other area of their lives. Something has to give, so when you set a short-deadlined writing goal such as March Madness, see if there are other areas where you can ask for help or allow obligations to pend until April.
4. Even when you're busy with other things, try to keep your head in your project. Brainstorm when you're at the grocery store, or driving your children around, or commuting to and from work. Write down all of your ideas for later (or use a voice recording app if you're driving). Brainstorming and coming up with the best ideas is a big part of the writing process, and one you can accomplish almost  anywhere and any time.

And if you disagree with this whole post and are shaking your head saying, "I'm a writer, and I have plenty of spare time," then please, PLEASE, tell us your secret!

No matter where you are at, keep pushing forward! And I'll see you tomorrow at Tonette's Blog!

March Madness Check-In Day 13 #WIPMadness

We're almost halfway, folks! If you haven't yet started your goals, or even set your goals for the month IT'S NOT TOO LATE! Stop by our goal-setting post and then check in each day for the rest of the month. You'll love the camaraderie and support, I promise!

For the rest of you, the halfway point is a great time to reevaluate your goals, so sometime in the next couple of days, I encourage you to step back and look at the overall progress you've been making.

Are you as far along as you thought you'd be by the halfway point?

How much of your initial goals still remain undone? Do you need to redivide the work over the next half-month to ensure you'll finish it all before months' end?

When we get our heads down and focused on our goals, we can certainly make great progress, but I think it's helpful as well to take a step back once in a while and look at the big picture. Are you spending too much time on small details and not getting enough forward momentum with your manuscript? Or are you rushing ahead and forgetting to include all the nuances you're seeing in your head?

The same goes for the actual structure of the writing. When we're focused on fixing sentences and paragraphs and scenes, sometimes it can be difficult to remember the premise of our novel or the theme. It's good to step back once in a while (not too often) and assess where we're at in the big picture and how we're delivering that big picture to readers.

So I'd love to hear about where you're at with your daily tasks, as well as where you're at in the big picture of your projects. Do you find you tend to focus on the little details too much, like me, or do you tend to take too many steps back too often during a month-long writing goal?

I have another prize to give away, but I've noticed there have been a couple of people along the way who have not picked up their prizes. If you'd like to take home one of the awesome prizes being offered, make sure to keep an eye on ALL of the check-ins this month (and it's not too late - if your name has been announced, go back and find it and let me know and you can still happily get your prize).

As for today's prize winner...congratulations to...

Stacy!

Stop by the goal-setting post and choose from the remaining prizes. Then email me at d(at)denisejaden(dot)com with your choice and we'll get it out to you as soon as possible. Congratulations! Still lots of prizes to be won, so don't forget to check in with us daily...

March Madness Check-In Day 6 #WIPMadness

We've almost made it through the first week! Congratulations to all of you who have stuck around and made a commitment to get serious about your March goals! And if you haven't joined on with us yet, it is NOT TOO LATE TO SET YOUR GOALS AND JOIN THE FUN!

I'd love to give away another prize from our huge prize arsenal today! Today's winner is...

Linda C. Butler!

Congratulations, Linda! Stop by our goal-setting post, and choose your prize from those still listed. Email me at d(at)denisejaden(dot)com with your choice and we'll get it out to you as soon as possible.

And if you didn't win, there are still LOTS of great prizes to be won, so keep checking in each day...

Also, I have some other great news! Our own Kim Baccellia (who should have been a March Madness host, but because of my own lapse, I missed her this year - Sorry, Kim!) still wants to donate some awesome prizes, because she believes in the support of March Madness. So these awesome ARC's are being added to the prize arsenal:

Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott

Big Fat Disaster by Beth Fehlbaum

Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith

Going Over by Beth Kephart

Wings by Elizabeth Richards

Embers & Ash by T.M. Goeglein

Thank you, Kim!

But enough about fabulous prizes...let's get to today's check-in post!

Are you a tortoise or a hare writer? For me, to be honest, it was a slow start this month. That's not my usual style. More often than not, when I set goals, I spend the early days going overboard on meeting them, getting ahead, so if obstacles come up, I won't be so worried about them. That didn't happen this time around, due to poor planning and overbooking myself in the early days of March.

But...I'm not letting that stop me. So even if things haven't gone perfectly for you, or the way you had planned, or if you've already let yourself down...don't let that stop you either. A month is a long time to be able to make a difference on a project, and we're not even through our first week yet!

Let's do each other a favor this week. Let's ignore any poor or slow starts to this month. Let's agree together that we still have a lot of time this month to work toward, and even catch up on our goals. Slow and steady can still win the race. Can we do that together, and leave that idea of failure-dom in the dust?

And if you are not dealing with a slow start...if you've been going full-speed-ahead since March 1st, keep going, because you will lead us on and continue to inspire us! I'm so glad to have every one of you along for this March Madness journey, whether you're a tortoise or a hare.

No matter where you are at, keep pushing forward! And I'll see you tomorrow at Tonette's Blog!

MARCH MADNESS: SET YOUR GOALS! #WIPMadness

If you’ve been looking for a challenge to get your writing into gear, you’ve come to the right place! Through the month of March we will be cheering each other on to meet challenging goals with our writing.

Also, this year we've decided to open up the challenge to Readers, Bloggers, and Illustrators. Basically, anyone who wants to challenge themselves regarding books and win prizes for it!

Today is goal-setting day! 

(But if you don't make it here on the first day, not to worry.
Feel free to add your writing goals here any time during the month of March).

March Madness officially begins March 1st, and this is how it will work.

1. Set a goal here (anything writing, reading, blogging, or otherwise book related). It can be as small and simple of a goal as turning off your Internet while you write, or finishing reading a book you've been trying to get through during the month of March. Or it can be as large as writing or revising an entire book.

2. Check in daily through the month of March at our designated check-in points. Let us know how you're doing with your goal. Share your victories and struggles. Encourage others. The key is support and camaraderie.

3. We give you prizes just for stopping by and letting us know how you're doing, and for encouraging others!

Sounds easy and fun, right?! The following will be the check-in points for the month of March. Check in as often as you can, as we will be announcing prize winners throughout the month on all of the different blogs, but we're writing too, so we don't have time to chase around anyone who has won.

We plan to have check-in posts up and running by 9AM PST (noon EST) each day.

Mondays – Visit LS Taylor at  http://lstaylor.blogspot.com
Tuesdays – Visit Shari Green at http://www.sharigreen.com
Wednesdays – Visit Shana Silver at http://www.shana-silver.com
Thursdays –  Visit Denise Jaden at http://denisejaden.blogspot.com 
Fridays – Visit Tonette de la Luna at http://www.tonettedelaluna.com
Saturdays – Visit Carol Garvin at http://careann.wordpress.com
Sundays – Visit Angelina Hansen at  http://yascribe.blogspot.com 

The prizes! We have some truly awesome prizes up for grabs this year! I'll start by giving away a prize to one person who comments below with their goals within the next 24 hours!

Here are the prizes that are up for grabs (these are in no particular order and have been donated by my generous co-hosts for this event!) I've added in brackets where we are able to mail each prize:

First Five Pages Manuscript Critique! (Courtesy of Denise's agent, Michelle Humphrey - International)

3 2 1 BOX of popular and new fiction! (Courtesy of Shana Silver - US Only)

A book of choice (up to $15) anywhere Book Depository delivers! (Courtesy of Shari Green) 

1/2 pound of peanut butter flavored tiger butter! (Courtesy of L.S. Taylor - US/Canada Only)

An autographed paperback of Julius Caesar Brown and the Green Gas Mystery by Ace Hansen (Courtesy of Angelina Hansen - US Only)

A full manuscript critique! (Courtesy of Tonette dela Luna - International)

Audiobook copy of NEVER ENOUGH by Denise Jaden! (Courtesy of Denise Jaden - International)

A Writers-On-The-Go Kit! (Includes various take-with-you stationary, and of course...chocolate!)  (Courtesy of Carol Garvin - U.S./Canada Only)

A previously read and loved copy of ROOMIES, signed by both Sara and Tara! (Courtesy of Shari Green - International)

A first chapter critique! (Courtesy of L.S. Taylor - International)

A $20 Gift Card for Barnes & Noble (Courtesy of Angelina Hansen - International)

Copy of your choice of paperback book by Denise Jaden! (Courtesy of Denise Jaden - US Only)

ARC's (Courtesy of Kim Baccellia - US Mailing Only):
Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott
Big Fat Disaster by Beth Fehlbaum
Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith
Going Over by Beth Kephart
Wings by Elizabeth Richards
Embers & Ash by T.M. Goeglein



Isn't that quite the ARSENAL of prizes?! Wow, thank you all!!

Why do we do this, you may ask. Well, I can only answer for myself. First of all, people who set tangible goals and stay accountable with them are as much as 90% more likely to achieve those goals. And I REALLY want to achieve my goals this March. Secondly, I love the camaraderie. This business makes writers feel lonely enough, so any chance I have to feel like I'm not in all of this alone, I'll take it! I love NaNoWriMo each year, but this group is a little more personal. We get to know each other and care about how we're doing on our projects and in our lives. And if one check-in a day is not enough camaraderie for you, we also hang out on Twitter under the hashtag #WIPMadness, so please join in on the conversations there as well.

As for this year's goals, I have two of them. I'd like to revise the book I wrote during NaNoWriMo last year. I already have a strong vision for what to do with this one, so I'm eager to get going. I also plan to first-draft a very short novel (around 20k) that I hope to submit to a specific imprint of a specific publisher. It's a lot, but I believe with all the support here, I will be able to do it.

How about you? What are your goals for this March? Have you done this challenge with us before, and if so, how has it worked out for you? I'd love to hear!

Don't forget to leave your goal(s) in the comments below, and head on over to Carol Garvin's blog this Saturday for your first check-in! Remember, the more you check-in and encourage others, the better chance you have of winning some awesome prizes! And if you set your goal within the next twenty-four hours below, you have a good chance at winning one right away!

ONWARD, Fearless Writers!

March Madness Prizes - Tying Up Loose Ends!

Good thing I set up this blog post ahead of time. If you've known me for over a year, you'll know that April Fool's Day is a SCARY place to be in my household. Especially now that my son is growing older. I'll be back to report the horrors...

How did March Madness Writing, Blogging, Reading, and Illustrating Challenge go for you? I think we had a few illustrators to start with, and a few bloggers who made it to the finish line with us, but I think for the most part we were mostly a group of struggling (but overcoming) writers.

Did you meet your goals? Come close? Set new ones? How many of you are continuing on into April?

If you are, I hope you'll continue to join us. We continue to encourage each other all year long on Twitter under the hashtag #WIPMadness. You are all more than welcome to join us! Also, we continue weekly (rather than daily) check-ins on blogs throughout the year. Our wonderful March Madness host, Mary Ann, will host through April, so make sure to stop by her blog and let us know how it's going.

As I mentioned, there are some leftover prizes from March Madness still available. I've been thinking of what to do about this, and here is what I think will be the easiest: If you have checked in at least four times (or once a week) during March Madness, and have NOT won a prize yet, please email me at d(at)denisejaden(dot)com. I'll make sure you get something you'll like :-)

As for the rest of you, I hope you are receiving your prizes and enjoying them! I'd love to hear how you decided to celebrate the completion of your madness. For me, I've chosen the standard wine and chocolate...and I get to go back to a work in progress I've been really excited about. How about you?

March Madness Check-In Day 29! #WIPMadness

TWO MORE DAYS!

I was tempted to just leave this post at those three words, because ISN'T THAT EXCITING?! We're almost there! And whether we've completed our goals, or gotten publishing contracts (yes, this HAS happened--ahem--Misha), or changed our goals, or fallen miles behind our proposed goals, the truth is, we've still probably made more headway than we would have without one another's support.

So THANK YOU ALL!

People in my real-life life often ask me why I'm doing this and how I find the time, and all sorts of other questions that seem to give the impression that March Madness is some kind of big SELFLESS act on my behalf. I hate to burst your Mother-Teresa-like bubble of me, but I do this for myself more than for anyone. I LOVE March Madness and the motivation and accountability it gives me toward serious productivity. I love all of your company, and I love the little nuggets of wisdom that emerge on the different blogs and in the comments over the month.

So, really. Thank YOU!

I hope you'll join us again next year (and invite all of your creative friends), as March Madness is still in its infantile stages of world domination. But we will get there!

Two more days left! Tell me in the comments what was your favorite thing about March Madness this year, and also what you would like to see different for next year. I'm all ears! And don't forget to check in on Kim's blog tomorrow.

We have one more winner today.

Brooke Younker!

Stop by this post to pick your prize, and then email me your choice at d(at)denisejaden(dot)com. We still have lots of prizes left to give. I may give some of our books away in a group to save on postage. Stop back here on April 1st to see if there are any prizes still being awarded.

Also, one important note: we do continue to encourage each other all year long on Twitter under the hashtag #WIPMadness. You are all more than welcome to join us! Also, we continue weekly (rather than daily) check-ins on blogs throughout the year. Our wonderful March Madness host, Mary Ann, will be hosting in April, so make sure to stop by her blog and let us know how it's going.

Not trying to sound like a broken record here, but seriously, thank you so much for joining me for the month. It's been a ton of fun productivity!