Ready, Set, WRITE! Week 5

Ready. Set. WRITE! is a summer writing intensive that encourages goal-setting and accountability, and provides an opportunity for us to cheer each other on wherever we’re at with our writing projects—planning, drafting, revising, or polishing.  This year, your RSW hosts are Alison Miller, Jaime Morrow, Erin Funk, Elodie Nowodazkij, and Katy Upperman.

How I did on last week's goals: I set my word count goal at 4K and just scraped by with write 4,200 words. BUT I did hit 30K! *happy dance and sparkly stickers abound* It's strange thinking this story might be halfway drafted by now. I didn't outline, so I'm just letting the characters take me where they want to go. I'll figure out the actual plot in draft two. (This is my first time taking such a zen approach to writing, but I'm loving it. I read a quote somewhere that said something like, "The first draft is just you telling the story to yourself," and I've really embraced that. Before I can shape the characters' journey for others to read, I need to learn it myself.) 
*(Edit: The quote is from Terry Pratchett. Thanks Google!)

I also accomplished my non-writing goal of exercising 3 days this week. Running and yoga are my two favorite gym activities (especially when the treadmills have TVs built in and I can watch Supernatural during my jog).

My goals for this week: 4K seems to be as much as I can stand to write at the moment, so I'm going with that for another week. I'm upping my exercising to 4 days this week (3 lunch break gym sessions and Saturday's yoga class).

A favorite line from my story: My MC is at her friend's bridal shower and isn't having much luck with the activities.

The woman purses her lips. “Well, would you like to write a date night suggestion on a popsicle stick?”  

“What?” I sound like a broken record. 

“For the happy couple. Give them some fun ideas of things to do together. They can pick one out of the jar”—she holds up a mason jar filled with colorful popsicle sticks—“and then do whatever it says.” 

I can’t even get my own dates. Carla does not want me planning hers. And I wonder how many of those popsicle sticks have dirty suggestions written on them. Although, I’m pretty sure ninety percent of the guests are her mother’s church friends, so maybe I’m the only trashy one here.  

Biggest challenge this week: Once again, motivation. Thank goodness for these weekly check-ins, because I need the accountability right now.

Something I love about my WiP: Those days I'm able to steer it toward those super fun scenes. If it were up to me, the entire book would be my main character playing (or attempting to play) hockey in the driveway of this family she's met and loves, avoiding her problems. BUT it wouldn't be a very exciting book if all she did was avoid her problems. This coming week, though, I've got a scene coming up where she hangs out with that fun family, and I can't wait to write it!

How did you all do on your goals this week?