In the past few years, I've tried to give people a little added incentive to write; usually this has been in the final week. This year, with Thanksgiving coming at the end of November the way it is, I find myself in a need for doing some mid-loading (tried front-loading, but work has gotten in the way, alas).

So here are the terms:

1. This challenge runs from Saturday, 16 November through Thursday, 21 November.
2. I will take your starting wordcount from what it was at the end of 15 November (regardless of when you sign up).
3. To win an online whale on the graph, you must write 18,000 words in the time span defined in point #1 (16 Nov-21 Nov). This works out to 3,000 words per day--a stretch, but one that many in the past have been able to meet.
4. To win one of an extremely limited set of NaNo Whale buttons (there are only 20 available), you must have one of the top twenty word count differentials above 18K words. I.e., you must have won a virtual whale in #3 and you must also be among the top twenty of those who have won virtual whales. Note that the 18K challenge cares not for total word count but only for those words written between 16 Nov and 21 Nov!
5. To participate, just reply to this thread! I will add your name to the graph (that will be linked here soon).

Good luck!

--Tim

I will of course be participating...! (especially since I'm a bit behind)

I may be way ahead on words, but I haveso muchplot left. I probably can't write 3k on the weeknights, but I'll try!

Oooh, this one will be a hard challenge for me this year. Sunday's usually my big writing day, but I won't be doing any writing!

What I mean by that is, I'M IN! :D

I don't think I can hit that, but I'm behind on where I wanted to be at this point so I'm in.

OK. I'm in.

Thanks for the Challenge, Tim. Let's do it.

Definitely include me. I've gotten quite slow in my writing as of late, maybe this will help propel me forward.

Count me in. Need the boost!

Tim, You've chosen a great time to boost our productivity. Issuing this challenge at the half-way mark (day 16 of 30) is a great way encourage us all to hit the mark, with time to spare for editing and refining. Good job, Tim!

I'm going to need 3k a day to make my goal of 80,000 words this month anyway. Count me in!

I'll give it a shot, although I'm not certain I'll make all 18k in the next 6 days. Can I count what I write today, since i'm marathoning today and busy with family most of the day tomorrow?

Well, well, well. This is sure a whale of an idea!

I'm so behind this is definitely what I need! It'll just be me and the dogs this next week, too, so I don't really have any excuses.

I'll give it a try!

I like this! Please add me to the challenge.

I would like to give this a try also. So count me in!

count me in! I'm at 15195 right now! Haven't written for a few days, fallen behind. Uh oh!

Ok! I've made a first cut at updating the program for this year's challenge:

http://faces.naperwrimo.org/2013/naperwrimo18k.shtml

Good luck, everyone!

Not to late for others to sign up!

Thanks for putting this together!

I want to sign up and do this. Oh - man - I'm kinda late... good thing that I'm unemployed - and all I have to do is think of things to do to my characters and have them say - crazy things.

mochomito wrote:I want to sign up and do this. Oh - man - I'm kinda late... good thing that I'm unemployed - and all I have to do is think of things to do to my characters and have them say - crazy things.

Please put me in.

You're in! (and doing pretty well overall)

Thanks New Mexico KId. :)

I'm pretty sure this is the only thing that kept me writing through this week. Thanks so much, Tim, for setting this up!

Although many people are doing well; others are a bit further away, so I will do this:

• for those who meet the 18k count by midnight tonight (or at least before I wake up tomorrow ;-) ), I will throw in a little octopus plot critter with your pin
• for those who do not, you are now receiving an extension till midnight Saturday! And don't forget: top twenty wordcounts get a pin.
  

I might be able to get 18k by tonight. Worth a shot!

Now Writing: Star Trek: Providence - Nova's Prospect ~ Facebook | Twitter

JerenYun wrote:I might be able to get 18k by tonight. Worth a shot!

And you have till the end of Saturday.

GAH! I've been working at the challenge, but I forgot to ever post- Sorry tim! Hope I'm not too late!

I'm currently at a bit over 31,500 words and started the challenge at 17522.

Hoping to get that last bit tonight or tomorrow- yikes!

WritingStudent wrote:GAH! I've been working at the challenge, but I forgot to ever post- Sorry tim! Hope I'm not too late!

I'm currently at a bit over 31,500 words and started the challenge at 17522.

Hoping to get that last bit tonight or tomorrow- yikes!

--Tim

Well, don't think I've done 18K in the time period... But I just hit 18K words. That's something, right? ;)

I really had less time to write than intended. I think my biggest time to use will be coming later this week.

Now Writing: Star Trek: Providence - Nova's Prospect ~ Facebook | Twitter

I didn't think I stood a chance, so that's why I'm signing up retroactively.

Who'd have ever thought I would successfully compete in an 18K challenge?

FinbarrMcG wrote:I didn't think I stood a chance, so that's why I'm signing up retroactively.

Who'd have ever thought I would successfully compete in an 18K challenge?

--Tim