#WriterRecharge

Every season, I read another inspiring writer's challenge on the talented Liz Parker's blog.  Every season, I think I ought to try it.  And then I turn my Kindle off and fuggedaboutit.

Not this time!  This February needs a kick in the pants.  Here's the deal:

Writer Recharge is hosted by Katy Upperman, Alison Miller, Elodie Nowodazkij, Sara Biren, and Liz Parker! This is your chance for a four-week jump start in the middle of a cold, dreary winter. Set goals for yourself, check in once a week, and connect with other recharging writers.

This year, we’ve come up with a few categories you might want to consider when making your goals. You can choose a goal (or goals) for one or some or all:

• WRITE/REVISE – Choose writing goals for the month.

• READ/REREAD - Read a book that's been on your TBR forever or reread something that had a great impact on you. 

• STRETCH - Do something outside your comfort zone, from reading a genre you typically avoid to trying a new food or rock climbing when you're afraid of heights - that kind of thing. 

• SELF - Do something good for your mind or your body. 

• CONNECT - Find a way to make a difference in someone’s life. Make a connection, via social media or in person. Initiate twitter writing parties, have a real-life write-in with writers in your town, or offer to critique or beta read someone’s work. 

• FUN - Make a goal to do something super fun and exciting that you can look forward to.

How Writer Recharge works:

• First week of February: Post your goals for the month on your blog, website, or Twitter. Use the hashtag #WriterRecharge. Link your blog post at Sara's blog.
• Every Monday in February: Update your progress via your blog or twitter. Link your blog posts on our Monday posts.
• Throughout the month: Use the hashtag to connect with other writers, have writing parties, and cheer one another on!
• Friday, February 27: Post your final update via your blog or twitter.
• Anyone who uses the hashtag or links their blog posts will be entered to win a fabulous prize package at the end of the month.

Here are my goals for the month:

• WRITE/REVISE – I want to finish my current WIP this month (a poisoner descended from the Caesars in Peter the Great's court, bent on revenge for her parents' murders).  I wrote a solid chunk of it last November, and I've been plugging away every day since, but I have several sticky plot points that I keep dancing around instead of solving.

• READ/REREAD - I'd like to read something written in the seventeenth century, since that's when my WIP is set.  I do well with sideways inspiration like that.  I read a lot (A LOT) of these in college, and I think it's time to revisit some Moliere.  He wrote later in the century than when my book is set, but for court life, who is more fun?  I also ordered a book called The Travels of Olearius in Seventeenth-Century Russia that will be interesting to read (let's hope).

• STRETCH - I'm trying to be grateful this month instead of frustrated with how stuck I feel in certain areas of life.  Is it sad that gratitude is a stretch for me?  YES.  But here I go.

• SELF - It's 68 degrees here today, and I am going for a bike ride!  Swimming and biking outside make me happy. 

• CONNECT - I want to make more of an effort to reach out to my friends this month.  Now that my kids are in school, it's too easy for me to cocoon and text instead of meeting up.

• FUN - We've booked dinner at a fancy-pants restaurant with some of our favorite couples at the end of the month for Denver's Restaurant Week!