Week 1 Tally (Day 7)

I’m looking at the stories from my first week (written with a flu-addled brain), and while one of them might have promise, they’re all pretty bad.  No, really bad, which they may have been even without the flu. I’m not letting that discourage me though, because I know from past experience that the act of writing every day sets me up to take advantage of the good stories when they do come along. Last year, my best “marathon” story didn’t get written until several weeks after the marathon was over.... And, in all of those bad ones, there are some lines in there that might get used, somewhere.

About half of marathon participants responded to the tally survey that was sent out over the weekend (writing and/or illustrating 755 picture book drafts). We’re excited that:

• 52% are keeping a daily pace, having written a picture book a day last week (5 picture books). 
• Another 20% kept up with four picture books, 
• 13% are still in the running to finish a marathon February by having completed three in the first week, and
• 48% of you feel energized by the experience so far!

Not only that, but you wrote while snowed in; with burst water pipes or no water; with sick selves, kids and partners; lots of work (including 72 high school nordic skiers to coach and hosting illustration conferences); through marriages and funerals; and, hmm, with monkeys invading the kitchen....were those real monkeys?

Half of the challenge of a race is showing up to run. We all run at our own pace, and not everyone who starts a marathon crosses the finish line. But, hopefully, we take away something rewarding from the experience. 15% of those reporting tallies are running at their own pace - maybe it will take them a little longer to run the entire marathon (when I used to run cross country, I finished one race when they were taking down the finish line...). Or maybe they’ll run a half marathon. Sometimes you just do what you can.

Way to go everyone - keep it up!