Take the Challenge! by DL Larson

When I attended the recent RWA Chicago area writers conference, the Spring Fling, I was given a challenge. Every person in attendance was given this challenge. Author Cherry Adair dared us to finish our current work in progress within a year's time. She offered great incentives, but mostly she planted the seed in everyone's mind to simply get to work.

I've been thinking about this challenge and dragged out my WIP. I was shocked to see I have not written a line in over a year. This is not what I usually do. I'm pretty firm about staying on task. I don't know how this happened. I'm rather ashamed for allowing this piece of art to sit idly in a corner while I worked on other stuff.

I have about 75 pages written. In my mind I thought it was closer to 200. So I've deceived myself again. That stops as of today. I'm taking the challenge. My WIP is now my priority. I like what I've written, it's a sci-fi romance, the third book in this series. It's been easy to slip right back into the action. My mind is quickly catching up to what I had planned and I'm anxious to see it on paper.

If you've been procrastinating on a WIP, now's the time to start up again. Take the challenge to see your work through to completion.

I have posted above my computer monitor:
MY CHALLENGE: TO COMPLETE MY CURRENT WORK IN PROGRESS, RENZO THE RELIANT, BY: MAY 20, 2011. I signed and dated it. It's official, I've taken the challenge to stay on track and finish my book.

I also offered myself an incentive. It has to do with chocolate at my favorite restaurant and a boat ride I've been wanting to take.

How about you? Are you up to the challenge? Do you need to set a date to finish your novel? Go ahead, I dare you. What do you have to lose?

Til next time ~

DL Larson