Writer Recharge is a month-long motivational challenge similar to last summer’s Ready. Set. Write! So many of us benefited from setting goals, connecting with other writers, and social media-based accountability. So, let’s do it again! Whether you’re delighting next to the crackling fireplace of a Shiny New Idea with a warm cup of tea and or spinning out on the ice-covered roads of revisions in an attempt to avoid the snow-packed ditch, we want to write with you! Learn more HERE.
Clearly I’m motivated by Internet accountability. If it weren’t for last summer’s Ready. Set. Write!, I never would’ve finished the first draft of my contemporary YA, Good Girls. And if it weren’t for February’s #WriterRecharge, I wouldn’t have finished its first major revision. For me, check-ins are good. Twitter writing parties are good. Like-minded friends with similar goals are good.
Thank you a million times to Sara Biren, who cooked up the idea for #WriterRecharge and was amazing enough to invite me to be a part of its planning group (including Alison Miller, Liz Parker, & Elodie Nowodazkij). And thank you so much to everyone who participated, posted about their progress, and rooted me on when I posted about mine. Seriously. There’s no way I would’ve met my goal without you guys.
And I did meet my goal! I have a reader-ready draft of Good Girls, and I am elated. Also, terrified. Because now it’s time for critique — yikes. Don’t worry though… My CPs are brilliant and thoughtful and wonderful, and mostly I’m just anxiously awaiting their feedback so I can further improve my little story.
Just in case you need proof, that’s me, all excited about finally finishing this beast of a revision. And also working on my tan, because Florida decided to be awesome this weekend.
How did #WriterRecharge shape up for you?
If you’ve been participating, don’t forget to post about your success and share your link at Sara’s blog.
katyupperman.com 
YAY!!!! Can´t wait to read GOOD GIRLS! As you know, I love the excerpts you shared! (and is that a tank top you´re wearing on this picture? Enjoy the Florida sun, Katy :-))
That is a tank top, and I got tanlines! The littlest things make me happy. 🙂 Thanks so much for your support and enthusiasm these last several weeks, Elodie. Means the world to me!
YAY!!!!!!!!!!! Can’t wait to dive in! Also, I’m super jealous of your warm weather. The weather was in the seventies yesterday and I almost broke out the bikini. But now this week we’re back to the fifties. 😦 I need summer, like, yesterday.
Congrats again, lady! And go celebrate! You’ve earned it!
Yeah, we’re back to the fifties this week too, plus rain — boo. The timing’s working out, though, because I have this really fabulous manuscript to read for an awesome CP, so I’ll be spending a lot of time indoors anyway. 🙂
Fantastic news! looking forward to following your posts on all the great news to come…
Thanks so much, Kim!
Well done, Katy!! I hope you get some awesome helpful and encouraging feedback from your CPs.
We had some nice weather this weekend too–along with a Winter Weather Advisory for Monday night into Tuesday. Spring, Spring, wherefore art thou, Spring? 😦
Thanks so much, Colin. And I’m with you — I appreciate all the sunshine I can get, but I’d love to have some consistently nice weather. Come on, Spring!
Internet accountability can be such a beautiful thing
Right? It’s amazing I ever got anything done before it. 🙂
Wow! What a great achievement. I’m with you regarding accountability. It does wonders for me. Congrats on all your success. Can’t wait to see it go the next step.
FYI: I’m a Navy wife in Washington State but originally from Florida (I-4 Corridor/Central Florida is my old stomping ground). It’s as if we’ve parallel lives somewhat:-)
Total parallel lives — too funny! I hope WA isn’t giving you much grief. Beautiful summers, but those rainy months… Yikes. I just took a look at your final update, and it looks like you did fabulously, Kristi. Congratulations!
At this very moment there is a bright shiny ball in the sky, I cannot look right at it, but I like it…whatever it may be:-)
I do miss the sunshine but love the temps out here. I don’t miss the Florida humidity or love bugs. I live by a bay and there were Orca’s in there a few weeks ago, that beats gators any day (thought I’ll pass on swimming with either of them and stick to manatees).
I”m impressed with how well everyone did. It’s really encouraging:-)
so exciting! Writer Recharge was exactly what I needed in order to push through my first draft. I hope your cps give you some great feedback and fall in love with the story as much as you have:)
Me too, Prerna… I can’t wait to see what they have to say. Congrats again on meeting your Writer Recharge goal!
I am also a fan of Internet accountability! And finished revisions – go you!
Enjoy the nice weather – I will be living vicariously through you as I stare out the window at more snow 🙂
Well. we’ve got storms today, so don’t feel too bad. 🙂 Congrats on all of your Writer Recharge success, lady!
Congrats, Katy! So, so awesome! Next time I must join in on Writer Recharge!
You should, Jennie! It’s been awesome for productivity. 🙂
Congrats on finishing revisions! These writer parties are awesome. Like you, I drafted my current WIP during Ready, Set, Write! then finished revisions during #WriterRecharge. Honestly, we need a year-round hashtag because clearly we GET STUFF DONE. 🙂
For realz. It’s been so fun to work on our WiPs together, Trace. I feel like our stories are, like, soul sisters. 🙂
So glad you finished! I am sure your CPs will love it, help improve it, and give you wonderful perspectives to work from. I’m with Tracey, we need a year long hashtag!
I’m so down with the yearlong hashtag, Rebekah. Someone more clever than me should come up with one. 😉
I had so much fun with you guys this month! Thanks so much for letting me join in and for all the accountability. I’m so with you. If it hadn’t been for everyone writing and posting updates and tagging each other, there’s no way I’d be on submission. And so far, it’s going well so there’s that. 🙂
Also–I’m jealous of your sunny days. We had a snow day at work today because the roads are covered in ice.
I’m so glad to hear it’s going well, Liz, and I can’t wait to hear how it all pans out. I have super high hopes for you and your story! Now we both need SNIs so we can start drafting all over again. 🙂
Congrats!!! AH! I loved this idea and am so thankful I got to participate! 😀 And don’t be nervous! I’m sure everyone is going to love it 🙂
Aww, thanks so much, Valia! It’s been so fun following along with your progress over the last month. Congrats on all you’ve accomplished!
Great accomplishment to get your WIP ready for readers! How did you find your critique partners? I have a few but I’m always curious where writers find theirs.
Thanks, Stephanie! As far as my CPs, I found my very first CPs though YALitChat. They’re awesome, but we’ve all sort of found different niches in the industry and moved on to different things. My two most counted on CPs I met through my blog/their blogs, and Twitter a few years ago. We’ve since formed super close email/text relationships and I trust them implicitly with my writing, and I feel so lucky to be able to read and offer feedback on theirs. I also have several people who I trade beta reads with. I’ve met them all through my blog/their blogs and Twitter as well. The Internet is an amazing place for connecting!
CONGRATULATIONS! What a huge accomplishment for you! I can’t wait to hear how feedback and revisions go. And I love that laptop reflection selfie. That’s the best.
Thanks for co-hosting and being such a great cheerleader! This was a blast!
Thanks so much, Sara! I had such an amazing month revising with you all. Thank you again for including me. Let’s definitely do it all over again one of these days!