THE INSPIRATION EXPEDITION

Must Write

Kerryn Angell — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 07:00:10 +0000

I am a writer and inspiration is the magic fairy dust that makes words fly and stories become a reality. A writer’s journey through life should be an expedition for inspiration. A never ending journey for new ideas, expression and challenges.

I write to challenge myself and push myself beyond what I think I can accomplish.

I write to learn about people, about places, about culture, about life and about myself.

I write to entertain, to create, to teach and to inspire.

Inspiration is defined as stimulation of the mind or emotions to a high level of feeling or activity. This is my expedition to seek inspiration to express through writing and to produce writing that will inspire others.

Win Tales for Canterbury!

Kerryn Angell — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 07:00:14 +0000

To celebrate the launch of The Inspiration Expedition I’m giving away a paperback copy of Tales for Canterbury.

Survival can be achieved in the face of seemingly impossible odds, hope found in the most unexpected places, and new futures slide into view where once was nothing.

Tales for Canterbury is an opportunity for readers everywhere to give support to the people of Christchurch, who have shown resilience and bravery as they work to rebuild their lives and city. This charity anthology features tales by more than two dozen writers from New Zealand and beyond who have generously donated their works.

Tales for Canterbury brings you a variety of stories set in past, present, and future times, worlds touched by disaster, magic, and the otherworldly; where everyday truths are explored, and you never know what shape the future might hold. Explore the depths of what it means to be human, escape the real world, and find hope in these pages.

I’ve been watching the earthquakes, after shocks, destruction and recovery unfold from the other side of the world. It’s been horrible to be so far away, as if just by being in the same country would make a difference. I’m so proud to know Cassie Hart and Anna Caro who took what they knew and brought people together to make a different. It gave a unique way for others to help donate to the recovery effort. They’ve raised over $2,500 and created something to commemorate the time and the people involved. You can buy your own copy in paperback, ebook or read on to find out how you can win a paperback copy.

How To Enter:

Subscribe to The Inspiration Expedition using the RSS Feed or Subscribe via Email links in the sidebar by midnight on Sunday 11th September.
Anyone in the world can enter.
The winner will be randomly selected and announced on Monday 12th September.

Welcome to the Inspiration Expedition

Kerryn Angell — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 20:40:31 +0000

Welcome to the Inspiration Expedition, my new home in the blogosphere. I’ve been on an amazing journey this past year and the walls of No Excuses. Just Write. became too small for me. I’ve knocked the walls down and made myself a new play area.

Must Write is the continuation of No Excuses. Just Write. and is where I’ll continue by writing journey.

Happiness Project is where I’ll be branching out into the life that surrounds and supports my writing much as I did with #reverb10.

Wonder Cabinet will be full of quotes and images that spark my imagination and propel me along my expedition.

In the Library I’ll be keeping the books I read, research materials and articles from around the web.

You’ll find a links to each of these under Categories in the sidebar.

It’s a much cleaner, tidier place which I hope will put more focus on the content. You will find all the same stuff over in the Pages and can find me at all my favourite web places in Follow Me.

Have a look around and make sure you come back to play by subscribing via RSS Feed or Email from the side bar. I’ll be announcing a competition where you can win a paperback copy of Tales for Canterbury and sharing more about each of the types of terrain we’ll be venturing across on this expedition.

100 x 100 – Progress Post #7

Kerryn Angell — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 20:17:00 +0000

Life came along to hijack this challenge for me but I’m surprisingly okay about that. It happens, we write through it as we can, we move past it and all the while we write. – Me, Day 54 at the end of the 7,500 in 5 marathon.

I managed a little over 3,500 words this week and though it fell way short of the marathon goal I’m still really pleased with it. Watch out Day 75. I’m clearing my calendar and coming after 7,500 words!

I also finished my second short story for The End Is Nigh challenge which I’m thrilled about. I really didn’t know if I’d get both of them finished before going on holiday but I have!

Days Writing: 55

Total Words To Date: 42,891

Average Words Per Day: 780 (697)

High Word Count: 2,155 words on 6th August

Days Missed: 2 (9)

Days Remaining: 45

Projected Total: 77,984 (69,674)

100 x 100 – Day 50

Kerryn Angell — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 20:37:00 +0000

I have had a completely inspired week! I continued to work on my Water & The Bad Boy short story I started in April and after not knowing how it was going to end I found a great ending that didn’t compromise the characters. So now I’ve completed my first thing for The End Is Nigh challenge. I was so enthused by that story, the quality of my writing on it and the buzz from finishing that on my Friday off I began work on my second short story. I was just as pleased with the quality of writing on Water & Science Fiction and have already added another 2000 words.

We’re halfway through the 100 x 100 challenge and I’ve already had a twinge of sadness thinking about what will happen after it’s over. To mark the halfway point we’re embarking on another 5000 in 5 marathon. Except that Merrilee and I have been fairly regularly writing more than 1000 words a day so it was suggested we try for 7,500 in 5. Hell, I’m game. In fact it has now spawned the following marathons to punch up our word count during 100 x100.

Day 50-54 = 7,500 in 5

Day 75-79 = 7,500 in 5

Day 96-100 = 10,000 in 5

Now what a way that would be to finish out the challenge. I can’t wait!

Days Writing: 50

Total Words To Date: 40,299

Average Words Per Day: 822 (733)

High Word Count: 2,155 words on 6th August

Days Missed: 2 (8)*

Days Remaining: 50

Projected Total: 82,243 (73,284)

*The number in brackets is the days I’ve missed including my Friday’s off. Though I wrote 1,008 words this Friday because of my fabulously inspired week. I’m also going to Scotland for 10 days from next weekend and it will be a holiday from writing as well.

100 x 100 – Progress Post #5

Kerryn Angell — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 11:55:00 +0000

For most of this week I set discipline aside, tried to write surrounded by distractions and was plagued by a migraine. On Friday I found a second wind as I read more of Finding Your Own North Star and on Saturday I did something I had never done before. I worked on the first draft of two different stories. I wrote 1000 plus words on one of my short stories for The End Is Nigh challenge and then I wrote 1000 plus words on my novel. I have a strong enough sense of each story and their characters that the differences were clear and I was able to switch between each with ease. Ending with a strong weekend I wrapped up the week having written 5,115 words.

Days Writing: 43

Total Words To Date: 33,250

Average Words Per Day: 773 (663)

High Word Count: 2,155 words on 6th August

Days Missed: 2

Days Remaining: 57

Projected Total: 77,362 (66,305)

100 x 100 – Progress Post #4

Kerryn Angell — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 15:31:00 +0000

This week of 100 words for 100 days has been full of achievements. The 5000 words in 5 days marathon ended with all four participants crossing the finish line. It was great to reach 5000 words in 5 days myself but it just as fun cheering Merrilee, Jill and Matt on and to see them reach 5000 words as well.

I have now written more than 75,000 words this year. I think I actually write 75,000 last week but no matter! Checking my total word count for the year now find me at 79,264. The next Merit Badger badge is for 100K and I can absolutely see myself reaching that before 100×100 is complete.

July has come in as my second best writing month so far this year. June, of course, with HalfNoC saw my highest word count in one month of 26,000 words. July has come into second place with a fabulous 20,078 words! I had set a goal of 20K for the month but didn’t think much about it until Thursday when I had less than 2K to write to meet that goal. It just goes to show how the words can sneak up on you when you apply a little consistency.

Days Writing: 36

Total Words To Date: 28,132

Average Words Per Day: 781 (648)

High Word Count: 1,904 on June 28th

Days Missed: 2

Days Remaining: 64

Projected Total: 78,144 (64,768)

100 x 100 – Progress Post #3

Kerryn Angell — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 14:30:00 +0000

We’re a quarter of the way into the 100 words for 100 days challenge and it’s starting to feel a little like entering the second week of NaNoWriMo. It’s been all shiny and new and fantastic and now the reality of keeping on writing steadily like this for another 71 days is hitting home. This challenge, by the pure length of it, is more like a lifestyle. You can’t put your life on hold for a third of the year like you can for a month. With all challenges it’s not just a word count or finished story you end up with but writing lessons and life lessons. I can already feeling myself learning something about writing and it’s place in my life but the lesson isn’t quite over yet. I’ll let you know when I know.

To keep our momentum going we’ve added a micro-challenge: 5000 words in 5 days. It began on Saturday and I think it will be the perfect thing to keep me going at 1000 words each day into the week which is when I usually drop down to around 500.

Days Writing: 29

Total Words To Date: 22,628

Average Words Per Day: 780 (607)

High Word Count: 1,904 on June 28th

Days Missed: 2

Days Remaining: 71

Projected Total: 78,028 (60,725)

Those of you following along will realise that my projected total has taken a gigantic leap forward. Those mathematically minded will have realised the problem with my projected total from the start. Needless to say my talent lies with words and not numbers.

100 x 100 – Progress Post #2

Kerryn Angell — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 11:09:00 +0000

It’s been a very productive week for me over at 100 words for 100 days. With my growing habit of 15 minutes writing sessions guided by Focus Booster I’ve written between 500-1200 words every day. Here’s how the numbers stack up half way through July.

Days Writing: 22

Total Words To Date: 17,984

Average Words Per Day: 817 (584)

High Word Count: 1,904 on June 28th

Days Missed: 1

Days Remaining: 78

Projected Total: 63,761 (45,561)

When putting these stats together it became more obvious that the last 5 days of HalfNoC were skewing my projected totals. I want the projected total to be a tantalising talisman of what I can accomplish if I keep doing exactly what I’m doing for the 100 days. So the figures in brackets for Average Words Per Day and Projected Total exclude my HalfNoC words.

100 x 100 – Progress Post #1

Kerryn Angell — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 16:04:00 +0000

For the past two weeks I’ve been participating in Merrilee’s 100 words for 100 days challenge. It’s been a great way to keep writing through the post-challenge lull. Merrilee posted a progress update today so I thought I’d follow her lead with one of my own.

Start Date: 26 June

Days Writing: 15

Total Words To Date: 12,895

Average Words Per Day: 860

Highest Word Count: 1,904

Days Missed: 1 (excluding Friday’s as my writing day off)

Days Remaining: 85

Finish Date: 4 October

Projected Total: 41,150 (based on July figures to date, excluding HalfNoC word count)

I’m not going to get too attached to my projected total because I’ll be working on short stories through August as well as my novel. I am still trying to write between 500-1000 words each day and I think I’ll get more days at that rate than I have so far in July. I might just surprise myself.

More interesting was figuring out the date of Day 100. Now I just need to come up with something suitably celebratory for October 5th!