I wrote 10K in 2 days during the World Wide Writeathon! | WRITING VLOG

[@lucilechinaud6642]

Positive body story time ~ I always had this bad habit of pushing my boundaries so hard that my body would just ... collapse one way or another. It was only a few weeks ago that I felt going down that road again, I wanted to do the 30 day of Yoga Challenge with Adrienne + walking everyday + getting ready to start a new job and of course, I just had an amazing idea for a book ! So it started with very bad back pain who would not go away nevermind the amount of stretchs and yoga and self-care I did. Then waking up start being difficult, then falling asleep too. I went for a week-end at a friend place and during the morning ... a book shelf fell on my head (no big damage to me or the shelf). It was indeed the most painful wake up call I had in a very long while. It gave me the opportunity to see my doctor, and reflect on what I was doing to myself, building this tension everyday. It allowed me to relax and rest for a couple days, and then start again, but with much more needed awareness of my body needs. I just wish that next time I would be able to feel it coming even more, and stop myself sooner. Thank you for this incredible vlog Kate, they are always so fun and inspiring to watch. I wish you a great wrist recovery ~ Love from France

[@KateCavanaugh]

Ahhh, thank you so much for sharing your story! I'm going to pin this comment. Definitely trying to focus on what my body needs too. Wishing you luck on your journey (and keeping my fingers crossed for both of us that we've ended the cycle bahaha). 💜

[@moirasoma2863]

Aaaawww, spoiling us with such a long video! Thank you! Since you mention your body not liking the physical aspect of writing for a long time, I will share some of my story. I have several ilnesses including fibromyalgia and polyneurophatia, and severe chronic depression caused by PTSD. There is nothing in my life that isnt worped and affected by these illnesses. I have had the idea for my novel for almost seven years now, but still its far from being finished and I feel so much guilt and utter despair about it. But it is very hard to write when you feel like your nervesystem is on LITERAL fire, your hands are cramping and your body feels like so heavy from the depression that you feel you are losing the grip on reality. Several of my heroines had big physical and mental adverseties in their life. Virgina Woolf had bipolar disorder and extreme headahces, Frida Kahlo.... well, most people know her horrible state of health. Susannah Clarke has ME. I just dont know why I cant create through the pain like these women. And I know that is just not how it works, but I just cant seem to stop blaming myself for it. Its like Im a coward or something. Anyways, its very important to take care of you health, and if your body is sending signals important to listen. Do something different in the way you approach the physical in the act of writing. Im looking forward to your vlog about it! (Also, I have to tell you that the most of my novel that I have written, I managed to write because of your writing sprints. So thank you, again!😘😘😘)

[@StephanieWhitson]

Congats on the word count. I just made the move to Texas and I am finding the elusive perfect time of being outside without getting eaten by bugs or dying of heat time period.

[@ChelseyFuredi]

I've spent a lot of months injured over the past year, so here are things I do when I can't use my hands: Exercising / leg workouts, yoga, watching youtube/ netflix, shopping, reading, non strenuous cleaning and organizing, walks, dictating, watch my friends play video games, talk to them about their own work, and call my parents, haha. Hope any of these ideas help!

[@thegeekylibrarian360]

Just a tip when it comes to your arm. Take it very serious, because it might become chronic if you push yourself =) Maybe get someone to edit videos for you for a while for instance =) Use voice to text for a bit of the writing and so on =)

[@lindsayb1779]

When I'm in the flow I can easily write 900 words in 30 mins under ideal conditions, and I will often sit down for 3 sprints in a morning. That's a solid day for me.. But I also deal wth chronic illness and as a 'spoonie' you learn to budget your energy. There's no use using extra energy to push if I end up in bed the next day, so it's this constant juggle. That being said, I will have push days if I know I can rest appropriately the next day (or two!). It's a delicate balance that is constantly changing.

[@elizabethcomfort2214]

I have a chronic illness too! I'm currently coming out of a flare that's lasted about five months and I'm really struggling to find a balance between writing/pushing and healing. Illness and writing is such a crazy place to be, so nice to know I'm not alone!

[@rochellavanderwal9320]

As someone with mental illness as well as chronic physcial illnesses, I struggle writing at all. Sometimes I feel okay enough to write 2000 words (a scene or something like it) and sometimes I stop after 200 words. For me having a solid day in general is doing what I absolutely must. After that everything is the stretch goal. I have an almost finished first draft that I WANT to finish, but I know I shouldn't push myself. Took me a looong ass time to get there though, so I definitely enjoyed seeing you address stuff at the end! And in general it amazes me that you did it!! it's such a huge accomplishment and I love how excited you are about your own stories and ideas, you are definitely one of my biggest writing inspirations.

[@jenag]

I'll stop mid-sentence when I hit my goals, too! lol Sometimes, it's best for the ol' creative well to refrain from pushing too hard, especially after such a social weekend. Thanks for sharing your experience!

[@spookycatladytravels]

I'm lucky to get 500 words in but I do write every day. So that's a win to me.

[@MartaCanPixel]

Don’t mind me just having a lowkey fangirl moment when you started talking about my dino timers 😶💕🦖🦕

[@daniwriting3794]

Congratulations, super inspiring 🥳. Made me want to do my own 10k writing challenge.

[@AbiofPellinor]

Look after your arm Kate! I damaged mine in gymnastics when I was 15 (and no one took it seriously), I'm now 25 and it's been a massive issue for me my whole life. I'm right handed and I struggle to type, to write, to open doors or bottles, to carry things, to hold my phone. I know it might seem like a minor injury that will recover quick but please, please! look after yourself

[@StorytellersHearth]

S: Thank you for participating! We're stoked that you had a blast and LOVE that the streams are also useful for replays.

[@KateCavanaugh]

IT WAS AWESOME. Thank you so much again for all the work you do in organizing this incredible community event!

[@libraroze]

Way to go!!!! That’s so awesome and inspiring. I think I want to take on a 10k weekend. Never written that much in my life, but excited to try!

[@heartmommyinpa]

I LOVE the Hocus Pocus mug

[@nycrawgirl]

Hey Kate! Have you ever tried dictating your words? It might help with your wrist. It is kinda great :). If you do it, please do a video about how you find it.

[@stoppickingurnose7852]

That is a glorious (almost intentional) tulip in your coffee. The word count is cool too I guess lol

[@KelciDComics]

I've never done a Worldwide Write-a-thon before, but WOW would this be a good way to power through some short stories and comic scripts!

[@TheHexedLibrary]

Yaaaay! You did fantastic! Way to kill those words! I'm glad the writeathon videos were there to help push you through!

[@KateCavanaugh]

They helped SO MUCH. Thank you as ever for organizing such an incredible event. 💜

[@michaelcbchen]

I really enjoyed that, it was so fun and detailed! Way to make it all work out in the end!

[@WritingMomSamanthaLNasset]

I have to constantly play trial and error figuring out when to push through and when to listen to my body and rest. (Because chronic illness constantly moves those goal posts.) But I do believe with enough practice you can tap into that pushing through. Then you have to figure out what the limit would be. Like not pushing through for a solid week. @.@ And congrats on the 10k!

[@herothebard]

This made me think of a 24 hour writeathon where you try to get 50k in 24 hours I did the math on it and it looked like you would need something just over 2000 words an hour (2084 I think was the exact number) which would be insanity but apparently there are people who do that during the first day of nanowrimo.

[@EuphoricBlights]

Currently suffering from an ear issue and a wicked sinus infection that's throwing off my equalibrium, which makes writing almost impossible. Just want to say your videos are giving me life 💖 Also congrats on the words! ☺️

[@JGVIllustrations]

Awesome! So inspiring!!! I love your longer videos yaaaay

[@elizalagonia1049]

The last week in February and the first week of March I was having multiple panic attacks a day about housing, which lead to us buying a house (New Closing date May 3rd) and that causing a lot of panic in itself. I'm a lot calmer now and I'm less stressed now that all we have to do is wait for the appraiser to actually see the place. I'm not where I wanted to be at the end of the 1st quarter, but I've made significant progress, including getting feedback on some chapters I haven't hand much feedback from. I also readjusted my Camp goal to 20k instead of 40k since I will be packing and stressing about everything. I might send my grandma's china to my sister's until the move.

[@Words_from_the_Void]

Congratuations on all them words! I myself tanked hard with my overall motivation for everything and got like... 3k or something over the weekend. The rest of the time I just existed and watched some comfort shows. Better luck next time I guess. But it was fun to hang in the chat of some of these streams and I started following a lot of new people. So at least the social front was a success to a degree^^ Hope your wrist is getting better soon!

[@john_writing_]

Hey Kate, I just wanted to leave a comment about your wrist that may help you. I had wrist pain for more than six years to varying degrees. I tried everything to deal with it: wearing a brace, dunking it in ice water after use, getting a cortisone shot (twice!), and basically anything you could think of. If I took things easier for a while, it seemed to get better, but the second I started using it frequently again, it would act up (I was a software developer, so you can imagine how inconvenient it was). Finally, during one of my end of the line-I need to figure out a solution to this-moments, I found an article that seemed a little out there. But I was willing to try anything at this point. In the article, this software engineer from MIT talked about how his battle with chronic wrist pain was fixed by reading a book called "The Mindbody Prescription". It was only 9 bucks, so I figured it was worth a try. After reading that book and doing what the author talked about in it, I immediately eliminated my wrist pain. This might sound a little suspicious, like a sales-pitch or something, but it's been years since then and I don't get wrist pain. Now that I've shifted to writing, I still use my wrists all day, maybe even more. In the rare event that I do get some wrist pain, I can make it go away by doing what he talks about in the book (Note: I would tell you what he says to do, but without his thorough explanation, it won't sound believable). If you see this, take a look into this book. Hopefully it can help you :)

[@rachelwritesbooks]

Woohoo, congrats on getting in all those words!! Was so fun to host the live with you! :)

[@Neil-writer-author]

898 words last Sunday and 299 today.

[@jessicasmith9452]

Way to go for recognizes your limits and adjusting your plan! Self care and still achieving your goal takes so much more discipline than just pushing through. Congrats on getting it done! Also, I'm sure you could do without unsolicited medical advice from the internet, but I've struggled with carpal tunnel before and was told by doctors to rest and use a brace. It never solved the problem though. I started incorporating upper body strength training regularly and found that strengthening my shoulders and elbows helped alleviate the carpal tunnel. I never stopped my activities that were causing it and it still improved quite alot. Haven't worn a brace in probably a year now. But listen to your doctor and listen to your body! Just sharing because no one mentioned it to me when I was dealing with it but it was such a huge difference for me. All the best Kate!

[@timothyshaw5498]

What have we talked about using Infinity Gauntlets (even if disguised in black) for writing sprints?

[@breemlew]

Your...your keyboard with those big, wonderful keys! Where did you get that? Please, what do I Google to get one?

[@KateCavanaugh]

If you're talking about the purple one, my sister-in-law got it for me!! It's a Ubotie and I believe you can find it on Amazon. :) It comes in a bunch of different colors too! If you're talking about the black one that lights up rainbow, it's an Azio and a hand-me-down from The Boyfriend (so I'm not sure where he got it!).

[@sashagreenwrites]

Awww I may have watched from 4:28 to 4:37 a couple of times in a row LOL ❤ Congratulations on crushing it during the WWW!!

[@KateCavanaugh]

Just the sweetest little sausage in the whole world. 💜 Thank you Sasha!! :)

[@JonathanRossignol]

I like that part of the vlog where it was all like *CLICK *CLICK *CLICK *CLICK... #LFLR "VBW"

[@maebelline]

You’re a spurs fan! I would never have thought haha

[@KateCavanaugh]

Lolol! Yes! Hotspurs ⚽️ and my San Antonio Spurs. 🏀

[@graysonsbookmark]

hmmm i think a solid amount of words for 20 minutes is 200, and 1 chapter revised per day

[@staceycoates1418]

I am totally understanding of body burnout. When I started writing again, and participating in Nano, I found that everytime I tried I would get intensively sick for at least one week during that month. (And I have a whole rant on Nano being about quantity over quality, but that is not what we are talking about here.) It wasn't until I started writing nonfiction (family history) and started setting smaller goals (7K-12K per project) that I started completing the project and not getting sick. And as I have gotten older I have to listen to my body more often. So I know now that I need to work in sprints (no more than 3 hours, many times less) and that I need to move around, and that double monitors work best for the type of work I do. And I have learned that there are days I just cannot work. Last week I did almost no work because I was fighting migraines (and my kids were on spring break). And today kids are back at school but I had to take it easy today because I didn't want to relapse. Basically, I played catch-up! It was all bite-sized work and I didn't relapse. Tomorrow I can step it up a bit, but probably not. I am working on getting things ready for Camp Nano, so I don't want to burn out before it starts. And for me it is more about planning the time rather than the amount of work that I am going to do. I don't know if that is what you were looking for. But it is about finding the balance between what you can do and what you want to do and need to do. And what the consequences are if you push past it. Honestly, spoon theory. Yep, spoon theory.

[@rainyhammer9235]

I think it was last year or 2020 when my wrist started hurting. I am terrified that I might ruin my hands with the amount of writing I do so when my wrist started hurting and it started to swell then I just took a break for around 2 weeks until it was all healed.

[@MaigaVidal]

I could’ve been working… but instead we just talked 😂😂😂

[@heartmommyinpa]

I use the cat timer too

[@MicT2231]

Hold up! So was the wedding event actually your wedding all along?! 🤯

[@rosalynransawbooks]

Wait my friend gave me that same clock years ago and I’m just realizing it actually works?? I thought it was a fake clock 😭

[@billyalarie929]

3:00 in is that the loudest keyboard on the earth? Why yes Yes it is o_o

[@KateCavanaugh]

Lololol

[@mjb469]

You need an ergonomic keyboard.

[@klatchabobby]

I see you bought a new phone?

[@dsalet1]

Man, that’s a loud keyboard!

[@zenebornman7917]

I wish I participated Kate, but I've been a little burned out recently. Could you give me some tips?? ❤❤❤

[@JacquelinElizabethWrites]

Mercedes has done terribly so far this year. I haven't seen today's race yet.

[@KateCavanaugh]

YES. It's wild. I'm so curious to see how they adapt over the season.