Patricia Stoltey

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Book-in-a-Week Online Community

August 9, 2010 By: Patricia

I’d never heard of BIW until last week when I learned that two online friends had participated in this community set up for writers to state their writing goals and report daily on their progress. I can imagine it’s a powerful aid to developing a writing discipline, a great incentive to set up monthly writing “retreats,” and a way to produce a solid word count over the course of a week.

Since the process sounds a lot like a mini version of November’s well-known NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), I decided to investigate further. I gathered my BIW information at the Book-in-a-Week website.

“BIW writers are connected through an online community through LMS Learning Management System — or Moodle. The main purpose of the group is to write, but we also exchange information, publishing news and kudos. Anything writing related.”

A one-time non-refundable payment of $3.00 is charged for new members to enter the group. Additional donations are accepted for those who wish to support this community.

The group’s motto is BIC HOK TAM (Butt in chair, hands on keyboard, typing away madly).

There’s a Book-in-a-Week blog to explore, an excellent list of recommended reading and other resources at the website, and more. Check out both sites and see what you think.

The August week starts today and finishes on the 16th, so consider looking into this community and signing up in advance for the September (Sept. 13-20) session. All of the information is at the Join BIW page.

Some of the members who currently use the BIW community are listed on the website’s member site page. Elsa Neal, a contributor to The Blood-Red Pencil, is listed there. Mystery writer Ann Parker, author of the Leadville historical series, is a BIW member as well.

This group is for those writing new material, not for those focused on revisions. When I’m ready to start a new project, I plan to join BIW and see if it helps me keep BIC HOK TAM.

Has anyone here tried BIW? If so, did it help you?

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Category: Uncategorized

Comments

  1. Terry Odell says

    August 9, 2010 at 8:17 pm

    You’ll have to let us know how it turns out. My writing style just won’t let me ‘free write’ that way. And normally, I’m well into a manuscript when these challenges/projects hit, and I can’t see stopping them to create what I fear will be a huge mess requiring massive rewrites. I’m SO not a plotter. But I have heard good things about these, so I’ll be waiting to hear.

    Terry
    Terry’s Place
    Romance with a Twist–of Mystery

  2. N A Sharpe says

    August 9, 2010 at 8:12 pm

    Sounds fun. I’ve done the month long nanowrimo three times, maybe I’ll check this out too.

    Thanks!

  3. Ann Best says

    August 9, 2010 at 5:44 pm

    Sounds interesting. I might try it too, when I finish the revisions.

    How was your writing progress over the weekend?
    Ann

  4. N. R. Williams says

    August 9, 2010 at 5:27 pm

    I know someone who signs her emails with that quote. I thought she was just being clever. So, for my busy schedule, this sounds much more doable than the NaNoWrtMonth.
    Nancy
    N. R. Williams, fantasy author

  5. Jane Kennedy Sutton says

    August 9, 2010 at 4:08 pm

    With a motto like that, it’s got to be a fun group. I haven’t heard of it before but I do plan it check into it.

  6. The Old Silly says

    August 9, 2010 at 1:42 pm

    No I’d never heard of it, so can’t share any experiences. Sounds pretty cool, though – thanks for the heads-up.

  7. Jax says

    August 9, 2010 at 11:45 am

    I participate in a BIAW about twice a year, as well as the NaNoWriMo, in November. The BIAW’s as generally to kick start me when I have gotten into a routine and have slowed my pace and the NaNo is my spring break of fun after a year of working steady!!

    Jacqui Jacoby
    http://www.JacquiJacoby.com
    Twitter: JaxJacoby
    http://jaxsmovielist.blogspot.com

  8. Patricia Stoltey says

    August 9, 2010 at 11:33 am

    Good almost noon, everyone. I haven’t been over here because I’ve been busily visiting your blogs instead.

    As a binge writer, I’m not even sure I can change my ways to handle BIW or NaNoWriMo, but it’s probably a good idea to give one or the other (or even both) a shot at least once. I’ll decide soon.

  9. Stephen Tremp says

    August 9, 2010 at 10:17 am

    I’ve never heard of them but will check them out. I have a couple new ventures on the back burner I need to write.

    Stephen Tremp

  10. Jemi Fraser says

    August 9, 2010 at 9:31 am

    Sounds like fun – thanks for the info ๐Ÿ™‚

  11. Clarissa Draper says

    August 9, 2010 at 8:39 am

    I’ve never heard of it but I want to check it out. Currently I’m in the revision process so I’m not looking to join yet but I should soon.

    CD

  12. welcome to my world of poetry says

    August 9, 2010 at 8:25 am

    I have seen it written on other blogs but didn’t know what they were writing about, hope you get the help you need,
    Yvonne,

  13. Sugar says

    August 9, 2010 at 8:10 am

    I’ve never heard of it either, but you can bet I’m signing up for September!
    What a great motivation, thanks so much!!

    I also just signed up for NaNoWriMo’s website..how exciting ๐Ÿ™‚

    I’m struggling with my motivation, so maybe these will help get the ball rolling again.

  14. Margot Kinberg says

    August 9, 2010 at 7:46 am

    Patricia – Thanks for the helpful information about BIW. I’d not heard of it before, but it sounds like a very useful group, and very mutually supportive.

  15. Alex J. Cavanaugh says

    August 9, 2010 at 6:51 am

    Never heard of it!

Meet Patricia

I read, I write, I blog, and sometimes I do the laundry and cook. My 2014 novel, Dead Wrong, was a finalist in the thriller category of the 2015 Colorado Book Awards. Wishing Caswell Dead (Five Star/Cengage, December 20, 2017) is a historical mystery set in 1830s Illinois in the fictitious Village of Sangamon. The novel was a finalist for the 2018 Colorado Book Awards for General Fiction. My most recent release, In Defense of Delia (Five Star/Cengage, November 2022), is available in hardcover and will soon be available in ebook and trade paperback. Read Moreโ€ฆ

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