The Friends & Members of 750 Words

Secure server for writing

This feature would probably make me feel more cyber safe.

This is by far, the best writing tool I have EVER used and I’ve been writing for a long time. Can’t imagine my mornings without it. Thanks Buster!

I am astounded and humbled by how easily I am motivated to work for small badges. How is it possible that I have written more in 15 days than I have in the previous three years? Please don’t let this website disappear. You really have something special here. I am happy to patronize your site – I feel like I’ve got in on the beginning of a Great Thing!

I’ve already commented about this on the 750 words tumblr announcement about the possible end of this site, but I decided to increase my patronage just to show that I really am willing to go above and beyond to keep this site afloat:

I currently teach at a Title I school in Texas and I have recently given my students the option to earn extra credit by signing up and participating at this website. In the past week, I have seen these students find a joy in writing that they haven’t before. They enjoy the online component, the freedom to write what they want, and the fun they get out of seeing all the various statistics. For some of them, it is the ONLY writing they have done all year, the only thing they really feel proud of having done when it comes to writing, and the only way I have come up with to get them motivated. I know it would break some of their hearts to find the site shut down as some of them are just now earning their penguin badges. I’ve also found myself caring so much more about daily writing, showing my students that if I can do it, so can you. I’ve found a renewed joy in writing and in my teaching. I would be willing to pay a teacher membership fee so that my students wouldn’t have to foot the bill of a membership. Hell, I’d be willing to donate quite a large sum if it would help keep the site afloat. And also, I am sure that someone SOMEWHERE registered for the site might be happy to help run the site in your absence (I’m referring of course to your second option for the future of this website). I guess I’m coming to you on my knees: for the sake of these students, for the sake of their writing futures, please do not shut this site down. I will do all that I can to make sure that doesn’t happen, because it’s brought them so much inspiration and confidence in the past week and a half than nearly anything else in our classroom has.

I appreciate how beautiful this site is. No garish colors, no annoying graphics, no font abuse. It feels as though I’m coming into a peaceful room to write. Thank you for making it so appealing.

After spending several years allowing writing to fall by the wayside in favor of the more humdrum aspects of adult life, I couldn’t manage to get started again. It seems my creativity had all but atrophied from disuse. I am so thankful I stumbled across this site. It has been physical therapy for my writing. Thanks to the daily exercise 750words makes me do (and the incentives to keep going), I am back on the wagon, producing more creative writing than I ever have in my adult life. I cannot thank you enough for helping me re-learn to do what I love. This site has changed my life for the better. Thank you.

C’mon folks, sign up as patrons. How much emotional therapy are you getting here for only $2 a cup of patronage? How much writing coaching and encouragement do those little badges give you? I love this site, it has turned me into a well-adjusted professional author. Haha. Be a patron! Be cool!

As a person with depression, I have found that 750words.com has become a big help, both in giving me a structured routine, and as a way to help sort my own feelings out.

I have been using this site for 19 months and find that it is uniquely helpful in getting my writing juices flowing. I would urge those who use the site to please give it some financial support. It is much cheaper than a therapist and I would hate to see it disappear.

More badges for accomplishments

I love this site. I will be coming up to my 500 day badge next month so I’m putting in an early request for a future badge that I can work towards.

I stumbled upon 750words and was thoroughly impressed. Being able to express myself 100% without any fear of judgment has been an incredible feeling and I am deeply grateful for this website. Put the coffee bill on my tab. Thank you Buster.

I use this wonderful and amazing site for various reasons. Why I wrote this morning is because I have so many feelings I don’t know what else to do! Writing here helps to get it all out, all the guck and yuck and questioning and wailing and romancing and fantasizing and contemplating and reporting…. Then I can let go. I can always let go, and writing on these online pages helps me to let go. Thank you, Buster and everyone, for creating and being a fabulous community here. Truly, I am inspired!

I’m convinced the muse lives here in this space. The collective creativity and clarifying of at least my mind and I imagine so many others is a staggering thing to contemplate. Long Live 750 Words!!

More badges for accomplishments

Oh yes, we need to pass on the delicousness—and please help keep 750words alive—see its possible demise here
http://bit.ly/UY28sz

750words is my daily lifeline for 409 days now and the thought it may well disappear by March is painful—if you have not seen the post today (1-12-13) about needing a solution to keep 750words going -
http://bit.ly/UY28sz == please read and reply-We Must Keep 750words! What Can We Do?

Apparently, “Cup of Patronage” = $4 = one post. Odd that it should cost me $4 to post a testimonial, but anyway, here it is: this site offered me a cathartic experience, to write not exactly for myself, but not exacly for anyone else, either. I used the interactive word count religiously, to monitor my progress, and even pushed myself harder to get to 750 words, and see the daily spare turn into a strike. The whole idea of keeping stats on word generation per minute seems a little silly at first, but I guess it’s totally effective, because I found myself looking for strategies to boost my production, from 7 to 12 wpm, just to be normal. In summary, I respect what you’re doing with this site, and I’d have given the $4 even without this platform to express how pleased I am with it. (P.S., How many words was that, and does it go towards tomorrow’s total?)

More badges for accomplishments

I would find it a great motivation to have either more badges, or even just the possibility of ‘multiple’ badges (i.e. ‘completed a monthly challenge 5 times’ or ‘completed the NaNo challenge 3 times’).

"Teacher" and "Student" accounts

I am currently a high school teacher in the state of Texas and as an incentive to get my students to write more, I’ve given them the opportunity to sign up for 750words.com to earn extra credit. While I love NaNoWriMo, a lot of my kids have difficulty writing even a page, let alone a novel, and 750 words a day would be perfect for them. However, it is difficult for me to keep track of student progress without an ability to search my students and check a sort of “profile” page for each of them. I think a “Teacher” account would be wonderful, where I could sign up and have a unique code that my students would have to enter when signing up, which would then allow me to follow those students and check on their progress.

I am still not perfect at writing and producing excellent words, but I no longer self-flagellate and aspire to perfection. Thanks to 750words.com I am a HAPPY writer, which is something I never knew to exist.

I am still learning how to make this work for me but I love the fact that I now start each day with a blank sheet of paper and no judgement.

Back on the Horse (or Wagon) Badge

Once you’ve reached a certain level, say the albatross or the 50 day mark or beyond, there should be a badge for getting back to and beyond your record. This will motivate many to start a new streak and reach a personal best.

Turn off comparisons and analysis

The stats that compare “Me” with “The World” are interesting, but they can also be incredibly demotivating. I loved this site because it enabled me to write without anxiety, but the more I see my performance, mood, and achievements compared to everyone else, the more anxious I get. They’re also imperfect metrics; a script can make a good mathematical guess that I am “uncertain” or “concerned with death,” but the inaccuracy inherent in the formula makes that a hurtful value judgment. I also took a very long hiatus before the “schedule time off” feature was available, so now I have no way to build my stats to anything respectable. For those of us who are freakishly anxious, it would be nice to hide these comparisons and judgments.

365 days in a row! Woo hoo!
Writing every day has been my anchor in the storm of life.

Cheers to my three-year anniversary on 750 Words. I haven’t written every single day, but I’ve come pretty dang close. May writing help others as much as it’s helped me.

Thanks for this strange and wonderful site. I have no idea why some of things that are calculated here are calculated. But then there’s a lot I don’t understand about astronomy yet I still dig looking at the stars. Five day streak for me. That’s a big deal actually. Thanks for making it possible.

Days go differently when I write first thing in the morning. Whether it’s having a higher energy level, sticking with my commitments, dealing with a difficult coworker, or just having more patience in general, the daily practice of laying out the path ahead of you through a stream of consciousness entry is my favorite way of “setting the table” before going about my day.

And they say you need to write for 15-20 minutes at least to get psychological benefits from writing, but as as “speedy typist” at about 7-10 minutes per journal entry, I can still say I’ve noticed the benefits! So I’d encourage my fellow “fast-entry” writes to keep it up! Best wishes in 2013!

I’ve not been known as a loquacious type, but since I have been using 750words I’ve been more articulate in my writing and my speaking.

For everyone out there looking to better their communication skills, writing everyday couldn’t be a better idea. Whether you’re writing reflectively, creatively, angrily, or in any other -ly, using this site will help you. The more consistently I’ve written, the better I’ve felt. I hope you encounter the same!

I’ve not been known as a loquacious type, but since I have been using 750words I’ve been more articulate in my writing and my speaking.

For everyone out there looking to better their communication skills, writing everyday couldn’t be a better idea. Whether you’re writing reflectively, creatively, angrily, or in any other -ly, using this site will help you. The more consistently I’ve written, the better I’ve felt.