Friday, January 23, 2009

Easy way to show your PHC wordcount

OK, so we are officially launching this weekend - i.e. now. Kudos to those who were already hard at work.

I've snuffled about the guts of blogger and found an easy way to keep your wordcount at the top of your blog, without having to make a post. 'Gadgets' click the 'text' option - put in a title - 'The Public Humiliation Challenge' springs to mind. Then you can simply type text into the box (like your wordcount), or add links, for example to the appropriate Koala Claw badge or to the original post. Above the box is a small selection of activities, such as links and images to make it even more easy, peasy. Writing it is pretty much like writing a regular post. Save the gadget and It should appear at the top of your blog. Then it's simply a case of clicking on the 'tools' pic under the gadget to edit the text and each day's word count.

This is not obligatory, a post or a comment is fine, but once you've set it up, which doesn't take long, it's quick and easy to amend without having to open posts or comments.

Here are our fantastic Koala Claw badges, provided by the seriously talented JJdeBenedictis:

Koala Approves

KCTL: Low

KCTL: Moderate

KCTL: High

KCTL: Extreme

Koala Smack-down

As you can see, she presented me in my best light. Although I'm not sure about the size of that Koala butt.

I'm sure you are all on Koala Approves...or do I need to issue reprimands so soon?

18 comments:

JaneyV said...

This is all very beautiful and yet menacing. I officially start tomorrow. YIKES!

Kudos to JJB for the graphics!

McKoala said...

Menacing? Qui, moi?

fairyhedgehog said...

I love those badges!

Good luck to everyone who's doing the challenge.

jjdebenedictis said...

Ooh! Thank you so much for figuring out the gadget thing; I've been pondering how to rearrange things so I wasn't constantly spamming my readers with updates. Thanks!

Robin B. said...

Great, McK!

I'll do the side bar dealie sometime this weekend, and thanks for the info. And thanks again, JJ, for the neat badges! (I'm hoping to only ever need the one.)

Phoenix Sullivan said...

Saturday I:

* Rewrote someone else's query letter - 233 words

* Wrote a letter to the phone company - 999 characters

* Wrote a post for a blog I don't have about an event that hasn't happened - 450 words

Does any of that count?

Sadly, I'm currently just a weekend warrior in the creative writing department until the business at work calms down. And heck, I've been so deep into technology projects and administrative stuff there, I haven't written or edited anything at work either for weeks! I can feel the rust building in my right brain...

But I shall be monitoring everyone else's Koala Klaw awards and be cheering all of you on. *picking up the pom-poms now*

What a grand idea you have here, McK!

JaneyV said...

Wordcount for today 25th Jan '09: 1,087

Sarah Laurenson said...

OK. OK. I give in. I will join the ranks of the daily writers and hold myself accountable or face The Claw.

Starting today... (to be continued)

McKoala said...

LOL Phoenix. No.

The Koala is very pleased with Janey. And with Sarah. (It was the cute badges that tipped you over the edge, wasn't it?!)

Sarah Laurenson said...

*sigh* Yep. That cute Koala. It'll get you every time. And then the claws come out. *shudder*

Travis Erwin said...

I'm tardy is saying so, but thanks for your brick donation and kindness. The support of so many has been a true blessing for my family and I. We would still be struggling mightily without the generosity of people like you. Thanks,

Travis Erwin

McKoala said...

Travis, it was a pleasure. A drop in the ocean compared to the finances and strength that you and your family have had to gather.

Sarah Laurenson said...

Got my count (776 for Sunday) up on my sidebar. We'll see how well I do during the week. That's the hardest for me.

Sarah Laurenson said...

OK. I admit. I'm liking this challenge. I might actually get this first draft finished this week. And I'm not feeling like I have to sit down and write 3000 words at one time in order to make decent progress. What a concept.

Next three days I have to be at work before the sun comes up, writing will be at night.

Today's count: 360.

I'll snag a badge sometime, just not sure when.

Thanks for doing this, McK!

JaneyV said...

Word count for today 872 and I may do some more later. This is really helpful!

McKoala said...

"I'm not feeling like I have to sit down and write 3000 words at one time in order to make decent progress. What a concept."

Exactly - it just keeps you going. If you can only manage 100 (done that a few times myself!) that's fine. But you're staying in touch with your writing.

Glad you've both made such a good start on it!

Sylvia said...

I wrote 1600 words today, and some of them were even useful!

Sarah Laurenson said...

OK. Today was not a good day time-wise. Went to the first day of training and it included drinks and dinner - unanounced. On top of that, there were two of us who are vegetarian and we went off on our own for the dinner part. Home, but too tired to think and I have to prep for tomorrow.

Ready for my Smackdown today. *sigh*