Bring It, Trube!

Dear Mr. Benjamin Trube, Esq., &c:

WHEREAS we are lifelong Friends, and gentlemen of impeccable Learning and unimpeachable moral Character;

WHEREAS were are engaged separately in the selfsame pursuit, namely, the creation of Literature;

WHEREAS we have both advertised our progress on our Web Journals of late, you having completed 13,242 words on the third draft of your novel Surreality, and I having completed 19,378 words on the second draft of my novel The Crane Girl;

WHEREAS we are both lazy Bums who desperately need a kick in the Pants;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that we shall pursue a Contest, wherein the first of us to achieve the goal of 80,000 words on his current draft, shall receive a Book of his choosing from Half Price Books, at the expense of the other, cost of said volume not to exceed a reasonable Amount. The winner shall furthermore have bragging rights for a period not to exceed three (3) days.

It might be objected, that I have an unreasonable advantage, possessing a head start. Likewise, it might be objected that our tasks differ; for whereas you are revising a complete draft, I am writing all-new material now (my first draft having comprised only a small portion of the to-be-completed story).

However, these two objections would seem perhaps to cancel each other out, or at least to give neither party a clear advantage; and even if one party were indeed advantaged, the other may surely overcome on account of Will and Determination; and anyway, it is all in the name of Writing.

What say you, sir? Shall we duel?!

Sincerely,

Brian D. Buckley

EDIT: Challenge accepted.