Writing Update #14: Am I Ready for NaNoWriMo?
Tis the Season…for NaNoWriMo! If you’ve been reading the blog for a while now (okay since 2019) you know I started NaNoWriMo on a whim in 2019. I had an idea for a story and it took over my brain . Then 2020 happened and I didn’t touch it for couple months…then I was reinspired but some of the plot changed. I was determined to finally finish it during NaNoWriMo 2020…but then Election Week happened and the stress of that truly through me off my groove for November (but yay new President!).
I wrote slowly but surely throughout the beginning of 2021 before a new idea hit me. I did finish my first draft of my solo project over the summer but the first act needs work and the whole thing needs a lot editing before I can sell it. But that new idea has been a huge motivator for me because I’m writing it with Amber!
I spent all of October committing to small, attainable goals. I’m not a full time author (clearly) so I have to fit my writing in around my job and life, and since my job uses a lot of my creative muscles, sometimes I can feel drained at the end of the day. But writing is discipline and Amber and I believe in this story so much.
I’m dedicating National Novel Writing Month to editing my solo project and finishing the first draft of my second project! It may sound like a lot, but I think the balance between editing and writing will be good for my brain. And if one project takes over, that’s okay too!
Something Amber and I have been talking about during our weekly writing meetings is that there is a fine line between giving yourself grace and blowing off your projects. While yes, I do need to give myself the grace and space to make sure I’m not overworking myself, I also need to push myself to make the time to fit writing into my every day schedule.
At this very moment that I’m writing this, I feel good and motivated and so impossibly excited. I can’t wait to share these stories, although the idea does 100% also make me want to throw up lol.
New Strategies:
Setting a goal for 3,000 words a week—I usually go over this but it’s attainable so that when there are weeks that get too busy or I’m just not hitting my stride, I didn’t totally let myself down.
Writing Longhand—I love to write on my laptop because I can keep my page clean and go as fast as possible, BUT writing longhand forces me to just go with it. And then I when transfer my words to my computer, it’s like a first edit which is my favorite part!
I don’t know know if anyone besides me likes these writing updates but I love doing them so thank you for indulging me!