Day 8

When: 8:30 - 11:20
Where: same spot.
What: 1 story line
How: I sent my family away today. K took the girls to his mom's house so that I could get stuff done. I needed to write, of course, but I also need to do some cleaning around the house for book club tomorrow. Since the writing is the top priority, I needed them out of here or neither thing would get done. I also tuned my living room stereo in to my yoga itunes playlist. The natural sounds really helped center me and propel the writing. Since the main theme of my NaNo project is nature it got me deeper in the story.
Adapt? I would love to send the kids away more often. I think I will be doing this each Saturday until I leave on my trip at the end of the month. I love my kids, but they take too much concentration and steady writing is not really possible with them around. They will get older and it will be easier, but for now they have go to go, go, go.

I thought about keeping the baby, but I am glad I decided to send her with K. I am so very proud of myself for today's writing. Even if I do not get any more words out today. I have accomplished a lot today. And I now KNOW that I can get to 50K, I just might have to send the distractions to Nana's house.

Time to check in with my mentor, then off to have lunch and clean for book club.

Word Count: 15471 (2567 this morning)
I plan to write more during the day, my personal goal is to meet 16K today.

Day 7

Daughter meltdown tonight. She was OCD about a water cup and clingy and 2. I have found that writing when upset is hard. Writing when the kids are screaming is even harder.

But, as my mentor (Devon) suggested, I pushed on through as if my bills depended on it. I actually have one thing up on that account. I will still eat if I do not write. (Thank you husband.) However, I have found that a writer will slowly go insane if she stops writing. I am having to write myself out of a padded room. Giving up a dream is the worst thing a person, namely me, can do for herself. Without a dream, I have no goal to work toward, no reason to strive for goodness, no way to soar. I might not write to eat, but I write to live.

Write like your life depends on it. I will.

Word Count: 12766 (1690 today)

Day 6

When: 10:30 - 11:45, 3:00-5:00
Where: same place
What: At noon I had 3 partial stories. 339, 23 and 448 words. The first began last night and did not resume. The second was too quiet compared to the third one that was yelling.
How: As fast as I could because I had some place to be at noon. And tonight is date night. I wanted to be at least @ 11K before I had to leave.
Why: I refuse to sit idly by and beg a story to be written. That's not going to get the word count done. I can be nice in December. For now, keep my fingers speedy or off with your head.
Adapt? The story that ran today was 1800 words. This impressed me immensely seeing the other stories average out at 1400. This story also happened to be the beginning. I have been writing without knowing where things started and ow they got to me. So, now I have a base to jump from.

Word count: 11076 total (1854 today)

PS.. I love all of you for commenting and sharing your wisdom. I hope to keep up with all my nano friends after this month has passed. But for now? Write like the wind!

Day 5 (Begin Rant)

I announced my word count in IRC today and was asked. “Watchya writing about.” Before I could even answer my inner critic was personified. “If it’s like most of NaNo it’s crap.” Wow, how hateful This bitch doesn’t even know me or what I am writing.

Shame on me for letting it get to me, but my word count has not moved since then. Having my critic personified and talking to other people about me and my writing. That’s debilitating. That’s down right evil.

(end rant)

Good think I wrote 1500 words before that episode.
Word Count: 8801

Day 3 & 4

When: I have 2 times that are working for me. Early morning, while kids sleep/watch cartoons and after they are in bed. T/Th I don't start until after my oldest in in Preschool. But that worked well for me today.
Where: Same place, on my laptop with my buns on the couch.
What: still no novel yet, but I have written 4 children's stories in 4 days. I started my writing dreams writing as a child, maybe that's just the type of writer I am. It would explain why the novels always lose my interest.
How: I had help with the planing. My daughter loves faeries. I wanted something timeless like Milne created with Christopher Robin. Husband said try this. I did and 4 stories later I have a rhythm.
Why: When I wrote the first drafts of both novels I always said I'd finish before my kids were born, or before my oldest turned 1. I knew I was writing for my kids, but the topics were my topic not theirs. I think maybe I just woke up smarter on 11/2 when I decided that this year's Nano would include children's stories
Adapt? I'm little disappointed there's not yet a novel in me trying to get out, so I will continue thinking plot lines in my head but I am happy with this clip. Each story is roughly 1500 words. Obviously it would be nice for them to want to be 1700, but you know how that goes. I tried to pause in the middle of 1 story today and was not able to clear my mind for other tasks. 2 stories a day is not a good pace though. Even my Nano mentor is not writing 3K a day. My personal goal is 2K/day. I need to find away to adapt to word count vs content. 50K is about 34 of these stories. I think I will be researching selling/publishing after Nano.

Who knew I had this in me? I might have but I am still pleasantly surprised.

Word count: 1601 (7472 total), 1 story (4 total)

Day 2

No writing today due to Ren Fest. Had fun, but need to catch up.