Well, we’re just passed the midway point for NaNoWriMo. I am only about 23% of the way to 50k, but that’s ok! I have worked on my story every day, even when that only meant writing 200 words as I was falling asleep before bed. I knew this NaNo was going to be a struggle, but I’m not giving up on it. Todd’s story is slowly taking shape and I am excited about it.
My biggest struggle came with the move. A weekend spent packing and cleaning and loading a u-haul and getting it stuck in the mud and spending two hours figuring out how to get it unstuck. But even on our longest day I still managed to eke out 800 words. And I have a house! And it is wonderful. There are still boxes to unpack, and some things still to be packed up at the apartment, but this is home now. Going to the apartment for little things here and there feels weird.
Another struggle has been work. I’ve been more or less working overtime the last two weeks. If I hadn’t taken last Friday off for the move, I would have wound up with OT last week too. It was not in my plans, though they do tend to encourage OT this time of year to offset all the vacation time people take for the holidays. I feel like I’ve had this struggle with the last two NaNos.
A good thing though, I went to my very first write-in this year. Years past I would always talk myself out of it or something would come up (as it inevitably does) on the one that I had planned to attend. Writing is a very solitary endeavor after all, so going out to be with other writers as they write? Preposterous! Also, intimidating! I am a fraud after all. Must not let them know.
But I packed up my laptop on the first Sunday and drove out to the Starbucks a few towns over and met a bunch of lovely ladies who were very friendly and only a little bit intimidating. And then I went to a bookstore near my office the next night for another one and met even more new people. I would have liked to go to more this week but between OT at work, the move, and the weather, it was not a happening thing. I’m planning to go to at least one more during week 3 and then on the 30th my friend and I are going to an event at The Mark Twain house to spend several hours writing in his library. I am very excited.
So all in all, this NaNo has been great, even if my word count isn’t. It’s once again the weekend, so you would think I have time to do nothing but write, but there are still things to move/clean at the apartment, and I am going to a wine party at my mother’s tonight so I will be traveling overnight. I am going to bring my laptop of course, I will be full of wine so the muse should be dancing through my fingers (she is very fond of wine). Besides, even if I don’t get that beautiful Winner badge, I really want the 30 day writing streak badge.
Hope you are all doing well! And if you’re struggling through NaNo like me, keep at it! You’re doing amazing! Writing is hard, writing every day is harder. Make sure you drink some water, stretch those back muscles a bit, get some fresh air, some real food. Ok, got all that? Good. Now get back to it! You’ve got this!
To all my American readers, have a lovely Thanksgiving! To everyone else, have a lovely remainder of your November! Stay safe out there!
Closet Full of Notebooks 