It’s been 16 days, since NaNoWriMo started. During that time I’ve been:
Excited
Happy
Tired
Dazed
Blank
Ornery (so I’ve been told)
Annoyed
Annoying
Preachy
and Undead.
Seriously, a few days ago I began developing headaches and I think it was the lack of sun and a vitamin D deficiency. I’ve experience more make-up free days than I’ve had in a long time. Thankfully, a long walk on a beautiful sunny day was just the thing I needed.I honestly did not know what I expected when I embarked on this experience. Yeah, I thought I would write a lot and finish my manuscript before we extensive editing began and careful ninja slicing of hopefully only 1/3 of everything I wrote.I kept wondering how I was going to write 1667 words every single day. I am relieved that I have been able to surpass it.
I’m super proud to say that I’m at almost 28,000 words in the first 15 days.
I’m not going to lie, my people. THIS. IS. HARD. By the time I get to bed at night, I sink like a stone because my brain is super fried but I have to say… It’s rewarding hitting my own personal quota almost every day. I do 2000 instead of the 1667 except for one day but I was sick so I give myself a pass for it.
Oddly enough the most difficult thing is what’s helped me out the most. I am a natural pantser but planning the scenes out not word by word but giving myself a Setting, Goal, and Plan has been a life changer. It has made all the difference.
Another super hard thing has been curving the urge to edit as I go. I need to make it pretty and not allowing myself the time to think of the exact right, compelling words has been brutal. But I told myself I could do it and am doing it. I have to slap myself on the wrist A LOT.
I learned a lot about myself this month. The first thing is: I can do this. You know how at night you have those self-doubts and those little negative voices that whisper? I have them too but I’ve learned to slap those little voices and keep marching on. I’m too tired from thinking all day. I have to go to sleep because I have a goal and…
If you’re going through this torture along with me, hang in there. You can do this. While this is hard, it’s not impossible. Yeah you’ll be mad at times cause there is so much in your head and around you (HELLO? TRYING TO WRITE A BEST-SELLER HERE) but at the end of the day this is something you want to do for yourself. Give yourself the chance to prove it to YOU.