We’re 10 days in. That’s already a whole third through NaNoWriMo! How are you doing so far?
Here’s how my first 10 days went.
Day 1:
- cups of coffee drunk = 3
- minutes spent freaking out (is this is the right book, is my outline good enough) = 25
- minutes spent procrastinating by checking Twitter, Instagram, and the NaNo site = 47
- hours spent rewriting outlines = 4.5
- hours spent writing = 1.5
- words written = 1,111
- hours spent feeling accomplished = .5 (until I realized I was already behind)
Total Word Count = 1,111
Day 2:
I wrote 2,137 words, which was me trying to catch up a little from day 1. I was on track, and off to a good start. Then . . .
Total Word Count = 3,248
Day 3:
. . . Do you hear crickets?
Total Word Count = 3,248
Day 4:
Write in day! The write in was awesome. I got there a few hours early and spent time journaling and reading the Bible. Then everyone started showing up and it was a great time! Except I wrote 8 words. 8. Technically, I wrote a few thousand before the write in started, but it wasn’t part of my novel. Some people said to include it, but I don’t include words I’ve written for work or my blog, so that doesn’t seem right. If I counted every word I typed, I’d finish NaNo in 5-10 days, but I’d still have no new novel.
Total Word Count = 3,256
Day 5:
Better! 1,087 words, but now I’m behind.
Total Word Count = 4,349
Day 6:
Too much crap going on. Didn’t get to write today. I’ll hit it hard tomorrow.
Total Word Count = 4,349
Day 7:
Even more crap. No hitting. Getting seriously behind now. Seriously.
Total Word Count = 4,349
Day 8:
Starting to wonder if this will be the first year I actually don’t win NaNoWriMo, and feeling really panicky about it.
Total Word Count = 4,349
Day 9:
Completely freaking out now. Don’t look at the target. Don’t look at the target. I looked. I should be at 15,000 by today. Crap.
Total Word Count = 4,349
Day 10:
Family was in town. That’s my excuse and I’m sticking with it. I’m refusing to hear the little voice in my mind shouting, “Fail! Fail! Fail!”
Total Word Count = 4,349
Things aren’t going great. With a lot happening in my personal world, I’m finding it hard to make the time and find the head space to write well. And I don’t want to write badly, so I’ve been procrastinating anytime I don’t think I can sit and write well. I might have to just get over that and lay down the words if I’m going to finish. I’ll worry about making it good in December when it’s editing time.
Hoping the next third goes much, much better. My winner is shirt is ordered, so if I have to pull a week of 10k-a-day words and the dishes pile up in the sink, I just might have to order pizza and not leave my chair.
Sincerely hoping your NaNo is going better than mine!