November IWSG and Day 6 of NaNoWriMo

Ah, Insecure Writer's Support Group day during NaNoWirMo.

I have been waiting for this day since joining the group a few months ago.

First, my lack of blog activity is DEFINITELY due to my participation in NaNoWriMo.  And it's been done (or not done) on purpose.  Keeping up with my current pace, even with a day off and one writer's block filled evening, I WILL win/finish this year.  Damnit I will call in sick to work for a day or two if I have to in order to get this done.  The OWNER of the auto-dealership I work at donated to my cause, AND matched my donation, so I'm making him cookies when this is all over.  I HAVE TO WIN!!

Yes, if anyone matches my donation, you will get cookies from me.  I don't care who you are or where you're located, homemade cookies.  Do it all for the cookie.

Seriously though, I will blog here once a week during NaNo, I don't want to completely check out and I don't mean to.  Nag me if it's next Wednesday already and there's nothing here.


I'm feeling pretty good so far with NaNoWriMo.  I did hit a bit of a wall last night, as I mentioned, not reaching by personal daily goal, but I came very close to reaching the NaNo "suggested" goal of 1,667 words (my goal is 2k, I did 1,619 to give a point of reference).  I've been lucky enough to be able to get writing done on my lunch break by taking over the meeting room at work and going at it on my sexy ultra-book I love so much.  I've normally hit an average of 800 to 1k words then, but yesterday, man, only 600.  And I wasn't getting all ADHD and screwing around on Facebook and other things.  I stared at Word and my outline/prewriting and not a thing could come over.  I knew what I had to write about, I just couldn't spit the words out.  The same thing happened at home, only I spewed out 1k over a course of 3 hours.  THREE HOURS!  I have up when I saw it was 10PM and climbed in bed.

Bleh.

And today, tomorrow as well, I work the late shift at work, 11AM to 8PM, getting home at 8:30.  Yes, I could be using my two hours this morning to work on my word count.  Will I?  depends how much longer it takes me to write this blog post.  Plus I gotta shave my legs so I'll need more time to shower.

TMI.  Sorry.  But serious, I got Endor all over my calves and Adam's getting weirded out.  I know there's sacrifices to be made this month to achieve 50k and there's the whole No Shave November, but yeah, sorry, no, Robin Williams legs have no place here.  Moving on!

I woke up this morning and sat at my computer knowing I wasn't going to write in terms of my novel.  This morning, at least.  I really wanted to share this blog post as I'm positive there others in the IWSG also doing NaNo who may not be "pros" and more of a newbie like me.

Hey, read this.

50,000 words.  Fifty thousand words.  That's fucking frightening.

BUT.

It's a rough draft.  I've read so many things about firsts drafts of a novel, as I'm sure you have, and guess what.  They're a fucking mess.  I had to take time this morning to remind myself of that.  If you have to crank out 2,000 words that sound like a preschooler retelling their version of Little Red Riding Hood, so be it.  Because you are most likely going to go back in December or January or whenever and start to revise it.  THEN you can make it sound bad ass, in your voice, without plot holes, and with all the names of the characters.  I am still referring to a key player as Good Guy Board Member and another as Asshat Board Member.  I will use Ctrl+F in December to find all those and change them to Brad and Gavin or whatever I decide.

Focus your energy on QUANTITY right now.  I have to keep telling myself that.  QUALITY is for December, QUANTITY is what will give you bragging rights to run around the house in your pajamas on November 30th at 11:30PM when you reach that 50k.


I am awesome at being a sarcastic hardass if you want help getting nudged along, or want to help nudge me along.  Find me at any of these procrastination stations:

NaNoWriMo Forums: doregan8
Tumblr: Dara the Writer
Twitter: @DaratheWriter



Sidenote: HOLY SHIT THE BEARS BEAT THE PACKER AND WE BROKE AARON ROGERS!!  That is all.

One more sidenote: Chuck Wendig I find absolutely hilarious, truthful, and some of the best and my most favorite pieces of wisdom when it comes to writing.  I highly suggest following his blog, if you're not already, during this month for "conversations" he has with you during the NaNoWriMo Journey.