I'm looking at the calendar and realizing how few are the days that separate me and my itchy typing fingers from noveling bliss and terror. This is truly the calm before the creative storm, a time for reflection and the stocking-up of treats. In this short amount of time, my mind is tumbling with ideas, whirling with trepidation and performing short, giddy leaps of anticipation. To calm it somewhat, I thought I'd write down some soothing affirmations to guide me on my logophilic journey.
I will get to bed early on Saturday, Oct. 31 and wake up just before midnight and write a thousand words without even trying.
I will savor all nine of November's weekend days and devote them to plunging ahead wildly in wordcount.
My characters will whisper secrets in my dreams that become perfect plot points to spur the action forward.
Just when I'm getting tired and desparate and frustrated with my story, I will realize the problem that's been holding me back from getting to the climax is really the answer in disguise.
I will ignore clunky passages, incomplete snatches of dialogue or paragraphs with tedious exposition even though my inner editor demands that I go back and tidy things up.
I will -- I WILL -- celebrate 2009 as my first successful attempt at fitting a full story arc into 50,000 words.
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42,741 / 50,000
Oct 23, 2009 - 20 30
I will not let my inner editor get in the way. I will write, write, write knowing that I have the rest of the year to edit.
I will ignore that most of my friends think that I am insane and live in some sort of delusional land as I type away trying to complete a novel.
I will resist the temptation to strangle the next person who says "Soooo....you workin' on that novel?" And I will laugh instead at their clever Family Guy reference.
I will shrug off the fact that some people pat me on the head and say "awww that's so cute that you think you are a writer" (well that may not be their exact words but that is what they mean) in the exact same fashion they did when I attempted to write my first novel when I was 7.
I will not take to heart the raised eyebrow, weak smile and feable "well that sounds interesting...." when I tell others my story idea.
I will not get discouraged.
0 / 50,000
Oct 23, 2009 - 22 36
I will not let the indecisiveness of my characters slow me down. I'll just leave to another plotline and come back later, or flip a coin and make the choice for them.
I will not make excuses for not writing on a day, because any excuse I come with will be weak and lame. Take that excuse out back, do what needs to be done and get back to work.
If I should wander into a field of plot holes, I will skip around them and continue on my way.
If I should write myself into a corner, I will take a sledgehammer, knock down a wall, turn that corner into a passageway and continue on my way.
If I should have a character be uncooperative....s/he dies....and I will continue on my way.
If I should have two characters be uncooperative.....sex scene....and I will continue on my way.
But first things first. For the rest of this month, I will spend time every night working on my outline so that I can go into this at full speed on the highway, not getting lost in some weird residential neighborhood.
And I will most definitely be doing a victory lap on my way to the NaNoWriMo's victory circle for the first time.
35,050 / 50,000
Oct 25, 2009 - 07 54
Good idea! Now we just have to follow them.
I will not be deterred before November even begins.
----------I will not look at all I have to do, scream, give up, and curl up in a corner.
I will take this as a learning experience in managing time.
If I'm not doing as well as I hope, I will not beat myself up over it and just keep writing instead.
I will
notget distracted by the new video games coming out. I will manage to write AND play. Somehow.I will not waste valuable writing time over-researching. I will research as I need and write using what I have.
I won't worry about things being wrong- until December.
I will not get upset over wasting time doing my SATs again when I could be writing.
25,469 / 50,000
Oct 25, 2009 - 12 22
Inspiring! but i only have one...
I will write 50,000 words......hopefully most of them will be noveling words, but I'm not going to be above throwing a random blog post or, in desperation, a facebook status update to further my word count.
----------time for another misadventure
18,420 / 50,000
Oct 27, 2009 - 09 26
I will not be so caught up in homework that NaNo is implausible.
----------I will meet my deadlines on deadline or earlier to leave room for NaNo.
I will write for an hour and a half uninterrupted daily.
I will meet tons of amazing WriMos who will inspire me to push forward.
I will interview said WriMos for a kickass article for class.
I will win, and not die in the attempt.
||Melissa||
2005: Silhouettes (35K)
2006: Halfway to Anywhere (WINNER!)
2007: Plot Twist (WINNER!)
2008: The Source (WINNER!)
2009: Burnout (Resigned @ 18K)