Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Nine Days Left!

I told you at the beginning of this journey that the way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. I want you to take a moment today and look through what you’ve already written. You did that in less than three weeks! If life hasn’t been too crazy, you have probably passed some roadblocks and wrote something even when you didn’t want to.

Now, as the holidays approach, you’re going to be tempted to skip writing because life is too hectic. If you’re ahead in your word quota, feel free to skip a day. If you’re running behind, you could have time to catch up. If you choose to take the day off, remember you’re going to buckle down and write more when you get back to it. If you could get even half an hour of writing in during the next few days, it will help you cross the finish line.

If you’re cooking over the next few days, use that time to either mull over plot problems or solutions, or regale an uninformed relative of your story. If you get excited about your story again, you’re going to keep writing the moment you have time enough until you finish.

Don’t Lose Momentum!

If you choose to take a day off, come back to your story! Whether or not you feel you can finish by the end of the month, come back to your story. Use your time off to think about what could happen next. Do not use your vacation day as an excuse to never come back to the story.

Do you want that file on your computer to always haunt you as the thing you never finished? Do you want to look at in a few months and go “I could have finished that!” Sure, you can finish it after the November deadline, but I want as many people as possible to cross the 50k mark with me.

This is a personal challenge. What can you do in thirty days? How much can you write? How much of it will be good?

You’ll never know if you quit before the end. So, enjoy your break and come back. Prove to me, yourself, your family, and especially your naysayers that you can do this. One bite at a time.

2 comments:

  1. This is a great idea! I know that there are people out there who need the inspiration and encouragement. Even though you may not have a lot of readers at the moment, this is important.

    Hope this gives you a little encouragement too!

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  2. Thanks! I've already reached 50k, and I don't have thanksgiving dinner coming up; I'm Canadian, and there's not so much to be thankful for up here in late November. ;)

    I actually just picked up a package of boneless turkey, and it's staying in the freezer until Friday night, when I'll take it out, brine it overnight, and roast it Saturday morning. But that won't keep me from getting some words done. Hopefully by the weekend I'll have figured out a new novel idea to get 10k words into before November is done!

    Hurray.

    I'm spotlighting Nanowrimo writers from now until November 30th. Find out more here: http://kelworthfiles.wordpress.com/2012/10/05/shining-a-spotlight-on-wrimos-again/

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