Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Exhaustion

Weary NaNo writers, today’s entry is for you. There are some days when you simply do NOT feel like writing. Yesterday’s writing session was long and tiring. You made progress, but you don’t feel like you’ve written enough to help. Regardless of that extra hour you carved out to help you catch up, you’re still behind. Many have already won, and you’re still struggling to make it through your current scene.

Take a Break

Though time is important, your sanity as a writer is also important. If you spend too much time writing, you will become convinced that your story is no good, everything you’ve written deserves to be thrown away, and you were never cut out to be a writer. You recognize those thoughts? So do I. Doubt runs rampant in the last few days of NaNo. You are a writer. You can do this. You will not quit, because your story needs an ending. You want to prove those people wrong who told you that you couldn’t do it, don’t you?

But in order to maintain that confidence, you need to step away from your story for a bit. Breathe. Focus on something else. Go clean something that you’ve been neglecting. You’d be amazed what even a short break will do for your state of mind.

Advice From Dory


I was encouraging a fellow Wrimo the other day, and I found myself quoting Dory from Finding Nemo. “Just keep swimming” was her mantra when she was lost in the Australian waters. Though Marlin was frustrated and had no idea where to go, Dory was right beside him, annoying him with her happy little song. Without Dory’s confidence, Marlin would have never found Nemo again.

So today, friends, no matter how discouraged you are, remember to keep swimming. Keep doing what you know to do. Regardless of how little you believe in your ability to cross the finish line, regardless of your plot-related roadblock or how far behind you are, just keep swimming.

See what happens when you keep on going. Unless you make it through this dip in the road, you will never know what could have taken place. Don’t give up! You’re close to the finish line! If you buckle down and go on despite your exhaustion, you'll make it!



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