November is Over and Suddenly the Words Start Again... (Word Count = 62,692)

So it is a new month and magically the words have started to flow again...I'm working on the draft novel that I started writing back in July for CampNanoWrimo. I planned ahead this week...thinking that I would be able to clock some time at Panera on Thursday night...and here I am. The orange wall helping with the words...about 500 written tonight so far.

If I am totally honest, the majority of my word count for this November was some work that I did on this old story from July. It felt like cheating...so I sort of stopped myself from working on it. Every November I have always written a brand new story...and it felt wrong not to do that again. The cool thing is...after I did some merging an organizing I learned a couple of things about my current work in progress.

1) It is 155 pages (so far).
2) It is 62,692 words (so far). For those of you counting at home, that means that I have written 12,334 words since the end of July. About 9K of those were during November.
3) It is Fourteen Chapters (so far).
4) It is a cute, fun little story. My main character and boy hero are adorables...I had forgotten that.

And just like that...I am back in the novel writing game. Did you notice how I noted each of the markers (pages, words, and chapters) with a "so far"? That is hope...I'm gonna finish this one. So there it is...I am off and running again!!

November Numbers...

In the past, November has been all about counting words. Getting to 50,000 words or more in a shitty first draft of a novel was what the past six Novembers has been about. It did not matter how busy I was at work or what was going on in my life, I always managed to barf out a novel. This year has been different, but my goals are still wrapped around numbers...decreasing some and increasing others. In previous Novembers, I needed to write. Writing was fun, it made me happy. This year, it just didn't feel the same. The goals I wanted to hit by December 1 had nothing to do with word count...I wanted my blood sugars to be better, clock hours at the gym, and hit my first weight goal. As the month is winding down, just like in previous Novembers, the truth will be in the numbers. How many days did I get to the gym? What will my A1C number reveal? What will the scale read?

Life in Actions not Words...

So I have not updated about my word count during the past week. That is because last Sunday I had one of those moments where things just hit you...while at Panera surrounded by my NanoWrimo friends I realized something. For the first time in seven years the words were not flowing, the blank page was frustrating me. I always prided myself on being able to fill it no matter what. Something was different. Something had changed. Come to find out, it was me.

It was a very simple realization actually, but for me, those are always the most difficult things to grasp. The sun was shining outside of Panera and I kept looking out the window longingly. I realized that I don't need to do NanoWrimo this November. Instead of writing about life, I want to just live it. The past two and half months have been filled with tremendous transformations for me. I came back from camp in August knowing that I needed to change things. I needed to be a better me. So, that is what I have been doing. Focusing on being a responsible Type 1 Diabetic by eating normally and getting to gym. No tricks, no gimmicks. I have just been working my butt off and it feels really, really good.

I haven't written about all the changes I have been making, because I did not want to jinx things. The truth is, they don't seem like changes. I'm just living my life the way I always I knew that I could. I don't need food to feel better. I don't need a word count to make me feel better. I just need to be me. Joy.

The thinking in between... (Word Count = 10,237)

I'm clocking time at Panera and I keep getting side tracked. My mind keeps wandering away from my story and I am having a really hard time focusing. There is something very different going on in terms of my writing this go around and I'm working my way through it. I used to derive a lot of happiness from the ever increasing word count, but this year it just doesn't feel the same. I'm in another place it seems, which isn't bad, it is just different. I think I'd rather be outside inside of in.

A Struggle and then Ease...(Word Count = 8,214)

I had a tough start today...the words were coming slow. I felt haulted in everything I tried to put together and then it hit me...get back to what you know. I think I forgot what it was about writing that I loved...the free and easy feeling of words flowing when you have a story that you really want to tell. I'm back to that story now...I lost my way...but I am back to it. As a result...I wrote 7K words today. I wanted to get to 10K today, but I am happy with 8K given how hard things were in the early part of the day. It has ended well. Going to sleep feeling really, really good. Tomorrow...more words...hope to clock lots of time at Panera with my NanoWrimo buddies.

First Panera Session in November (Word Count = 2,020)

I'm clocking time at Panera for my first writing session of November with my NanoWrimo Buddies...exciting!! I'm seriously aiming to get to 20K words before the end of the weekend...which means I have a bunch of work to do. I have another goal...during one of the nanowrimo word wars I want to get 1K words in 15 minutes. And then I have one more...I am really, really going to try to stay tonight until Panera closes. I wanna shut this place down. I'm feeling it. Seriously...I can so do this. I am totally going to make this happen.

New Novel, New Routine... (Word Count = 1,212)

Another early rise and shine for me so that I can get this novel going...I got my first 1,000 words and that always feels good. My ideas are starting to shape around how I am actually going to tell the story. I notice now that when I am writing I am much more conscientious about things that I used to just ignore, like tense and head hopping. That makes me feel good...like I have learned a thing or two during the past six years of doing this whole National Novel Writing Month thing.

Here is to hoping that I can keep up my new writing routine...which if I do...I will totally owe to a good cup of coffee, the sturdy kitchen table, and the quiet of the early morning.

And so it begins... (Word Count = 511)

I'm organizing my life around the things I love at the moment and it feels so good. It requires some flexibility and changing a few things up a bit...but hard work always gets you where need to be. The things I'm balancing at the moment include - writing my NanoWrimo novel, my job, time at the gym, cheering on the University of Maryland Men's Soccer team (GO TERPS), and being healthy. Since my family is my core, they are a given. I have actually never been very good at balance, but I am learning. It makes your life much more interesting and fulfilling. It used to just be about work and school. Then it was work. Now...it is what I make of it.

My novel was born this morning and with the first key strokes of my opening line it all started falling into place. My two main characters have names - Nate and Pinkie. I also learned that I'm writing third person omniscient. I also think I might be telling this story from two perspectives. I have never done that before. See, noveling is so exciting!! I did not know any of these things when I woke up this morning. The power of motivation and a cup of good coffee...with those two things you can do anything!!

Best Night of the Year!!

So, it is my favorite night of the year. The night before National Novel Writing Month begins (NanoWrimo) I am beyond giddy at the prospect of writing madly for one month straight to have my 8th...yes that is correct...8th NanoWrimo win. In my typical novel writing style, I have a few things sketched out in my mind. Mainly a title and a basic idea for the premise of my story. I don't have names for my characters. I don't know what they look like. I don't know what kinds of adventures they will go on. I don't know most of the things that that are going to happen to them. I don't know the things that are going to stand in their way. Lots of unknowns...but that is how I like it best. Just like life...

What I do know is that I have a bunch of music that has spurred the premise of my novel What I also know is that I am not writing a chick lit novel either. I'm going back to my writing roots...the sad stuff. The stuff that epics are made of. The hero's journey. I am so excited!! I have often said that when I am happy, I write sad stuff. When I am stressed, I write happy, flighty stuff. So there you have it...judge if you will.

In mere hours I will embark upon a new journey with a bunch of people I haven't met yet. How cool is that? It is just like that feeling you have when you think you might be about to embark upon something fantastic. An inkling of good things being just around the way. That is how I feel right now...the true writer's high. As life high...