(You might want to read my killer headline again. Sparks of genius like that come around only every 3rd year.)
November is National Novel Writing Month (www.NaNoWriMo.org), and I’ve accepted the challenge to write at least 50,000 words from November 1 – 30. The good news is I wrote almost 3,000 words yesterday. The bad news is I still have over 47,000 to go and won’t be blogging much in November.
I’m a writer first. A blogger second. I don’t write to support the blogging; I blog to support the writing. Both are important for different reasons. But for me, blogging is really a community thing, like sitting around a giant table in coffee shop with a handful of good friends and hours of engaging conversation. I love it. Just as I can’t afford to sit in a coffee shop for the rest of my life (wouldn’t it be dreamy???), there are times when I need to push my chair back from the blog table and get a little work done.
November is such a time. I took a little break in July, but for different reasons that what I’m doing now. This month I’m working on both a non-fiction and fiction book, which means I’ll be tackling word count for both. Ideally, I’d like to write during the weeks only and take a break on the weekends. However, that means I need to write just under 2,400 words every week day.
All this to say I won’t be posting much this month, if at all (other than Seven4Seven, of course). I’ll try to keep you apprised to my progress.
By the way, in the event you were wondering, I’m not the LEAST bit opposed to over-the-top cheering, and gifts of chocolate and java are mucho appreciated as well as story ideas for those moments when fingers stiffen and eyes glaze over.
Three cheers for November!
Good call Michele, keep your priorities in line.
Blogging does not count for your NaNo total, so why waste the words. 🙂
There will be lots to blog about after the challenge is done on Nov. 30.
you go girl!
Thanks, friends. Its an adventure!
I admire your tenacity. Good Luck. I’d bring you cookies and coffee if I lived closer.
Gifts of chocolate? Hmm…doesn’t that have refined sugar? (wink)
Ok, so you totally put this in perspective for me. It is something I have been thinking about a lot. I have been threatening to write a book for a year now. I haven’t written the first thing for it though because I seem to use all my available hours blogging. Hmm…maybe, I need to restructure this a bit…By the way, thank you so much for your kind words today. It meant a lot! Really.
Keith, are you my conscience??? Of course, what I MEANT to say is gifts of SUGAR-FREE dark chocolate are welcome. Other than cheating during last week’s snow-in (and loving every minute of it), I’m still sugar-free. Mostly. So there.
Chrystie, you are so very welcome. Love your heart. As for the blogging, it’s tough trying to find the balance between blogging/twitter/facebook and the core of what I believe I’m called to do as a writer. Many times I’ve allowed the lesser to rob the greater,thus I’m working toward better focus and boundaries. Blogging is a great way to grow as a writer, and can benefit others in a profound way. But at some point you’re going to have to write that book. 😉 Let me know if I can help.