I've entered a marathon. Not a fund-raising muscle-burning jog around the bay. No, a run like that is many miles out of my comfort zone.In the spirit of Novel Writing Month, I signed up for NaNoWriMo, a writing marathon. Participants must produce a 50,000 word novel by month end. That means I have to throw down close to 2000 words every day for 30 days. For some writers this comes easy. But not for writers like me who agonize over every word. Is it a repeat? Active voice? Does it express exactly what I mean? For me, November will be a month of overcoming word obsessions. The distracting colors of spell and grammar check distract so they'll be turned off. A slip of the finger here or there won't matter. All that matters is that words flow unstopped from my brain to the screen.
I've buddied up with other NaNoWriMo devotees. A little encouragement from a friend is always welcome in a marathon. A buddy 10,000 words ahead can send an encouraging message . . . don't give up, keep those fingers moving. Remember, write in November, edit in December!
November is home to both my daughter's birthday and mine. A little celebration, a chunk of cake and then back to the keyboard. It's also Christmas shopping month . . . In preparation, I've picked the brain of a shopping friend. She's given me retail websites and other gift ideas. Perhaps every five thousand words, I'll break to fill my on-line shopping cart. "Drop my purchases at the door. No signatures please.
I'm tied up in my den, plunk, plunk, plunking out the next great historical fiction."If I make it to the 50,000 word finish line, it'll be a great accomplishment for a slow-poke like me. I'll need an occasional walk and a daily upturn on my inversion table to keep my body from seizing up. Hours of sitting at my laptop make my knees scream and shoulders ache.
If you see me puffing along the writing trail, yell at me, in your outside voice . . . keep moving, ignore joints and other distractions. No pain no gain. Pick up the pace .
.jpg)
