For the second year in a row now I’m participating in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). However, unlike last year, this year I dove in with only an over all arch idea. I had no plot points, no characters, and a title I made up two weeks ago. So far I’m off to a pretty good start, all things considered.
Because I’m writing on the fly with only a conglomerate of research ideas that are threads awaiting my weaving I’ve set some ground rules.
- Get all paid assignments done first thing in the morning.
- At 11 a.m. begin writing for one full hour, have lunch then resume until time to pick up kids.
- If at any time I sit staring at the computer for more than a minute with no clue what to write I must get up and do one task of housework.
- During the evening for one hour I can either work on organizing plot points or write more.
- Daily goal is 2,000 words. Over I reward myself, under I kick my own butt to do better the following day.
They may not be perfect rules or even ideal guidelines, but I had to do something. (I mean, other than cut my nails so I could type faster.) Challenging myself as a writer is how I write best. So here’s to kicking my own butt!
Your encouragement is welcome and appreciated.
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