Word Count Update

So this new novel has been pouring out of me as if it were on fire and I can't get it out fast enough. This has caused some admiration and jealousy among my writer friends. And while I am flattered by the admiration, I'm not writing this thing for those reasons. I'm not driven to write it like this for compliments. I just feel like I was born to write this thing.

 

And yet I've been derailed the last few days simply by telling a story about my past. I've been encouraged to work that story up into a novel and I am now burning on two stories at once. I really can't complain. Sure in some ways my word count has slowed down, but it always slows down at this middle point in the novel. And in a few more words I will be back to the fever when I wrap this thing up.

 

So if you are struggling with word count during NaNo, I understand. It wasn't always like this for me. I struggled my first couple of years. But I sit down every day and write. It's a part of who I am. But I can say, write every day. Well five days a week at least. But write, even if it is only 500 words. You will have days when it all comes together and then you'll be fine.

 

Writing isn't a hard thing to do, until it's the hardest thing in world to do. That's because, I believe, more than any other form of work, writing is so psychological. Your inner demons get inside your head and disrupt you. Your arrogance gets inside your head and makes you sloppy. Your world view is infused with every word. And when it is rejected it hurts.  Just keep pushing that back and you will come through. Remember NanNo is a voluntary commitment. Fail epically. Don't hit your word count? Who cares? I don't. I just want you to dig deep within yourself and produce something only you can do. Don't have anyone like it, so what? I still admire you for trying. Keep pushing my friends, keep pushing.

 

Love,

Melanie