What are we talking about today?

I'll get back to theme days once I find a groove of posting regularly. In the meantime, most of my posts are about some variation of books, bikes, buses, or Broadway. Plus bits about writing, nonprofits, and grief from time to time.

This blog is mostly lighthearted and pretty silly. It's not about the terrible things happening in the world, but please know that I'm not ignoring those things. I just generally don't write about them here.

18 November 2019

NaNoWriMo Survival

Dear readers,

I am not dead! Okay, see you after NaNoWriMo.

I kid! I have a few more words than that for you.

See those people hard at work? Do that.
Normally, I would credit the photo creator, but I pulled this from
my blog archives and today's other NaNoWriMo survival
tip is "Don't look up anything that's not life or death."
I'll correct this oversight when NaNo is over.
Yes, I've been gone for a very long time, and that long absence is because the internet sucks. (By "sucks" I don't mean mine is slower than usual; I mean people are awful. If you think I mean you, then you should really spend some time with that thought.) However, it's clearly not going to get any better with me avoiding it, so here I am with a few words for those of us in the throes of NaNoWriMo.

But if you're not a WriMo, one more thing before you go: I have lots of blogging plans for 2020. And some things for the rest of 2019. Make sure you have me bookmarked.

So! NaNoWriMo friends, we are in the messy middle. This is the trenchiest that NaNo gets. Initial enthusiasm may have waned, you may be a bit behind, and there are still two weeks to go, or maybe your plot has fizzled and the big twist turned out to be more of a crinkle.

Friend, you got this. Butt in chair, fingers on keys, and write down everything you can think of. Jump to a fresh page and write some backstory. Skip to that scene that you've been building up to but haven't yet figured out how to connect the dots to. Transcribe the conversations you overhear in the office. Do what it takes to get some words on the page, because your brain won't kick in with ideas if you're too paralyzed to get the fingers moving.

Having said that, here are a few more survival tips:
  1. Convenience foods are your friends. Pre-cut fruits and veggies are a godsend. For you or for your family; they'll be fine.
  2. Don't host Thanksgiving at your house. (It may be too late for this one for some of you.) If you do, tell your guests to expect dust, because NaNo. If they don't get that, they should not get any of your pumpkin pie.
  3. Minutes matter. In line at the store? Waiting at the school pickup? Ten minutes between meetings? Pull out your phone and get some words down.
  4. BACK. UP. EVERYTHING. Twice!
  5. If social media isn't helping, it's hurting. Turn off Facebook and Instagram for a couple weeks. Everybody will be cool with it.
  6. And finally... keep moving. If you're awake (and please do be getting a reasonable amount of sleep!), you're doing something. That's the way to make it to 50K before November 30.
That's all I've got! I have to get back to writing now, so let me know your best NaNoWriMo survival strategy. I will happily put them all to good use.
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