October 31st (the day before NaNoWriMo)
It’s been a hot minute but I’m actually excited to write. I haven’t stopped writing, but there’s a special type of excitement that comes from starting a new project or doing a writing event/challenge like NaNo. In this case, I’m sort of doing both.
I’m generally a pantser, doing some planning but going into the project relatively blind. This is how I generally write. This time is a little different though because I’m rewriting a project from 2018 NaNo. All I know at the moment is the book is going to be very different from the original.
In the past, I’ve actually stayed up late to start out of anticipation. This year, I don’t plan on doing so, for no particular reason other than I’m getting to a point where I simply can’t stay up late anymore.
If it weren’t for COVID I would probably head out tomorrow to some random cafe and write there. But, life will not allow that this year. To celebrate the kick-off I may do something special, maybe order some nice food, or something along those lines.
I’m ready for this year! Hopefully, I win! And to all participating this year: I wish you all the luck as well and will be cheering you on!
November 1st (NaNoWriMo begins!)
I’m a writer by trade, but COVID really fucked with me this year and made it hard for me to find the proper motivation to write. I’ve written, I haven’t stopped, but it’s stilted and just not to my standards. (Laughs) Maybe that’s what I get for having such high standards.
I really struggled to get words today and was about 200 words short of the 1667 word goal. Which is odd for me who generally write 2000 words a day. I hope it’s just because it’s the beginning of NaNo and tension is high.
I hope other writers have had better luck than I. I really do. I’m still looking forward to participating, and am trying to not let a bad day get me down. If you had a day like mine I hope you can do so as well!
November 2nd
Keeping it short, sweet, and honest: I did not write today and I’m not sorry.
November 3rd
So I’ve already managed to stray from traditional NaNo as a result of “writer’s block.” I just wasn’t vibing with the project I started, so I made the decision to jump around a couple of ideas. Nothing has stuck so far, but hopefully, something does soon, cause I’m not sure I want this NaNo to be all over the place like it was for me last year.
November 6th
Okay, just hear me out: ACOTAR, but gay.
Other than that sudden idea, I didn’t really write today, at least not the sort of stuff NaNo calls for. A couple of reviews are about it, otherwise, the words have run dry. Of course, till inspiration hit.
Am I going to be abandoning the project I’ve already started? Maybe, I’m not sure yet. That’s the thing about writing, you write what needs to be written, not always what you schedule to write.
November 8th
I spent most of yesterday contemplating book ideas. It takes a long time to conceptualize books to a point where I’m comfortable enough to write them. This usually involves a lot of naps, many hours on Pinterest and TikTok, and a lot of time just staring into nothingness. But due to spending my day simply thinking, I didn’t get any writing done. Therefore I’m even more behind on my NaNo goal.
I’m still confident that I will be able to catch up since it’s still so early in the month. Also, I want to try having a 10k word day, even though the mere idea scares the crap out me.
Today I plan on trying to at least make the NaNo website’s recommend word goal, which is around my standard word goal.
From participating this year, I’m definitely seeing how my writing routine has changes and well as my writing goals. A long time ago I’ve stopped focussing on word-based goals and moved to “scene”- based goals. Though I find, even in doing that, I still write the dame general amount of words. I just put less stress on me on days I don’t write as much as long I wrote a full scene of something. It’s very interesting how one’s writing can change over the years.
Crystina Luna 