NaNoWriMo 2016

This is technically my third attempt at National Novel Writing Month. My first go-round in 2014 was an exhilarating success. I have rarely been that proud of myself and ready to celebrate an accomplishment. I had learned of NaNoWriMo while I was still in high school and was even a reader for some of my friends. However, I let school be an excuse for not trying for many years until I found myself in a new place with only a few hours of work a week and a burning desire to be challenged and doing something. Last year I wanted to win again thinking that once the baby came I wouldn’t have any time to do it again for a while. Well, two part-time jobs combined with some pregnancy issues killed my motivation. It died a swift and thorough death by about November 2nd.

This year I know that the likelihood of me winning is at about the same level as the chances of me sleeping 8 consecutive hours for the first time since February 12. Regardless, I am going to try anyway. The complete lack of winning ability almost kept me out of it, but I was given copious amounts of encouragement to join the fun and write whatever I can. Even if that is only a few hundred words it will be more than I would have had without trying. These days when my writing time is severely limited, I feel the truth of that: take whatever progress you can grasp. Plus, I love the excitement of so many people racing toward a common goal and of an entire month about one of my favorite things – writing.

My goals are going to look a little different since I don’t actually expect to hit 50,000 words. I am simply going to set a small goal, and once I reach that one, I will then set another small go and so on until the month runs out. First up, I want to hit 1,000 words. Nothing astronomical, but with the way my schedule looks in the coming week it is quite challenging all the same. Today is not off to a raging start, so I’m really wishing that these words could count (pretty, pretty please). Time to get moving!