Three days = 4,505 words - Got to keep focus and maximize output

Wow, this is really challenging.

I am slightly behind schedule. However, I have decent reasons. #1: My mother-in-law came in Thursday night, and #2: It was my wife’s birthday yesterday. I simply cannot ditch my family to write whenever I feel like it. I had to spend time with them today and yesterday.

All and all, I am in decent shape.

The biggest challenge about NaNoWriMo so far is maximizing output in the time I have available. I thought I’d be able to do 1,500-1,800 words an hour. I’m not anywhere near that.

It makes me realize that I have not done nearly enough planning on characters, setting and plot. I just need to keep writing – despite any holes or inconsistencies.

I will make up the 500 words I am short as well as another minimum 1,667 tomorrow.

We gain an hour tonight. Yes!

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Day 1 Complete - 1,670 words

I completed what I hope will be my hardest day of this project. I spent at least 3 plus hours working on my writing today—about 3 times longer than I hoped I would for this many words.

I need to stop editing. I just need to write. Stop worrying about the quality of dialogue and sequence of ideas. Just keep writing. I do not have time to deal with the internal critic.

I feel really proud that I have begun, particularly since I had a very busy day at work today.

Day 1 is complete. I am happy – for now.

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OK, it's just about "GO" time!!!

I just got off of a conference call with China for a major project that I need to deliver in the next few weeks (among numerous other career commitments), my wife is pregnant, I just completed my third marathon of 2007, my mother-in-law is coming this weekend… what other excuses can I think of to avoid this task?

None! Nor do I want to… I’ve made a writing commitment. It’S NA NO WRI MO time!

We are exactly 2 hours and 15 minutes from National Novel Writing Month. I have no idea how I got myself into this little predictament. Wait, yes, I do, I am wildly ambitious, creative and dedicated to constant challenges and adventures which I believe will fulfill me as a human being. Once I set a goal, I deliver. And this one I set for myself, no matter how difficult I KNOW it will be.

I know I can I do it. I’ve got the story outline, the skill and the ambition to hammer out a story in 30 days. It will not be perfect or remotely pretty. It will hurt, like all ten of my marathons have at the end (although this one may hurt more in the beginning than the end), but I will succeed.

We all have lots of things going on in life. This is important. I can make the time. One solid, uninterrupted hour of robust productivity will get me to the finish line on November 30. I can do this. I will need to adjust constantly, but I have the planning experience to make it happen. It’s GO time!

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November is rapidly approaching - It's getting close to "GO" time!

November is rapidly approaching, which means I will begin writing. A lot.

I have my outline nearly complete. I have a decent story line.

I think I have a pacing plan figured out. I think I can average 30 meaningful, thoughtful words per minute when I free write. This would include time for pauses and “on the fly” quick edits.

If I can do this, then hard hour = 1,800 words. If I put in a single hard, dedicated hour per day every single day, I would write 54,000 words in a month. This plan leaves margin for error.

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Holy crap. I am signed up. No turning back now...

Dear Writing Self:

In case you weren’t paying attention, this is to inform you that I am officially signed up for NaNoWriMo.

That’s why you’re feeling that sudden surge of anxiety.

50,000 words in a month. No editing. Just 1,667 words per day output for 30 days. Eegads.

I haven’t written that much toward a novel in a year. I am running the Chicago Marathon this Sunday. Four weeks until a entirely different kind of marathon begins.

Yours Truly,
The Former Non-Writer

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OK, it's getting to be crunch time

I need to commit to this goal quickly. I need to have an outline written up by month’s end.

I am currently in the middle of an assignment in China, from which I am temporarily on break. I have a marathon this weekend in Chicago.

It’s going to be a challenge, but I need to give this a shot in the month of November.

See more progress on: Do NaNoWriMo

Regaining focus on writing

So I have written quite a great deal about how I wanted to make a big step forward with writing in 2007. I have to admit my focus on writing has plummeted in the last two months or so.

I have been spending some much energy and planning efforts on running and career that I have not locked myself in a room to start planning for NaNoWriMo as yet.

I think it is also harder in the summertime. Fact is that I am not a professional writer. I have a profession that consumes me. And I have a passion in running that costs me anywhere from 6 to 12 hours per week. And in the summertime, I have parties to attend and lots of daylight (and lots of lots of running).

This forthcoming week I will run 84 miles in seven days. That's probably about 11 hours of running - then add on change time, stretching, driving to and from runs, recovering and you're looking at 15-16 hours in the next week.

I committed to try NaNoWriMo in November. To do this, I need to have a clear outline constructed before November 1st comes. It's not that far away. I will carve out some time in the next month to start piecing together an outline. I will use tips and tactics learned in my recent writing course.

I hope to write about progress toward the early beginnings of an outline on here by end of August.