NaNo-What-O?

I decided to accept the challenge. I think I'm crazy, but right now, who cares. I'm hoping this challenge will help me develop perseverance, confidence, and mad writing skills. This challenge is called "NaNoWriMo" - it stands for National Novel Writing Month. The goal is to write a 50,000 word novel during the month of November. The prize is knowing I tried. Really.

Honestly, I haven't written much since May. Actually, other than journaling here and there and a weekly blog post, I haven't been writing. The summer, full of travel, organizing, researching, and planning other endeavors, didn't provide me the mental opportunity to write. So, I gave myself permission not to write for awhile.

By September, I missed writing - so much so I felt it in my soul. I decided the NaNoWriMo challenge provided the perfect introduction to writing again. I'll admit, I waivered a bit. Okay, I waivered the whole month of October. I overwhelmed myself with thoughts like "I'm too busy," "I feel overwhelmed," and "What if I don't write 50,000 words?" Finally, I decided "Who cares?" Yes, I'm busy, but if I'm organized, I can do it. So what if I don't meet the word count? I would still write more than if I didn't do the challenge. It just took me a while to reach these conclusions. I signed up for NaNoWriMo October 28 - four days before the contest started. I'm glad I did though. Five days into the challenge, and I'm enjoying it. I'm also finding myself a bit more organized in order to fit everything into the day.

I'll keep you updated on my progress throughout the month. Not just word count, but how I'm feeling about the challenge. Who knows what will be next after the month of November. Maybe I'll edit and rewrite my novel or maybe I'll move on to nonfiction. Either way, I already feel encouraged through this process and I know it will only bring good things.