One day at a time

Ten days into National Novel Writing Month, I'm sitting here in my weekend writing nook looking back on the things I've learned and what I've got laying ahead of me.

As much as I try have written every single day even if it's a paragraph or edit one sentence, I'm realizing that it's not enough. Thank goodness I've decided to take on the NaNoWriMo challenge this month cause it is teaching me more about my writing habits than I thought I knew.

First off, it's impossible to write the same number of words each day, but it is good to set goals that push your limits. Limits that you have to work for yet, here's the big things, they are still obtainable.

Second, having a writing buddy/a little competition helps (or does for me). This way you have to check in with someone at some point to talk about your word count. This person is in the same boat as you and can sympathize with the good, the bad, and the ugly that comes along with writing. Not everyone goes through the same things and it helps having that person to push you to get that word count even if it's a lot less than what you had wanted to get.

Third, stop over thinking things and just get it down on the page. Having too many insecurities over which word to choose or when you realize it's the 5th time you've used the same word on the page doesn't mean you should stop right then and have a break down. It's your first draft. NO ONE IS PERFECT ON THERE FIRST DRAFT. And if you or anyone thinks that I'm sorry but you're lying to yourself and everyone else. There are always things you can do to improve your story, your characters, and whatnot. Take a deep healing breath and know that you can come back to fix things later. If you have a blank page you don't have anything to come back to when it's time to edit. From the short time I've been taking my writing seriously, I've learned this big thing about writing....ready for it.....the real writing is in the editing. Whooo I know. That was a big one. Here's another tidbit I've already said but will repeat that falls into the whole editing thing....ready? If you don't have anything written down you have no where to go. No place to improve. You're just stuck.

Fourth, the more I write my story (currently doing a full rewrite on a paranormal romance) the more my characters surprise me. Like in life these fictional characters are evolving, keeping me on my toes.

Fifthly, no matter if you are a writing machine busting out thousands of words and hour or if, like me right now, you are fighting for every single word, congratulate yourself. You are writing a mother fing book people! That is something that not everyone can do and it's hard. Really hard to keep right at it.

I know I had a list in my last couple of blogs and some of them are repetitive. Yet, here I am doing it again. Here's the thing...I've said it out loud and I need to keep saying. I'm still learning these lessons myself. Saying them and repeating the good habits are hard and important to me. If you want to become a full time author, and I do, then these are things you have to do, or so I'm learning from watching those who are doing what I will one day join the ranks in.

Lesson of the day? Write, write, write, write, and don't stop. Keep putting yourself out there and honing your craft. One day you will be the published author you want to be. One day you will have the career with the good habits that will keep you going even when you are fighting for every word on the book you're working on.

Good luck my fellow NaNoWriMos! Twenty more days to go! Just take it one day at a time and you will be surprised at what you have accomplished.