The Power Half Hour

This phrase I had learned from a sibling in reference to an after party so that you don't spend four hours of drinking and dealing with a hangover. Instead you limit yourself to only half an hour of drinks and then cut yourself off for the rest of the night. Doesn't always mean that you're not going to get drunk or have a hangover or overdoing it a little, but it does limit how much you can consume in one night. I mean seriously you can only drink so much in 30 minutes.

Anyways I distract myself from how I've evolved the power half hour into writing. No booze involved in this at all.

With only having an hour lunch break at work I pondered just how I can take advantage of this time for National Novel Writing Month and not be forced to dread getting home for my much needed word count. If I already a few hundred words under my belt by the time I get home then getting that 2,000 words wasn't quite as daunting when you only a few hours to do so. Thus comes in the Power Half Hour. While most people I work with either eat at there desk while working or actually use the lunch room, I decided that I would do a combination taking my full lunch break to eat at my desk while working on my novel.

Thus came the idea of the Power Half Hour. I gave myself 30 minutes at my day job to try to ignore the people who happened to pass my desk (yeah I'm a bit of a talker so easily distracted) and get some writing done. This also came about from the wonderful person, whoever they may be, of the twitter hashtag #1k1hr. Knowing that I don't have that full time to accomplish this task while on my lunch break I made it my own.

For one reason or another the novel I'm working on for National Novel Writing Month is kicking my behind. I was able to stay above the word count curve just barely, till now, as I fight for every work. When at home I can't get close to being able to focus for even just an hour. My  mind wonders off in different directions. I get distracted by mindless wondering around the internet or catching up to roommates I haven't seen all week. And for that I've been trying to put the Power Half Hour to the test at home as well.

If I can focus on getting multiple chunks of the Power Half Hour done in a night or all through out the weekend then I call that a win. It's all about adapting to how your brain and focus is working on a specific book. Since I want to make this into a career I have to start putting in the work to make it a job and not just work when the muse is willing to put in the time. I've had novels flow and get thousands of words done in one sitting, but this novel? It's a fight and I have to admit that I feel accomplished that I'm putting so much into it to get what I have. When I can finally type THE END I know I have done something that not everyone is able to do. I will have fought to get over that vicious wall of writers block or distraction or whatever you want to call it, to be able to finish another novel.

Perfection it may not be, but it will be done and a place to start when it comes to editing.

With that being said, I have a fight with this novel to take on and get a word count done. Wish me luck and I hope everyone is able to find a way to make their writing work for them. Let it be #1k1hr or a Power Half Hour, I wish you all luck!