Well, there’s no denying that my writing stalled out this week. I had the semblance of a plot, or maybe the illusion of a plot, when what I really needed was a tangible, actual, real plot. What very few words I did write in the middle of the week is entirely due to the cuteness power of Written? Kitten!. (Which seems to be down at the moment. I was using a cached version a few days ago, though even that seems to be gone. Hopefully it comes back up so that people who’ve never had the opportunity to experience the inspiring power that is kittens for every 100 words you write.) On the one hand, knowing what crucial ingredients in my book I’m missing is a good thing because it means I know what I need to work on. On the other hand, figuring out a plot is hard too—even more so because I envisioned this book as the first in a series, and I want to make sure I’m not accidentally writing a standalone novel.

And it’s not that I don’t have ideas. It’s just… Well, Wednesday night, as I was driving home from work, I hit on a plot structure that could work really, really well. For another project. One that I’m not ready to work on yet. One that’s definitely not my NaNoWriMo novel. Last night, as my brain was starting to slow down before sleep, I had a lightbulb moment about a character in yet another project that’s kicking around. One that is still not my NaNoWriMo novel.

I’m not overly concerned. Yes, NaNoWriMo is a month dedicated to just getting out the words, a time of camaraderie with other writers when you’re all embarking on this crazy adventure, and it seems like there are probably bragging rights to be had if you win the challenge. But I don’t feel like I need it to do this thing I want to do. I’ve rearranged my work schedule so that I have time to write and so I have the brainspace for it. I have a boyfriend who’s supportive of both the lighter work schedule and of me in general. I’ll still be working on this novel for the rest of November, even though I’m probably not going to hit 50,000 words. (Though, again, not concerned.) For now, I’m remembering that part of the fun of NaNoWriMo is seeing how other people are doing and cheering those people on.

• Total Word Count To Date: 3,543

Words Per Day
• Nov 8: 0 (Total: 3,231)
• Nov 9: 0 (Total: 3,231)
• Nov 10: 0 (Total: 3,231)
• Nov 11: 0 (Total: 3,231)
• Nov 12: 309 (Total: 3,543)
• Nov 13: 0 (Total: 3,543)
• Nov 14: 0 (Total: 3,543)