I had a pretty intense start to 2015. I had 4 new novel or novella releases out by the middle of July.Which meant lots of editing and publisher deadlines. Which honestly left me feeling a bit burned out and twitchy. I spent most of the summer and early autumn drafting and editing and the drafting especially was hard. I stopped doing the early morning session I'd been doing for a while, because it wasn't working well for me any more. Evenings I'd sometimes struggle to get even a thousand words. The old days of 10k weekends seemed long gone.
Then NaNoWriMo starts and BAM! Around 2000 words every day so far, even in an evening session on a work day. Even a session like yesterday when I shilly-shallied around a bit, so started late. Last month in that situation I'd have either not started at all, or got a few hundred words and then gone to bed. Last night I just cracked on until I'd got 1800 words and it was well past my bedtime.
Oh and did I mention I'm not allowed any caffeine right now, on doctor's orders?
Every year it works this way for me. November 1 comes along. I snort like a war horse at the sound of the bugle, get the red mist in my eyes and nothing can stand in my way! I must win! I must collect all the achievement badges!
Only the November event has this effect on me. Camp NaNoWriMo events don't induce the same determination. I've even failed one of those! Me!
NaNoWriMo really gives me back my edge, reminds me what I can do when I stop faffing about and get on with it, and focuses my mind on writing again. It's great.
Anyone else find there's a NaNoWriMo effect - for good or ill?
Then NaNoWriMo starts and BAM! Around 2000 words every day so far, even in an evening session on a work day. Even a session like yesterday when I shilly-shallied around a bit, so started late. Last month in that situation I'd have either not started at all, or got a few hundred words and then gone to bed. Last night I just cracked on until I'd got 1800 words and it was well past my bedtime.
Oh and did I mention I'm not allowed any caffeine right now, on doctor's orders?
Every year it works this way for me. November 1 comes along. I snort like a war horse at the sound of the bugle, get the red mist in my eyes and nothing can stand in my way! I must win! I must collect all the achievement badges!
Only the November event has this effect on me. Camp NaNoWriMo events don't induce the same determination. I've even failed one of those! Me!
NaNoWriMo really gives me back my edge, reminds me what I can do when I stop faffing about and get on with it, and focuses my mind on writing again. It's great.
Anyone else find there's a NaNoWriMo effect - for good or ill?
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