We are five days into NaNo, and I haven’t even begun. Fledgling projects are notoriously difficult in the beginning weeks. But this time, I may have bitten off more than I can chew. I discovered I have too many unfinished projects, too many commitments, and by adding NaNo into the mix, I have stretched myself too thin. The day job, family responsibilities, and my desire to cross a few lingering projects from my To-do list set the stage for disaster. It happened when I torqued my back while lifting an overloaded and far too heavy box of holiday decorations. Everything stopped.

It turns out pain killers make me sleep, which is fortunate since my head is too fuzzy to operate rationally. I’m unlikely to get into trouble when I am sleeping, but then nothing gets done. My total word count is less than 500 words. Sigh. Yesterday, I felt almost human and more like myself. Today, I can move without spasms. My NaNo goal has suffered because of my inability to focus and devote the time needed to log progress. I’m not giving up. Not yet.

I cleared my schedule for this weekend. In the planning stages, my idea was to focus my energy on creating a buffer and getting ahead on my NaNo word count. The situation isn’t ideal, but doesn’t everyone love an underdog or an against-all-odds story? This weekend I am dedicating myself to my writing and getting the words on the page. I can’t wait to tell the story that’s been taking up so much of my mental energy. I have a sneaking feeling that energy will feed on itself and make me even more passionate about moving closer to my goal.

How are you doing with your NaNo goal? Are you ahead of schedule? Or, like me, are you horribly behind where you thought you would be?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer