I’ll keep this short because if you’re like me, you’re behind on your NaNoWriMo word count goals and it hasn’t even been a week. Instead of writing, you’re sitting in front of a space heater, eating an almond “ice cream” sandwich while watching The Wire.
Wait, you’re not? Okay, it’s just me.
Hopefully you’re cruising along in your manuscript, throwing down words like they were gang signs (I need to turn off the The Wire). But if you aren’t, here are a few important things to remember:
1) No one said your book has to be good. All of my previous NaNoWriMo projects were a sh*tstorm of suck. Only last year’s story rose from the ashes after several rewrites and is now a shiny, pretty thing in the hands of my agent.
2) WEDD (Write Every Damned Day). Even if it’s 400 words before work, or 500 words on your lunch break, or you 1667 words after your household has fallen asleep. By writing a tiny bit each day, you’ll slowly chip away at that 50k goal without killing yourself. It’s much easier (for me) to look at what I can do in 15, 30, or 60 minutes and call it a day rather than fret about how I can squeeze out 6k and still do laundry/ buy groceries/ go to hot yoga/ eat food other than leftover Halloween candy.
Besides, by WEDD, you’re cultivating writerly habits that will help you succeed later in life if you choose to be a writer.
No one said NaNoWriMo was easy (if they did, they’re lying), but it’s not brain surgery or rocket science. It’s putting words down on a page and walking away. Stop overthinking it.
Get back to work! (or watching The Wire. I won’t judge).
danielle dreger 
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