NaNoWriMo Writing Journal 2018

Witches at the White House

Day 11: 0 words

Intentional day off which is why I tried to get extra words.

Day 12: 2,176 words

I was not ready for Monday and I don’t even have a regular day job. I was emotionally tired from Stacy’s memorial. I also had anxiety dealing with Amazon KDP regarding the paperback of Bear Roots which is back to being on hold rather than available because of their continued screw-ups. I’m also fighting with HootSuite because half of my scheduled posts fail to go through. I don’t handle stress well at any level.

I didn’t get any of my housework done and there’s plenty to do. I managed to get words done and I’m happy it was a fair amount.

Day 13: 2,061 words

I wanted to get out of bed despite it being chilly and raining, but Gus was sleeping so nicely against my leg. I didn’t want to move him. And Oliver was even here sleeping in his box filled with newspaper. I managed to get up and have some coffee and do regular internet routine crap. I went to aerial yoga. Came home and tried to walk Gus but even he didn’t enjoy the wet weather; though when we came in after only a few minutes he went berserk crying at all the doors and trying to break things because he thought he wanted to be back outside.

I finally sat to eat lunch, finish my coffee (yes that same coffee from 7AM) and get to writing. It was sluggish at first because I felt like my character wasn’t getting anywhere. She needed progress. I was at a point where the action was kicking up again so that helped. Even in a scene where she’s sitting and talking to someone, it was at least a different person, different place, and moving her forward on her quest.

I haven’t showered yet or vacuumed, but I have finally started my own laundry (as opposed to the yoga studio laundry).

Day 14:

Midweek and it was chilly outside. As usual Gus kept begging for his outdoor adventure, but it was a day when I just didn’t feel like it. The cold and wind were part of it, but I knew I had to get words in. Even though I give the advice to get out into nature, I also give the advice to use your mana/spoons wisely.

Officially 50% to goal.

Day 15:

We kept waiting for the crappy winter weather to hit. It was supposed to be early in the morning but instead was later at night. It didn’t stop until Friday.

Today, I got an invitation to sub for a chair yoga class at the gym owned by the same people as the yoga studio so I went. It was awkward to be honest. Students get to have a rapport with their teachers and I didn’t know them. There were aesthetic problems like loud gym noise making it harder for them to hear me. We got through it together. I went home and still refused to take Gus out, so I got back to writing.

Over my two writing sessions I did a respectable 1,705 words. That’s just over the minimum or average you need to get in daily to reach 50k by the end of the month.

Day 16:

Woke up to the sleeting still ripping against the windows. I’m in the unfortunate routine of waking up around 3AM and if I doze back off, dreams are usually way too vivid for me to feel rested. This morning, by 5AM, I just gave up. Gus was on the bed and I listened to the sleet for a bit.

The yoga staff had been texting since late at night wondering about their kids’ schools closings and who could cover or if we could even get ourselves out. I offered to cover two classes, but then decided to cancel the earliest one. Our driveway wouldn’t have been cleared.

My father started the main parts of the driveway while I dug out the cars. Assuming I wasn’t needed since someone else was going to take the second morning yoga class, I took Gus out into the snow. He had a freaking blast! My big panther boy is a weirdo and loves nature no matter what. I saw the text asking me to cover the class after all.

I got Gus inside against his will and showered. (*I haven’t brushed my hair in days. It’s been in a French braid.) I drove all the way to the borough where the parking spaces weren’t cleared at all. I got the entire studio up and running before I saw the next text saying the students who were signed-up were snowed in and that class was officially canceled.

What a confusing and tiring day. I thought I had mental energy even if my body was tired. I was wrong.

I sat at my Scrivener program and didn’t feel focused on it. I kept toggling back to check the studio inbox and comments since I run the social media for there. I’d get back and write a sentence then pop back out. I was annoying myself. When I realized I wasn’t doing either and just sitting there, I knew I had to rest. My body was letting me know.

I laid down for hours and closed by eyes but didn’t sleep. I put in ear buds and listened to some delta wave beats music on Insight Timer. After dinner, I finally let guilt get the best of me and tried to get back to writing. I didn’t even reach minimum but I’m so glad I didn’t leave it at 400 words. I made it to 1,000ish and was happy with that. Not much of a cushion left at this point if I need more time off.

Tomorrow is supposed to be my Yoga for Creativity class but no one has signed up. It’s only a $5 donation class.

Day 17: 1,667 words

It’s rare to hit the end of a sentence and get to exactly 1,667 words (the daily target needed to finish on time). Today was a weird day. I thought I would have hours to write while the house was empty. I got called to sub at the yoga studio but I had no car. It was like the Keystone Cops of phone calls and texts again trying to figure out what to do and make sure there was someone to teach the class that was starting in 10 minutes. Luckily, the previous class teacher stayed and took over.

I tried to gather my thoughts after all that and it wasn’t the easiest thing to do. I’m on a great part of the story where the setting changes dramatically and shows a lot more of the villains.

Week Recap:

PS:

No one signed up or showed for the Yoga for Creativity workshop. Despite plenty of people being encouraging and saying it was a great idea, it was disappointing.

See Week 1.5

See Week 3

See Week 4

Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AmberUnmasked.com and Vodka O'Clock Podcast. Author of The Farrah Wethers Mysteries, comic book short stories, prose, and non-fiction. Cosplayer and figure model.