Well, NaNoWriMo2017 is well underway and I have been extra busy, hence why this is my first post this month. This is my second attempt at the 50,000 word goal in 30 days. My first attempt in 2015 ended with 22,877 words and a feeling of disappointment on December 1st. But this year I vowed to try it again and this time I was determined to surpass my first word count and complete the 50,000 word mark. So far, so good. I have surpassed my 2015 word count (current count: 27,714). But my momentum is shrinking with the holidays approaching and family obligations weighing down on me. There are a few things I have been doing to counteract the mounting stress:

1) I have read books that are in a different genre than what I am writing. Enjoying a good book can spark ideas for your story line.

2) I write in my journal. I have found this to be extremely helpful. By writing about what is going on in my daily life, goals that I have and tasks that I want to accomplish has freed up some of my mental clutter and whole scenes for my characters have come about, increasing my word count.

3) I attended a poetry reading to get away. Once you start to feel stuck in your writing it is good to be able to get away and focus on something else, enjoy other’s creativity.

4) Soak in a hot bubble bath. Sometimes this can be a cure-all for everything stress related. The hot water relaxes your body while the scent of the bubbles relaxes your mind, allowing you to relax and then the words will come to you.

5) Sleep. Sleep. Sleep. A tired mind cannot write all the words and the goal of NaNoWriMo is to write all of the words in 30 days or less. Get rest even if you have to sneak in a couple of 15 minute cat naps during the day. Get your sleep on so your mind can recharge and process the words you have already written.

NaNoWriMo is fun and we all have to remember this is not life or death but a month-long word sprint. I have discovered new writers whose work I love because they participated in NaNoWriMo. I am discovering that this draft doesn’t have to be perfect – that in fact i can guarantee it won’t be perfect because it is a draft. Meant to be reread and corrected. In the event I discover that maybe novel-writing is not for me that doesn’t mean I can’t write. It means I may be more suited to shorter, more concise stories. I still love the written word and using those words to express myself. Remember why you signed up for this challenge and use that to help guide you in your story.