Friday, November 9

Let it Freakin' Snow.

Listening to: The New Amsterdams, "Story Like a Scar"

Winter continues here in Pennsylvania. I woke up to a yard covered in white and dark green splotches, since the blanket of snow is not yet complete. I feel like I went straight from summer to winter--it was 65 degrees when I left Virginia last weekend. Very disconcerting.

Anyhow, I'm totally freaking blocked when it comes to NaNo. I tried, I really did. I'm not sure if it's the pressure and the realization that each day I fell behind set me back massively, or the moving back to my home state, or if I just need a damn break from writing for a few weeks. Maybe a combination of all of the above. Also, I feel like I'm a bit in limbo, because I want to run through my last novel one more time, but I promised myself I wouldn't until December. I still need a little more distance.

I think I'm going to work on some side projects for the next few weeks. Maybe I'll scrawl out a few short stories (this contest sounds fun, I might do it just for kicks) and work on the Super Extra Top Sekrit project that's been floating about my mind for a while. No novels for at least a few weeks. No projects that are huge and far-reaching, that will take up the next six to eight months of my life. Just smaller-scope things that I always put aside in favor of the big stuff.

There. I feel much better now. I may have failed NaNo (it's only the second week, but let's face facts--I'm like 10,000 words behind at this point), but I'm giving myself to work on the stuff I always put off.

After all, as I've been saying in regards to NaNo for the past two years...there's always next year. And hey--at least I tried this year! Making progress, I'd say.

Now if only the snow would stop, I'd feel freakin' spectacular.

2 comments:

  1. Okay, this is funny. I just popped in from the Cambria/Somerset NaNo board to see what the other folks are like. The contest you mention? I created it and I'm one of the judges. How weird is that? You should definitely enter! It's a sign...

    ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh my gosh, definitely a sign from above. I'm getting chills! Thanks for coming by, and thanks for creating such a unique contest!

    ReplyDelete

If you don't feel that you are possibly on the edge of humiliating yourself, of losing control of the whole thing, then possibly what you are doing isn't very vital. If you don't feel like you are writing somewhat over your head, why do it? If you don't have some doubt of your authority to tell this story, then you are not trying to tell enough. --John Irving