Maybe I can reach the 50k target afterall. I’m still trying, even though the outlook over the next 10 days looks a bit strenuous. Today I wrote over 4100 words for NaNoWriMo. I had had an interesting day, to say the least. It was raining and I was inside with the children. We had a fabulous crafternoon, breaking open packets of Christmas bits and pieces and beginning the Christmas-creating chaos. I became, however, increasingly frustrated because I was not writing. Ideas were whirring around in my brain (that could be the ear infection, I’m not sure) and I really wanted to unleash them on paper (or the computer). It wasn’t until Monte came home and we had had dinner that I shut myself in my room and began typing.

I have a plan for my story. It’s vague, but I know where it’s heading, mostly. I am getting there in a roundabout way, but I keep finding little paths that my characters take me on. It’s something that you often hear: characters have a mind of their own. Sometimes, even an author will be surprised by the actions or statements of their character. Today, a character in my story made a cup of tea for another character. I did some research into the cup of tea I wanted. It had to be something that grew in her garden. The way this character moved around in her kitchen (using none other than a large wood-fired stove, of course) was fun to watch. That sounds weird, given that I did the writing, but I was imagining this character pottering about in her kitchen, methodically preparing the ingredients for this cup of tea! I am so interested in this tea that I think I shall make some myself, and then write about it on here.

It would be easy to give up this NaNo journey. I am behind. Not a lot, but enough to be put off the hard task that awaits me to get to 50k. I won’t though, because I am enjoying the hour or so that I have to myself that I am spending writing. But still, it’s tempting. It’s very stressful, trying to reach such a deadline (note to self: next year, more planning, more religious writing of my 1667 words a day).

When I give students a timeframe in which to write, they often don’t fill the time given with writing. They often stop before the time is up. They say they are finished, and that they can’t write any longer, and I ask them to at least give it a try. I suggest they keep writing: don’t worry about spelling or whether it’s “right,” just write (and I might give them a prompt*). And they always do; they always keep writing. They might have some choice words to mutter at me, but they keep writing. I feel like my students feel. I’ve written enough. Time’s up, I’m done. But the image I have of my students – whether they are the little 5-8 year olds or the 12-18 year olds, writing under pressure to achieve a task, or goal, keeps me motivated to continue. They do it, and it would be hypocritical of me not to do the same.

And the beauty of this post is that it is over 600 words, which brings today’s word count up to over 4700! And it might all be a bit average, but I can go back later and do the editing, which is all part of the fun! ;)

Writing prompts:
*Your character sees a bird. Describe it. Where has it been? Where is it going? How has it changed the course of your character’s actions? What does the bird symbolise; is it a metaphor for something?
*Give your character a gun. What happens?
*It starts to rain on your character
*Describe the weather. It’s a cliche, but people love to talk about the weather!
*Can you chuck some alliteration or some imagery, like a simile, into your writing?