Whew! Here I am on Day 19 of the NaNoWriMo November challenge, and I must confess that I am getting tired. So far, I have managed to keep up with the daily word count, but it is definitely more stressful. The actual words themselves are not the problem — it usually takes about 5 to 6 hours to complete the required 1667 (or more) words. On a day when I have no other plans, I can finish by mid-afternoon and still have time for non-writing activities.

The real pressure for me comes from having to do the same thing day after day, with no breaks. As soon as I finish one day of writing, I have to start thinking about the next. Writing the book has become the major activity of my life. (I’m retired, so I don’t have a full-time job to worry about.)

On the plus side, I have completed more than 30,000 words of the novel since November 1. Because I started NaNo with an already-begun manuscript, I have now passed the midpoint of the story and am closing in on the home stretch. If I manage to keep up this pace for the rest of the month, there is a good chance the book could be edited, finalized, and ready for publication by March 2022.

Of one thing, I am absolutely certain: I could not do this without the advice, assistance, and support of my beloved co-author. John has been hammering out plot and scene details with me since the challenge began. As I get ready to write each new chapter, we discuss the upcoming events in detail, often debating back and forth about background materials and character motivation.

This coming weekend will be the real test for me. I have activities scheduled for much of the day on both Saturday and Sunday. Will there be time to sneak in some writing? I hope so!

Anyway, I’d better get back to the novel. Many words await me.

Talk to you next Friday!

-Susan 11/19/2021