Call me crazy, but I’m actually enjoying NaNo Prep this year. Having one NaNo win under my belt, I’m feeling kinda cocky, I know. But this year, in addition to doing some household planning and work schedule planning, I’ve done some exciting novel planning, as well as special events planning. What’s that? Special events planning? How does one squeeze in special events during NaNoWriMo where all spare moments are focused on the mammoth task of pounding out 1667 words per day for 30 days?
For one thing, Thanksgiving, the major special event of November, comes at the end of the month and I’ve already determined I’d be done with my 50,000 words by then. So that means I’m essentially doing NaNo based upon a 27 day month which tallies up to 1852 words per day. If I get in at least 2000 words a day, I get two days free and clear for a sick day and a special event.
Knowing all of this ahead of time helps me. And here’s where we get to something that’s been nagging at me since working on this website blog over the summer: I’ve let my inner geek out and she’s begun to take over my mindset!
Notice the emphasis on ‘doing the math’ in my NaNo Prep? Relegating a single day for illness or an unforeseen circumstance and another for a special event? I know better and yet, my inner geek insists that’s the way to NaNo Prep Peace. And, get this, for added security my inner geek got herself html text to put that sidebar widget you now see on my Blog Page.
This ‘live’ word count gizmo is directly connected to the NaNoWriMo site. Not only is it cool looking, but it is a type of motivator for me to show off my word count each time it is entered on the NaNo site. We Wrimos keep track of each other’s daily word counts, but out here in the infinite space of the internet on my website blog that has so many visitors (picture a wry grin on my face) well, it makes me vulnerable and more committed to producing impressive daily word counts!
Oh yes, and what exactly is that special event day going to be used for during the month of NaNo?
A horse show. Continue reading