NaNo 18: The Deep Breath Before the Plunge

Hey, look, I found a way to sneak LOTR into this post! 

So, I wasn't going to post before the event actually started, but I find myself needing to let out some fears before we embark on the mayhem that will be NaNoWriMo 2018. And, if I'm being honest, it's more for myself than anyone else--because I know, deep down, that in less than a week I'm going to be snowed under in a morass of self doubt and sleep deprivation that makes me question why I'm writing in NaNo.

I guess here's my answer now, future self:

You need it.

This is for you. Not for your ego, or your pride, but for your sanity--just like running.

Will you publish anything? Maybe not. Probably not, even, with how allergic you seem to be editing. And that's fine. But you know how much better you feel when you're writing.

It's your outlet for all those hopes and fears, doubts and worries, tensions and joys you accumulate all day. And while you were absolutely right when you signed up for that half marathon that you need to stop staring at your screen so much and enjoy the outdoors and be active, you also can't just ditch the whole creative side of your brain for nearly a year. You've been there. You've done that.

For better or for worse, you like stories. You grew up with them, learned from them, were shaped by them. And now, you need them to come out. It's how you get the tension out. It's how you subconsciously work through problems. It's how you bring to life all those random thoughts that flit through your head over the course of the day, and you feel better for it.

Deep down, you know this.

You also know you work better on a deadline.

Don't tell me you don't--I've seen just about as much of your past as you have. When was the last time you did something early? (Other than your tax return debacle--look how that turned out! <okay, maybe that's not a good example, but I'm sticking to it>)

You need some way to transform all your daily struggles into something you can actually grapple with, and this is the best way I've figured out. (If you find out something else in the next couple of weeks, let me-us?-know, okay? But I doubt it).

So write like the world depends on it, because you never know, it just might. The story world will depend on it, if nothing else.

Don't let your past failures hold you back. Last year was last year. Each day is new (even if you're like my current self and couldn't sleep last night and just decided to restart the day at 5 am and have now been up close to 28 hours straight. Still a new day. Kind of.)

I guess what I'm driving at is just go for it (Just do it is to cliche. And possibly trademarked.) Write. Write for yourself if no one else. The worst that's going to happen is some carpal tunnel.

From one sleep deprived R.M. to her audience (possibly including another sleep-deprived R.M.), good luck and happy writing!