This whole 50k in one month thing is freaking hard! I am so overwhelmed and feel like I'm spread a thousand different directions. Work, the baby, laundry, chores, grocery shopping, errands, packing lunches, showers... I honestly don't know where the time to write comes in. And of course it doesn't help that I am largely hand-writing, and then typing when I get a chance to use the computer (which, if I'm lucky enough to stay awake past 9m, happens once Isabella has finally gone to bed for the night). Not to mention that Miss Bella is in her clingy stage, and her bad sleeping stage, and I'm in my caffeine isn'thelping stage... we're a bit of a hot mess, but I'm somehow plugging along. I wanted to get a comfortable buffer between my word count and the daily minimum quota, seeing as I might be going to NYC this weekend and then with Thanksgiving, my sister and Suzanne coming home, and my five year reunion... damn November, you're such a busy month.

But, finally, I've hit the halfway point. With wordage, that is. With the story... well, it has a long way to go.

I wrote almost 5000 words today! I have to do it all again tomorrow to catch up. And I am determined to do it.

Count: 11025

I haven't written since Wednesday, at which point I reached 6887. I was so proud of myself because I was still right where I should have been, plus a little. Then, something happened Thursday (nothing drastic or dramatic) and I didn't write anything. Yesterday, I came up with more excuses, and today, I'm just about to come up with excuses. And being 3 days back is NOT where I want to be...I just don't feel like writing lately. So, I won't. I think maybe a break is just what I need to re-spark some of my creativity. Or, I'm telling myself that and hoping it proves true. We shall see...

I do know I don't want to be a quitter, so that's not an option. 

Count: still 6887

So last night I didn't get a chance to update my word count -- somewhere in the mid 8000 I think -- before falling asleep on the couch with my little peanut at 9:30pm. And I've done a lot of writing today, but I will not be updating my word count until probably the weekend. I've been writing it all by hand, so when I get a good chunk of downtime (hence the weekend) I will probably type it all up and update the final count sometime Saturday or Sunday.

I definitely think that writing nonfiction is so much easier than fiction. At least for me, I already know the plot, I just have to fill in the blanks with lots and lots of words. Coming up with fiction -- if you ask me, that requires a lot more thinking. Meg, I applaud your efforts, and I very much am looking forward to reading about Jenny's latest adventures.

Nevertheless, I am really pleased with what I've written so far, which surprises me. It's hard, but easy, and weird all at once, and I am very eager to see what the finished product (masterpiece?) looks like.

Right on track. Still stuck in the same funeral, but luckily, it's almost over.

Count: 5003.

Secret noveling got me close to 3,000 words, but I'm still a bit shy of where I should be. No worries, though - there are still 28 days to make that up. It's a little harder than I thought it would be picking up where I left off (maybe that's why it's not allowed), but I think once I get past this "first" chapter things will get going more easily.

I've thought of a fun way to keep my month of writing interesting. I've decided once a week, during my lunch hour, I'll bring my laptop in and write at one of the local restaurants downtown here. Likely the cafe, but the new "Cravings" restaurant with all sorts of bad-for-you food is sure to see me at least once. And, should Chrissy not have to work or go to school, she'll be joining me. Not for noveling, but for moral support. Very nice!

On to day 3. Goal: make up my slight deficit.

Count: 2852

A very successful day one. I really did intend to start at midnight, but I fell asleep on the couch in the middle of a movie last night, so my month of memoir-ing didn't get off to the most exciting of starts. But, up at the crack of dawn, I managed to crank out the daily quota with minimal stress. I definitely think that writing about myself is a hell of a lot easier than trying to come up with fiction worth writing. Hey, it's my life, and the plot has already been outlined for me. All I have to do is fill it with word padding.

Here's to a wonderful, loquacious November.

My computer is going to die in any second, but I just wanted to say that I made it for day one! I didn't think I would, but I did.

It's the first year I didn't start at midnight, and I felt instantly behind. It's so weird to get into a groove, too, without all the excitement and with all my hesitation. Hopefully, a successful day one will lead to many more successful days.

Count: 1695