Honest Author Moments: Take One. No NaNo, This Year.

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This is the first year, in quite a few, that I’m not signed up for and busily working away at NaNoWriMo. Maybe you’ve heard of it, and maybe you haven’t. It’s an online “convention” of authors and writers who ban together for a month to hit goals for writing, many over 2,000 words per day. Last year I all but finished Phoenix on Fire in that month, and in years before, finished many short stories and other things that are kept tightly locked away in my writing vault.

Up until this past week, I was sort of freaking out that I didn’t have the time, or patience to fully sit down, and start writing again. This year has been full of horrible events, one following so closely to the next that you’re not even sure when the one prior ever ended. Or if it ever did. The stressors have been more than heavy, rendering my already chaotic brain, un-useable.

Recently, I’ve heard MANY of my author friends, and even some new acquaintances, complaining and seriously in panics over their not-so-met goals in NaNo this year. Some were really, really upset…and I couldn’t find the right words to comfort them. I couldn’t find them because it dawned on me suddenly…I just didn’t care about deadlines right now!!

NaNo has often stressed me out for the entire month of November. I don’t much like deadlines, and I’ve been known to miss them. This is the first November in a few years where I am still breathing, and still perfectly comfortable in my writing plan. After all, I did just publish a cook book (OH, Forks!! A Little Bit of Everything and All That’s Gluten Free) so maybe I am a little ahead of the game this year! I do love NaNo, and how it brings everyone together for this big month of WORDS…. But this year, I’m okay with missing it. Sure, I’ll be back next year. 🙂