Camp National Novel Writing Month July - 7/11 to 7/17

Today's EarWorm: James Michael - Learn to Hate you
Today's Date: July 18, 2016

July 11, 2016
Words Gained Today: 0
Total Words Today: 11,727
Thoughts and Notes:

Well, I was writing but I was kind of foggy for most of the day due to the damn heat. But I did get some planning done! Which was nice.

July 12, 2016
Words Gained Today: 6,442
Total Words Today: 14,900
Thoughts and Notes:

5AM:

I got a chapter written and a chapter edited! I have 5 more chapters of this story to write and a brand new story idea to play with. This is...going to be fun since it's based on the song that is today's ear worm. Go listen. And I mean LISTEN to what he sings. I'll wait.

*waits*

All done? Spoke to you? Yeah, it spoke to me in a deep way that I now need to write something that will rip out a person's heart and puree it before filling a new mold and setting a new heart for them later in the story. It'll be fun.

For me.

Midnight: I got my words.

July 13, 2016
Words Gained Today: 1,453
Total Words Today: 16,353
Thoughts and Notes:

Wow, yeah, today was kind of a very slow day since I was just out of it. Not surprising at all since I got like 2 chapters and a rewrite done yesterday, but I did get my finished wordage today. That's always nice.

July 14, 2016
Words Gained Today: 0
Total Words Today: 16,353
Thoughts and Notes:

Not really sure as to say what happened today beyond the fact that my muses were like rabbits on crack. They could not sit still.

I actually ended up planning out part of a mini-story, several one-shot stories, and some more of my various other stories. So there's that.

July 15, 2016
Words Gained Today:
Total Words Today:
Thoughts and Notes:

2:34AM: It is after 2AM right now. I should be in bed. I am not. Instead, I am writing. My life people.

July 16, 2016
Words Gained Today: 2,059
Total Words Today: 19,209
Thoughts and Notes:

Not much to say about this. Got a long chapter done, and am going to bed at a decent hour. I'm exhausted.

July 17, 2016
Words Gained Today: 0
Total Words Today: 19,209
Thoughts and Notes:

6:30PM

Haven't gotten any words, but have been going through #ShitAbledPeopleSay tag on twitter. I feel all of these! I swear. Gonna go add some of mine.

After Midnight:

I did get words, so no worries, but unfortunately for me, it was after midnight when I finished the chapter, so it's going on to Monday's word count, which doesn't hurt me since it just means I 'll have at least 2 chapters written on the day.

Camp National Novel Writing Month July - 7/4 to 7/10

Today's EarWorm: We the Kings "Phoenix Hearts"
Today's Date: July 11, 2016

July 4, 2016
Words Gained Today: 3239
Total Words Today: 7,133
Thoughts and Notes:

Mmm, what to say about today? It went surprisingly well. I got lots of words after midnight rolled around. Got two chapters down and introduced a more sexualized character then I normally do. It'll be a slow start for the most part, since I do have to kick a few characters around before we get to the meat of the story.

I also got some rewriting done which was nice. Now that it's after 4AM I'm going for more words and hopefully I'll get them done before I crash out. That is if I don't crash out in self defense from hallucinations. Tea and coffee will be my friends for this month. I swear.

July 5, 2016
Words Gained Today: 0
Total Words Today: 7133
Thoughts and Notes:

Okay, so I got a few words in but nothing to add to my count. Why? Because I crashed out so hard when I finally went to bed. It was ridiculous. I try tomorrow.

July 6, 2016
Words Gained Today:
Total Words Today:
Thoughts and Notes:

5PM:

Oh look, words! Yay for me! I got up at 6:30AM and it only took me until about 4PM to get the words. Why? Because I was exhausted and felt like dragging my feet mostly. Luckily I didn't have to shop today but I'll be doing so tomorrow. Which will be nice.

I hope.

Anyways, I'm going in for more words. Time to roll up those sleeves and get them!

July 7, 2016
Words Gained Today: 0
Total Words Today: 8,558
Thoughts and Notes:

Today was just not a happy day since I had to go shopping. That left me drained and just so very tired.

July 8, 2016
Words Gained Today: 0
Total Words Today: 8558
Thoughts and Notes:

It's nearly 8PM as I write this starter bit to today's section and I'm compulsively scratching at my skin. This tells me that my anxiety is high. It's not because of the fact that I'm doing Camp NaNo, it's because I'm not writing.

That is, I haven't gotten enough writing in for the last couple of days to really do me any kind of good to satisfy my hypergraphia. If you're new to my blog, hypergraphia is like a physical itch, a need to write. I can't just stop writing.

I end up with anxiety and scratching at my own skin. I've already scratched myself bloody a few times since this shit really kicked in, so I'm trying very hard not to do that now. I think that I will take a few minutes, shape my nails (and get rid of any rough edges) and take a hot bath while reading. After that, I will sit down, watch MrKravin on youtube (watching his play through of Until Dawn), write and I think...just ignore the world for a little while.

There is just so much hate going on that people who have all sorts of triggers for their anxiety are probably going through a lot of what I'm going through. We just want the hate to stop, to let us breath and be what we keep saying we are.

I'm not going to get into that because that's just not a pretty thought process and it's not what my blog is all about.

So I'm going to go play some Knights and Brides on Facebook, watch my twitter for interesting links to click that are rather random and have nothing to do with the outside world, take a hot bath, and watch some interesting play throughs while I write.

I'll keep you guys updated on what is going on.

July 9, 2016
Words Gained Today: 1619
Total Words Today: 10,177
Thoughts and Notes:

So I got words. After midnight. I was able to just cool off (since it's been pushing 109, 110 here again) and finish off that chapter. Tried to write after I woke up. Didn't work. Not all that well at least. So I read a lot, crash early, handwrite a chapter to my Superhero novel.

So once I type those words up I'll lay claim to those later this week. So that's nice.

July 10, 2016
Words Gained Today:1,550
Total Words Today: 11,727
Thoughts and Notes:

7:48PM

I am slowly getting words when a fellow spoonie comes up with "Some people have euphoria during migraines? I want."

Now mind you, euphoria during a migraine pretty much means you don't care you're hurting, you feel good emotionally and somewhat mentally while the pills are working. But the moment that migraine is gone and euphoria wanes, there's a crash.

I hate to break it to her, but that crash can be BRUTAL. I have, at least when I feel the migraine coming on. When I wake up to one, not so much because I'm well past that stage into "damn it, hospital here I come" stage by then.

But it's the crash that really can mess with someone. Cause you have all these lovely feelings/thoughts/whatever going through you and they die a horrible death once the migraine is gone. It's like a bad drug trip that started out wonderful okay?

It's not worth it and I've been fighting off sinus headaches for the last two days so I'm going to take some sinus pills and write.

10:45 PM

I got my words. Barely before I have to crash out, and I suspect hard, but I got them! Hurrah. Or something. Ugh.

Camp National Novel Writing Month July - 7/1 to 7/3

Today's EarWorm: Spells by Orgy
Today's Date: July 4, 2016

This one is kind of short since I just started Camp on Friday, and seeing as these things from from Monday to Sunday, this is the last 3 days.

So let's get started, shall we?

I had to work on figuring out what song was the best earworm, but that took me a bit. I finally decided on the above so I do hope that you enjoy.

July 1, 2016
Total Words: 3,894
Total So Far: 3,894
Thoughts and Notes:

So I kind of started rather late all things considered, about 10 in the morning, 3 hours after I got up. I was going to start at Midnight but about that time I got up from my nap with a migraine that was pounding in time with my heart beat. So I took pain killers (enough to drug me into sleep for about 6 and a half hours and leave me a bit fuzzy for the rest of the day), ate some toast, drank a bit of coffee, took a hot shower, and crashed. Crashed out hard.

Well worth it though.

But I did get two chapters on another story written, mostly because it was going to be one long chapter, but I had to split up one of my chapters into two which annoyed me. But hey, I'm not one to leave a long chapter in one piece unless it's sex. Then it stays put because I don't like to split up sex scenes.

I also got a chapter on another story rewritten, which made me happier. I'm going to go take a hot bath and depending on the time here, I will either be going to bed or writing another chapter. We'll see how it goes once I take my meds and relax a bit.

Because tomorrow? Long ass shopping trip. Very long ass shopping trip. Urgh.

July 2, 2016
Total Words: 0
Total So Far: 3,894
Thoughts and Notes:

I went shopping starting around 11 in the morning. I didn't get home until close to 5 that night. And that was with like ten minutes sitting down and eating actual food while figuring out money and budget. Yeah, it was not a fun day.

Haul video is going to be recorded and edited later on. For now I have words to do.

July 3, 2016
Total Words: 0
Total So Far: 5359
Thoughts and Notes:

Okay, so first of all, that total is AFTER midnight on the 4th, so on the 3ed I got no words, but that is my current count.

Let me tell you what, I suffered all day with sore shoulders and a building migraine until I took a damn pain killer and some muscle relaxants. It turned out to be a good thing. But it still took me nearly 3 hours to unwind enough to write the chapter and get the word count.

Which happened just before 2:50 AM in the bloody morning. It's a good thing I have a lot of tea and coffee right?

Yes.

This month is not happy so far. Here's hoping the rest of the month is.

Remember, you can find me on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, CampNaNoWriMo and NaNoWriMo!

Preparing for Camp National Novel Writing Month July 2016 Pt 4

Today's Earworm: Bradley Caleb Kane "Once" Or Alice Cooper's "I Am Made of You"
Today's Date: June 27, 2016

I'm actually writing this on the 23ed of June, so the numbers are a bit odd because I'm kind of doing mass amounts of writing. You'll see down below yes?

Yes.

We are coming up on the last week before July starts. July 1st is on Friday so I'm going to finish getting ready to do my July. I have set my word count on the Camp NaNo site and have set up my novel choice for it.

Word count goal is 35K, or 35,000.

Story is a fanfiction that can easily turn into an original. Why? Because this story is nomming at my brain and all of the ideas for it are already making me cackle and make my fellow writers on Forward Motion chat cackle with me.

Some of the gems that I've shared? I warn you now, this is also on my twitter and is Not Safe For Work (NSFW). Or at least most of them aren't.

But whatever.

1. I have a ball gag and ropes. I will truss you up like a kinky turkey to get you to shut up!
2. Fuck. He went from "where's your daddy?" to "Fuck me daddy"! 
3. Female character seeing the above character topic in 2: Well...damn! Fuck me daddy and make me cream! (Yeah, that's not subtle at all.)

Yes, this will be a rather sexual romp into another side of a world that we can only speculate. I'm actually trying hard to finish another story before Camp, but that might not happen.

67 chapters long, and I'm only on chapter 56 okay? I have 11 chapters to write in 7 days and some odd hours because it's just after 2AM here on the 23ed, so yeah. Fun times. 

I can get a good chunk of those chapters done (about 7 of them at the least) but I'm going to have to scatter them amongst the other chapters for this story so I can have it completely finished before my 10 week (by the 27th happens) end date of my other story. 

Joys. 

I'm not doing to bad all things considered but anything smutty (and I'm talking down and dirty, ranchy, pull out the toys for a little fun after reading that shit sex) has been a hard fought battle to get down. 

Thank you whoever invented disposable pens that actually write nicely, and lined 3 ringed paper. Thank you.

Yes. I have been writing by hand my smut. Let me tell you what, some of my pieces have gone from 3K up to hitting nearly 5K okay? And that's for one frickin' chapter. 

I also have a few other things I need to get off my list some I'm at the point of "Okay, where's my coffee and an all night spree of horror game playthroughs?"

My current choice (outside of Markiplier's "Amnesia" play throughs)? MrKravin. He really does have a very nice voice. I can tell you that.

Anyways, I'm going to go plot and write and curse and pull an all nighter so I can sleep most of the hot, hot, unbearably hot, day away. Seriously world? 120 degrees fahrenheit?

Yeah, I have to deal with that shit. Got to love desert living.

For now all, I hope you guys enjoy your day and hope that the words come easy!

As of Sunday, 6/26/2016: I have written 57 chapters, removed one chapter, and come down to 66 chapters. Why? Because one chapter didn't seem to fit once I got to it. So yeah, that happened. I have also hand written one (1) out of who knows how many smaller one-shots. I currently have about 6 oneshots for this story on the list but I'm also trying to get through my Through the Ages bk 1 first draft done.

But I'm still doing good considering I'm nearly living off of American Breakfast Tea (the tea version of a good cup of coffee) currently because my sleep schedule is shortened due to being flipped.

I'm going back to writing and twitter. 

Preparing for Camp National Novel Writing Month July 2016 Pt 3

Today's Earworm:
Today's Date: June 20, 2016

I have decided to do something a little interesting because I keep seeing this running around, so this is my response to a lot of these. And I keep hearing this shit, so this is my response to things like this.

Don't worry, you shall get an actual update on where I am in regards to setting up my story and preparing for Camp this year here soon. Promise.

Anyways: What NOT To Say To a Writer

All of them make my eyebrow twitch in annoyance. Why? Because it's rude that's why!

If you want to see where a lot of these come from, check out the twitter hashtag #tenthingsnottosaytoawriter or just Google Ten Things Not To Say to a Writer. It's not that hard.

1) You write? That must be a nice hobby for you. My wife/partner/whathaveyou *insert hobby here*

Hobby? What is this hobby thing you're talking about? This is my career! I do this because it's what I love and what I can actually do. It's not a hobby.

Kindly stop comparing me writing to a hobby.

2) “Are you still writing?”

Yes, yes I am.

3) What do you mean, don’t drop by, you’re working? You’re just sitting around making stuff up.

I'm working. What do you not understand about this? If I was trying to do something you consider an actual job, you wouldn't be saying this! I have money to make and only a few hours in each day to do it in, okay?

4) You’re an author? I’ve got at least ten books in me.

Uh, so? I have hundreds of books in me and I'm going to write them all. I don't care if you have them in you. If you do nothing with them, they're not interesting to me. 

5) I have a great idea I want you to write for me. Can you draw up a contract detailing how we will split the advance and royalties?

No. Cause that's a lot of work and I don't want to write your supposedly "Great Idea" that is most likely overly cliched make me twitch into an early grave story. 

6) It’s irritating to wait a whole year for your next book. Can’t you write any faster?

I'm sorry, did my typing speed annoy you? Does the fact that I have to put a book down after finishing it for a month so I can come back to it with fresh eyes for rewriting and editing purposes annoy you?

Tough. As a writer I have an obligation to make sure whatever I put out is good!

7) I have the most amazing life story, but I don’t have time to write it. Maybe you can write it and we’ll go 50/50 on the royalties.

Me: No.

Person: Why not?

Me: Because I'll be doing ALL of the damn work and you'll be profiting from that. And I know your life. It's duller than that 50 Shades BS. So no.

Person: But...

Me: *sips coffee* No. 

Person: *pouts*

Me: *spikes the coffee* No. *goes back to killing off characters*

8) So can I have a free copy of your book?

No. As to why? I need to make money. I don't work for free thank you very much.

9) So what do you really do?

I write. That's what I do. I write. Oh and I make youtube videos with my friend about being broke. 

10) Do they even publish books anymore?

Shocking I know but yes, they do create actual real life books still. Surprising I know but there are people who want to have a nice solid book in hand. 

Shocking.

11) So you write romance novels? 

Person finding out I'm a female writer: So you write romance huh?

Me: Romance? Why? Because I am a female and that's all we can do? I write romance. Very short Male/Male romance stories. But my main genre? Horror.

Horror that will make you wonder where in the world I learned how to screw with a person's mind. Where you're left wondering what that noise you just heard was. Was it the wind? Or was it a murderous creature coming to slowly drain the life out of you.

And make you wonder where I learned to write such things.

Person: *stares in horror*

Me: *sips tea* High school was very informative.

12) I want to write a novel one day.

Uh, that's nice...why not now?

13) Want to edit something for me?

Want to pay me for it? It's 15 dollars an hour currently. And I'm only going to work on it for two hours at a time. It usually takes me about 30 hours to get through a 200 page manuscript to.

14) You're not published? Doesn't this mean that you're not really a writer? 

What? Because I'm not published means that I'm somehow not a 'real writer'? Let me tell you, I am a writer for the simple fact that I put words down and then I sit there and beat the story into submissions to get it just right for your viewing pleasure.

15)You need to move on to new material! 

No. No I don't. I will write what is fun for me to write and I will make money doing so.

16) That’s really cool that you want to write but I could never give up stability. 

Meaning you could never give up your cubical with a possibility of promotion for something that you enjoy and love. Personally, I would love to actually have a job but due to various issues, writing is my career.

Outside of the fact that I love it so much. 

17) I loved Fifty Shades of Grey! And the Twilight series!

Those series are so bad it hurts. Twilight is quite frankly a Mary Sue fest gone paranormal, the wolves are shapeshifters, not actual werewolves, and vampires don't sparkle. And Fifty Shades of Abuse is a how to guide to fucking up in the BDSM world. 

It's a very BAD fantasy of what the BDSM world should be. And it pisses me off. Don't make me throw you on that bonfire.

18) You should dedicate your book to me. 

No. No I should not. Because I don't know you. You only want your name on a book because it'll make you feel good, and because that way you can say you know a published author.

I have my choices for whom the books will be dedicated to. 

19) We don't pay, but it's a great opportunity for you to get your name out there!

Uhh, no. No I don't think so. Sorry, but not happening.

If it doesn't come with a pay check it doesn't happen. I have other ways of getting my name out there. Thank you.

Updates

6/14/2016

I am still trying to not write on the story but I have been able to plot out a couple more chapters. I wrote down the summary for chapter 8 and 9 and went "Huh, smut in the first 9 chapters. This is going to be fun". Then...I started writing down pairing ideas.

My next thought? "OMG, this guy is going to get around so much".

Yeah.

Anyways, I have also received the contract for my Forward Motion 2015 Anthology submission from J.A. Marlow. J.A. has been amazing busy what working a new job for the summer and dealing with the loss of their mother.

Soon, very soon, the book shall be published and I'm happy to do this for no money.

Why? Because it supports the one forum that I've discovered that I like the most. So all proceeds from this book goes to upkeep and paying all sorts of things that go into the forum. I am able to publish it elsewhere or even publish it myself in a future collection if I want (which is good since it set off a duology and the scene will make it into book 2 in some form).

I'll keep you updated on what's going on with that and will add a small tidbit when it comes out!

6/17/2016

Ugh! I am not sleeping very well, but I'm still working on creating an outline for the story. I have about a week and a half left before I have to worry about actually writing this darn thing but I'm getting there. Working on watching some anime, getting them off of my list because shit happens.

And that list is amazingly huge. Seriously huge. And some of them are longer than like 6 episodes.

Anyways, I'm getting things done and hopefully I'll get this story at least part of the way done by the time I get to that point. I have no idea how it's going to happen. I really don't.

I'm going to go back to finishing off another story and trying not to cry in horror at not having no extra sleep to keep me from killing people. 

Preparing for Camp National Novel Writing Month July 2016 Pt 2

Today's Earworm: Highwayman by Bessech
Today's Date: June, 13, 2016

Preparing for Camp National Novel Writing Month July 2016 Pt 1

6/7/2016

I have settled on what I'm going to write along with the secondary stories. I have decided to do a story that I'm really not going to go into since I haven't decided if it's going to stay as a fanfic or become an original.

Either way it's going to be fun to write. That's for sure.

I have been planning out the story and talking ideas with a friend of mine for the last few days. Yesterday had me sleeping most of the day away before going to bed at a rather early hour. But I kind of needed it apparently.

But I still have a lot to do yet.

6/9/2016

God, what to say? There's really not a whole lot to say since I'm working on getting things set up and ready to go for this round of Camp.

My back is killing me, my muses are running around like insane little bastards and I'm trying so hard to finish off a few things before it comes time to start this insanity.

What am I to do?

6/10/2016

My muses decided to calm down enough for me to work on things and get other stories down and out of the way. Which is a good thing since I want to get this one story done before I start on Camp here. It keeps coming closer with every hour that passes by me.

And life keeps going nuts on us. I swear. It's driving me up a wall. But I keep going.

Because I can't really stop and just say "I want to quit". Life doesn't work like that, no matter how we want it to.

Yeah, I'm sounding a bit depressed because of real life stress.

Anyways, I just want it to be July already! I really, really want to write this story.

I already have 5 chapters planned out (and 3 out of 8 total written because I did start it but the rules do state that you can continue a story, but you must only count the new words, so yeah) and I'm always plotting what will happen in future chapters. I also need to watch a few things and make notes.

Urgh. Not happy making.

But I'm going to do it because I need those notes for other stories to. >< I swear one day I'm going to have this huge bookshelf just jammed pack full of notebooks with various notes.

I sigh now. And go back to writing.

Preparing for Camp National Novel Writing Month July 2016 Pt 1 & Writers Advice

Today's Earworm: Mr. Uninvited by Bessech
Today's Date: June 6, 2016

Today was a day of shopping. Which wasn't happy making, but I got it done! Yes.

Anyways, as of right now, I am setting up to get ready for the next round of Camp National Novel Writing Month, which starts July 1st. Again, I'm going for like 35K for the round, but that's about normal since I usually average about 20 to 30K a month in my normal writing and rewriting work.

I have so much to work on that it's not funny. So I'll just go over what I have in the works that need to be done.

1) Untitled M/M pairing short story

This story is going to end up around 24 chapters in length, about 13 of those chapters are complete rewrites with a couple being split into two parts. It's an older story that I had finished, but after a couple years of letting it sit I decided that it needed a full on rewrite/fleshing out.

So if I do do this story, I'm going to have to write at least one chapter and one chapter rewrite as I come across them. I'll probably end up finishing it half-way through the month.

2) All You Need

Again, this is a full on rewrite/flesh out story that is a couple of years old and I have no idea how long it will be. I need to fill out the first half of the story yet, which means that it's going to be interesting. I have something like 5 chapters planned out so far? When I get to the main chunk of the story there's going to be another 10 chapters added, at least.

I'm still working on getting it planned out since I need to flesh out the world and the plot line yet.

3) Thread the Needle - Don't Look Bk 0

I actually got about 3 chapters into this story before steam just kind of tapered off. I'm working on building the world some more and building the outline but that's going to be interesting to do. That's for sure.

Especially since it's the entire basis for the rest of the Don't Look books.

4) Untitled Superhero Book - Through the Ages Bk 1

I'm somewhere in the 20's chapter for this story (since I don't have that file open right now and I'm not going to open it). I have about 37 chapters planned for this story so I might be able to finish it if I go with this story. We'll have to see how things go in the long run.

5) Random other short or almost done stories

I have a lot of these stories actually. A lot. Most of them are fanfiction but there are some originals, like the Forward Motion 2016 anthology submission that I'm working on. I just need to work it out.

As it is I think I'm going to use this time to think about my Butterfly Living world that I started oh so long ago. I swear that I need to rewrite that first book like nothing else. I might start playing with that idea here soon because that and the Crimson series are both eating my mind. Need to finish a few other stories first.

Fun times.

Time for some Advice from one writer to another:

Write. Every. Single. Day.

I can not tell you how many people who come to me and ask me how I get so many words done are always surprised when I simply say "I write every single day". They just sit there and go "No, way".

Yes way.

I get up. Turn my computer on. Go to the bathroom. Come back and log on (because dangit I am going to make idiots log on if they want at my stuff). Go get water/tea/breakfast. Come back. Say hi to my friends and writing cheerleading squad (who are made of the awesome), open a couple of files that I use to type up whatever I working on then. 

Make my tea. I usually let my tea steep while I'm doing the rest so I have my sugar and a spoon close at hand to sweeten as needed. I also take the time to start eating.

I then open up my Chrome, and for all the bs it puts me through, the GDocs are still my baby, wait for my tabs to open, and find the tab with my current file. 

I start to write.

And write.

And write some more.

I say hi to my friend who comes on. Tell her what file I'm in and go back to writing.

Or I'll be rewriting that day.

If I'm editing, I'm just usually editing my OpenOffice Writer file because I don't want to deal with the gdoc for whatever reason.

I'm doing something in regards to my writing. Anything! Every. Single. Day. 

Even those days that I have a migraine that takes down an elephant. Once I can see straight, sit up, and stare at paper or my tablet, I'm working on something. Usually plot points that my drugged up mind comes up with for later editing and figuring out how to make them possible.

It's not amazing. It's not a super power. It's good old fashioned hard work.

Ask any published writer who is serious about their work, and they'll tell you getting into the habit of doing something in regards to your writing takes practice. And time to get used to. But if you really want to see your name on a printed version of your book with some money coming in from sales, you Write. Every. Single. Day. 

I'm sorry to say but holidays are non-existent to most writers. We write. Be it on paper, phone, tablet or computer. We write.

To those who are just coming onto this and are horrified by this, go to the Camp NaNo website for the April or July, rounds of Camp, sign up, create your book, set your word count (minimum is 10K), and practice getting words every single day. I use these months as a way to finish off a few smaller projects (as shown above).

Or even join in the insanity that is National Novel Writing Month in November. Go to the NaNoWriMo website and sign up. Minimum word count? 50 thousand words in 30 days.

No, I'm not being paid to tell you to do this but my first Nano was back in 2009. I've won every single one that I've been a part of since. It taught me how to turn off my editors brain to get the words down and out. It also taught me how to write every day without fail. 

And I carried those lessons over into my writing career, just like every author and writer before me.

So again: Write. Every. Single. Day. And don't whine about it.

You're the one who chose to pick up writing as a career path. I get enough of that from the 12 to 18 year olds who come to me about writing advice. 

Until next week!