NaNoWriMo Update #2: You Know It's Almost Over When...

NaNoWriMo is a non-profit which, every November, encourages the world to bring their novel dreams to life, by writing 50,000 words in one month. I've done the challenge once before - and won it! - and am looking forward to trying again this year. We're nearing the end of the road and my typing skills have gone to pot... however, my plot line is still chugging along!

Well, NaNoWriMo is officially peeking over the edge of the horizon, and I feel like I've only barely gotten started. We have less days left in the Challenge than days it took me to actually start writing - which, if you'll remember, I didn't do until the 13th of the month - and if there was any self-indicator that I might actually be in a lot of trouble, it's that my "Words Per Day to Finish On Time" count is now in the 4,000s.

Needless to say, yikes. 

You know the game's almost over, when the fears of inadequacy you voice to your friends and family, get responses that change from "Well, there's still plenty of time left!" to "You know it's all going to be okay if you don't finish, right?" 

In particular, my family members are only just now starting to understand that this all stresses me out tremendously. From my mom staying up late in the kitchen with me, so I can work in some more words before we finally head to bed at 1 A.M., to my sisters pestering me to get off my phone and write so that they can have the room to themselves, they're finally able to tell that there's a solidly good chance I won't make this deadline, so they're giving me all the room I need.

For the most part: unfortunately, we're also finally now on our Thanksgiving vacation, and this cabin is going to get all kinds of cranky if I'm not able to work on the things I want to. Granted that my sister, Delaney, has a near-inability to refrain from singing every five seconds, it might get a little hostile in the back bedroom we're sharing.

This time in 2014, the last time I completed NaNoWriMo, I was able to end the Challenge three days early, clocking out with 50,781 words written, more than 16,000 of which were written in the last three days I'd spent writing alone. Averaging out to 5,356  words a day, it was the most intensive writing period of my entire life, even when compared to creating my Capstone paper for graduation this past Spring.

And like I've said before, I need to write over 4,000 words a day as of right now to make the Challenge on time. Clearly, I've done something of that caliber before, but can I make it again? Especially with my family around, so closely? There's still dinner to make, a Parade to watch, and a massive football victory hanging imminent (Yeah, I said it: Huskies are going to take the Apple Cup this year. Unless of course, by some snowball's chance they lose, in which case, forget I said anything).

(And speaking of snowballs, it's snowing down here where we're on vacation, and if there's anything that's going to convince me to write, it's a winter wonderland landscape outside my window!)

Anyways, that's where I'm at right now: woefully behind, but remaining optimistic - and willing to do a little word math to prove it - and wondering how this whole vacation thing might mess with my stats. The next time I'll update this blog, you'll find out whether I made it or not... I'm as anxious to find out as you are! 

Now, back to Microsoft Word!

How is your NaNo Challenge going? Got any writing tips for those of us who are drowning? Let me know, in the comments below!