Utter Exhaustion

I have done it...not completely...but, I am caught up on my word count for my writing challenge. I wish I could say that I've bought myself some breathing space by getting ahead a little bit. I havent'. But as I've noticed, I have an incredible ability to procrastinate. I've posted more on my blog, and done more Internet surfing than I think I've done in my entire life. However, I somehow did get my word count up. I hope to stay caught up, and praying for the end of the month so I can get some sleep!

So far it has all been a good experience. I think a strict deadline like what we have from NaNo writing Gods is important. It at least keeps me focused on task and marching forward one pain in the ass word at a time. The really great part about it is that I'm actually coming out with a story. It's a REALLY bad story, but it's a story. I'm learning more about plot, dialogue, story arc, and method in this amazingly short time frame. I have been writing for years (well...really whining into my journal - especially when drinking), spending a fortune on writing books about method, dialogue and character development. But I have never really fleshed out a story. As I said before, I have started hundreds and my inner critic always stops me dead in my tracks. With this 30-day deadline, my inner critic has no time to chime in...actually he does, but my deadline editor smashes him over the head with a sledgehammer and we keep rolling. I know the real work comes after the first draft. That is when the critic's voice is important and the revision princess needs to put in her nickel. But the purpose of this one month and this group is to get it written. Get the draft out our heads and onto the page. I can really see why this has been an ongoing success for the past ten years. It works. Power in numbers and power in peer pressure.

Exhaustion aside, I believe that when I cross the finish line I will have one more tool in my toolbox that I can hold up and be proud of. I finished a manuscript. I think that will be as good of a feeling to me as my one year birthday in AA...maybe not! But close.

On another note, I am going to owe Callie something really seriously neat. She has been incredible so far. She has tolerated shortening walks so I can sneak some writing time before work, less fetch and my just plain ignoring her at times as I'm writing. Sometimes I look over and she has every single toy out of her toy box and is laying in the middle of them trying to figure out which one she is more interested in. She has really wanted Abbie to play with her, but Abbie, the crank, wants none of that (it may cut into her eating time). I'm glad my little girl is a good girl. We have gone to Devil's Canyon twice since I've started this, but I think something really big is in order for December. Maybe the Mesa. We'll see. She hasn't experienced snow yet, she may really decide she likes it!