Happy Monday, Everyone!

Even with the slow time of year, I find maintaining a writing schedule difficult, but it is ONE habit I am determined to re-create (and keep.) Got up at 5:30 am this morning and wrote, edited, researched and thought. And honestly, I felt I didn’t accomplish much. I spent way too much time researching and thinking about how to execute a murder, instead of writing about it.

So what did I do? I went to my NaNoWriMo dashboard to add my total word count only to find my total was now less than I posted earlier. Discouraged and feeling as if I just went backward, I decided to check out my NaNo Message board. NaNoWriMo is more than just for writing, and today I discovered how true that is, when I read an encouraging message from Michelle Good.

“I also found that so much of my writing experience was actually spent thinking. I would be critical of myself, wondering if this was really just procrastination. I’ve decided it is not. I believe that the stories we want to tell drive us, in a sense, to write them the way they want to be written. Those ideas, in the best experience, take on a life of their own, will possess you and, if you are fortunate, you will become the scribe to your idea. That is, the idea will lead you as opposed to you struggling to articulate the idea.” — Excerpt from Pep Talk from Michelle Good, November 7, 2021

As writers, we spend a lot of time thinking, and assume we are not accomplishing what we want. The question isn’t whether we can write, but on whether we will ever finish our book. Some assume that because a lot of time is spent “thinking,” that equates to “failure” and so, eventually give up. Don’t.

Thinking is necessary.

Mulling over the ideas is how we visualize our story.  You may spend hours researching the best “poison” for your murder, or creating the perfect character name. You’ll visualize the location, the environment. This is a necessary part to the writing process. It is NOT a waste of time.

No one approaches writing the same way.

The key is to find what works for you. And if you feel stuck, lost, or just don’t know what to do, then link up with like minded writers. We all need a little encouragement. You are not alone.

Still, you’ll need to avoid the research and thinking trap. Instead, write what you are researching, as if it is part of the story—whether you use it or not. Write your thoughts, even if they are “garbage.” That’s what editing is for.

Perhaps I did go backward, but that doesn’t matter. Word counts are moot— it is the story that matters.

So, I’ll continue what I’m doing, one day at a time. Who knows?

The garbage I write today may be just the compost needed.

Enjoy the day,

Suz