NaNo Diary – 1 to 7 Nov 2021
Hello & welcome to the first week of my NaNo Diary, giving insight into my writing life highs and lows. If you didn’t see my project introduction, please check it out here.
Week GoalsI looked at the whole month and identified which days I could write. This worked out to 22 days. This meant, on my writing says I needed to write 2,273 words.
For this week, I plan to write Monday to Friday and take Saturday & Sunday off. By the end of the week I need to have written 11,365 words to be on track.
Monday, 1 November
I was determined to make a good start. Noah was back to school & Aria was home with me. No matter how hard I tried to get her busy doing her own thing, she wanted to play with me. I only managed to write 86 words.
In addition, I discovered my web hosting was about to run out. Renewing with my current provider was going to be hella expensive, so I had to quickly research other providers and migrate my website. This was a huge distraction, and although it appears to have gone well, I can’t help but worry that when my hosting ends with my original provider I’ll lose my website.
It was also the last evening for a few nights I’d get to spend with my hubby, so we watched an episode of Locke & Key together before bed.
Not the awesome word count I wanted to kick off day one with.
NaNo 2021, day 1
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Tuesday, 2nd November 2021
I’ve been excited to get writing this project but when I sat down to do it, I couldn’t get into the story. I knew Tuesdays and Wednesdays would be hard as they are my long work days, and I’m often shattered by the time the kids are in bed.
I reread the chapters I did before, and added more to my character profiles. I realised the story is more early 2000s, than 90s, so I researched the music of that era. I then wrote 1,185 words.
I had also written 349 words in my 30 minute lunch break.
Today’s total was 1,534 words
NaNo 2021, day 2
Wednesday, 3rd November 2021
This morning my mum sent a text saying she couldn’t come & take my son to school & my daughter to nursery. As I was getting the kids ready, I didn’t see the text until minutes before she was due to arrive.
With my broken foot, I couldn’t take them myself. As my hubby had just worked a 12h night shift, he was sleeping. I began going upstairs to wake my husband, and called my mum to find out what had happened. She answered and explained my sort-of-step-dad is unwell but he’s calling the doctor and she’s on her way.
In the evening I was determined to do better. Once the kids were in bed, I got comfy, and got writing.
I managed to write 1717 words, making me very happy.
NaNo 2021, day 3
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Thursday, 4th November 2021
Today mum was late to collect the kids. This scared me as I knew my sort-of-step-dad had been unwell the day before. I was worried things may have got so bad my mum hadn’t even been able to call or text me.
I rang, and my sort-of-step-dad answered the phone. He didn’t sound good, but told me my mum was on the way. Turned out she had just got the time wrong, but hearing how poorly he was made it more real.
I spent the rest of the day worrying about him. I worried so much, I made myself dizzy, so I didn’t write in my lunch break. I took a proper break away from a screen.
In the evening I couldn’t relax to write, and had to take the night off from writing.
NaNo 2021, day 4
Friday, 5th November 2021
I’ve woke up with a banging headache. Probably a sign I didn’t sleep well. But, I need to write today as I scheduled tomorrow as a night off. But, I really don’t feel like writing.
All day, I had a headache. I tried to write and nothing was coming. Then there was this moment when the kids were calm and I remembered today is when Under the Willow has their live chat. I joined the chat, and my headache cleared.
I got the kids to bed, tidied the house, and put my daughter to bed several more times because of the fireworks. Then I watched Nine Perfect Strangers on Prime, and wrote.
Collectively today I wrote a Whopping, 1,955 words!
NaNo 2021, day 5
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Saturday, 6th November 2021
I’m feeling excited about tonight. My husband is sleeping off his night shift today, so I’m trying to keep the kids quiet, so I probably won’t be able to sneak in many (if any) words during the day.
Tonight, we are off to Trinity Park to enjoy the fireworks for my birthday. There is live bands, and food, and I the kids loved it. My only complaint would be the poor management over the food.
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Sunday, 7th November
Today is my actual birthday. I had a lazy morning opening cards in bed, before getting up to have a fry up for brunch.
My mum popped round, and I had lots of texts and messages wishing me a happy birthday. It was a PJ day, and I loved it.
My husband got me sushi and cake for dinner. In the evening we watched more Loche and Key.
The Soul SeriesDiscover more about the Soul Heart series:
About Ocean Heart (book 1), available in eBook, paperback, and in all good bookshops and libraries.
About Sky Heart (book 2), currently in Beta, and then lots of editing rounds involving my editor.
About New Moon (prequel), currently first draft being written for the NaNoWriMo challenge.
[Kofi]
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