Endweek NaNoPost

Before I get into my NaNoWriMo post, the winner of the Sanctuary Reads giveaway is:

CrystalGB, whose sanctuary read is Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas

Crystal, when you have a chance please send your BookWish request along with your full name and ship-to info to LynnViehl@aol.com so I can start waving the magic wand here. My thanks to everyone for joining in and sharing so many of your sanctuary reads.

If you don't know why I'm glad this week of NaNoWriMo is over, just backtrack a few posts. I think there are weeks like this during the writing of any novel, and the key to getting over them is not to drag them along like the unnecessary baggage they are. We've been there, we've done that, now let's burn the T-shirt and move on.

There are ten days left in November to work on my NaNo novel, and while there's a national holiday right smack in the middle of them, I know I can make the time I need to write. I will be getting up an hour earlier every day, and switching my editing and writing times around (I can edit while I'm cooking a turkey, but I can't write, not unless everyone wants an extremely well done bird.) I've also rescheduled a few things that can wait for me to do them until after December 1st. In addition to all this work, I've planned to do some extra fun things to keep my spirits up, because during crunch time play is as important as the work.

The ups and downs will continue on as they always do. Just today I've received some rather bad news, some very good news, and some more work to add to the December schedule. We call this gig a juggling act because the writing life doesn't just toss you silk scarves; occasionally it throws in some chainsaws. You can't handle either if you're afraid of trying.

This last stretch of NaNoWriMo will put you to the test, and I know some of you are tired, worried and/or feeling the pressure. You may not be happy with what you've accomplished so far, and in that respect I am right there with you. But I also know I have a week and a half on my side, and I'm not going to throw that away, not when I can use it to write exactly what I want. To give that up is like being offered a free ten-day vacation and saying, "I can't go because I'm afraid I won't have a good time." No way I'm doing that.

Now it's your turn: how are things going with your NaNo novel? What are you doing to keep yourself motivated? Any early finishers out there? Let us know in comments.