About a week ago, I had decided to try to squeeze out a novel in November, as I have done twice in the last five years, for NANOWRIMO. The day after I allowed myself to make that declaration public and start getting excited about it, my boss delivered the news that I needed to travel to our New Jersey office. The time window for this to happen was about three weeks.
I was a little taken off guard by my boss’ request because the NJ office and I had tried to schedule this trip the second week of October, when, for all intents and purposes, it was the most convenient time for everybody, especially me, but the trip was a no-go. So now, the only week that made sense within the proposed window was the first week of November.
I will have no time whatsoever to devote to NANOWRIMO on this trip unless I get extremely creative. I could get the novel started on November 1st, but I will be packing that night and the Texans are playing the Colts in Indy on Monday Night Football. So, while I plan on writing that night, I won’t be writing much. Tuesday, I will have time on the plane to write. That will require me to take my laptop to New Jersey, which I hadn’t planned to do. I would also have some time to write before bed on Wednesday and Thursday nights in the hotel.
The next two nights, however, I will be in New York City with my work buddy Chrissy, and I promise you, the laptop will not see the light of day. I can, of course, write more on the plane on Sunday on the way home if I don’t pass out first. If I take the laptop, I only lose 2-3 days, and since I tend to finish early most of the time, that’s not an insurmountable deficit. If I don’t take the laptop and I come back and try to start writing on the 9th, I don’t know that I will actually get started, let alone finish.
So you see the dilemma. Do I give up before I even start, or do I go ahead and try to overcome this wrench in my plans? I still haven’t decided. First I have to see if I have an idea that I believe is worth trying to overcome this obstacle.
I’m tired of all the things that suck my creative well dry, or obstacles I let get in my way, and I need to write 50,000 words in 30 days more than I ever have. Perhaps this trip will provide a much needed refill of the creative well. Then, after I do 50,000 words in 30 days, maybe I should do a similar photo contest as well. Regardless of how this turns out, I need to refocus my time on the activities and people that feed my soul, and begin to tune out all that does not.
Stay tuned for updates!
Sassy Dreams Awake 