November 3rd

Today is November 3rd. For most people that means very little. It might be a reminder to take down the Halloween decorations or put up the Thanksgiving or possible Christmas ones. People may start making lists to prepare for the upcoming holidays. There are shopping and Christmas card lists, meals to plan or other family obligations to consider. However for hundreds of thousands of people around the world November 3rd means something entirely different, Day 3 of Nanowrimo.

I have participated for years in the annual writing challenge. Some years I knew months in advance what I would be working on while other times I would pick something at random within days of the start. One year I even decided to begin writing over a week in and used a previously written short story as the base and expended it into a full length novel. This year was one of the advanced planning years. I had thought it would be a good time to work on book 3 in my Voices series. I didn't have a specific plot for the book but then again I went in somewhat blind last year on book 2 and loved the outcome.

The concern I have is time. I am currently working two jobs. Not huge issue since I have done that before. Yet, in previous years, I worked double shifts on some days and had others off entirely which allowed me to get up and go work on my writing for hours at a time. This go round I find myself working every single day on varying shifts. There are still doubles on several occasions but there are no days off. While I am working I am also fighting my ongoing health issues and projects at home. My boyfriend and I have decided to downsize our living situation and so have been sorting through all of our belongings as well as searching for our next home and preparing our current house to go on the market. I am also still working diligently on preparations for the charity event I co-founded coming up in February. All of these things together add up to a distinct lack of free time.

I know people say it is fine if you don't hit the goal, or set a personal one that is easier for you and your situation. The problem is I don't like to do things halfway. If I go for something, I go all in. I will not lower the goal just to say I did something. It is all of nothing and I am trying to  decide if possible Nanowrimo simply isn't in the cards for me this year. I suspect the rest of the day will be a pros and cons conversation with myself to determine which direction I will end up going.