NaNoWriMo: Day One Delays

It’s Day One of NaNoWriMo. I’m actually doing it this year, not just writing about it, but for real, doing it. At the end of the month, I will have a finished draft of a young adult novel. But like many other writers, I haven’t written a word today, on this first day, because I’m paralyzed.

My brain is rushing with potential creative problems and solutions.

Do I need to do more character sketches? Is my main character likeable or interesting enough? Maybe I need to think a little deeper on that. I probably need more research too. And do I have a thorough-enough plan for NaNoWriMo? Maybe today I should outline? I mean, I know a couple plot points and I know the ending, but is that enough? I could do the five act structure, or should I do the four act structure? Actually, who am I kidding? I am a pantser all the way. I like to wing it, just like I wing every other part of my life.

Maybe that’s the problem.

Maybe to prepare for NaNoWriMo, before I even write a single word, I should make a meal plan for the month? I can preorder my groceries, so that food doesn’t need to clog up my creative flow.

Or I could finish doing all of the laundry. Yes, because a writer who writes from home needs plenty of nice clean clothes.

My writing space isn’t totally organized. That drawer is very messy.

Or maybe I could trust in the process and realize that if I write like my hands are on fire (Is that a good or a bad metaphor? Do I even know how to write? For God’s sake, do I know what am I doing?) . . . hey, monkey brain, stop it.

Okay, I think that if I dig deep into my emotional core, the rawness that is begging me to write this story, and if I stay with the longing, fears, desires and flaws of my main character as she journeys through this scary story, maybe, just maybe, it’ll all work out.

At least for the first draft.