The Week Two Blues

I'd heard about the week two blues: when many NaNo writers hit a wall in their writing. In the pre-nano days (October) I was cocky and thought, "Well, not me. I'll just keep plugging along. I'm sure I can BS my way through the wall.

Week one: I started writing and had quickly started to worry that I only had 7,000 words worth of ideas planned out. I wasn't even going to make it through week one! The worrying slowed me down for a day and a half before I scolded myself, and kicked the 'inner editor' out of my head. "Just write, stop fretting about a problem you haven't even gotten to...yet."

I've made it 613 words shy of 15,000. Look at me, double where I thought for sure I'd die off. Only...only...

I had planned out 8 markers or major stepping stones for my story. I've tackled four of them, which if you're into numbers and averages means I 'should be' halfway through my word count. But, I'm 10,000 words short of that. This wouldn't be a problem in and of itself - I mean, it was arbitrary to say that my story had to be at the halfway word count just because I've tackled half the markers - the problem is that I don't think I have a whole lot to say on the next four - certainly not 35,000 words worth. Is this the word desert I feared?

I'm finding myself looking over the chasm and panicking. A meltdown is lurking just around the corner. How can this be happening to me? I knew it was ordained to occur...but my pre-nano self had said with confidence, "I will persevere, I know that I will just have to force myself to sit in front of the computer and type - type until it starts making sense again." That pre-NaNo self was self assured. Who told her she could skip out on me?

But, like any desert, it appears empty, desolate, void of life, until you enter it and start looking around.
So, now that I've shared my 'fear' with someone (Thanks!) I'm off to engage in a stare off with my word processor. I will cross this desert, and I know that once I start walking I'll find an oasis or two, along the way. I just...have...to...keep...going.

May you too survive the week two blues!