I’m going to give it a try. Fifty-thousand words in 30… scratch that… 29 days!

As I drove to work yesterday thinking about whether or not to try National Novel Writing Month, I realized a couple of things: (1) I really really want to try, (2) I have two holidays in November when I can spend the day writing (Election Day and Veterans’ Day) because the kids are in school, (3) I convinced others to give it a try, so how would it look if I bailed? (see David and Nicole) and (4) it’s not like life is going to free up time for me next year. Life’s always going to be busy for me, so may as well jump right in now.

Mostly I realized this: I don’t have to succeed. NaNo is just a word count. My work won’t disappear if I don’t make it to 50,000 by the 30th. I won’t be branded with a scarlet letter or banished from the writing world.

BUT I REALLY WANT TO SUCCEED.

Yesterday, instead of going out to lunch with the work gang, I started my project. Besides those two precious days off, this is how I have to work, an hour here, an hour there. I’m typing this blog post during M’s gymnastics class. I envy those of you with time.

Somehow I’ve convinced myself I can do it all. Maybe it’s confidence, maybe ego, maybe insanity. Whatever. I’m going to stop thinking about it and just do it and let myself off the hook if December comes and it all tanked. That’s what life is about, right? Giving it a try? (Remind me of this when I’m crying to you in December).

So those of you participating, look for me on the NaNo website and “buddy me”. My username is “Jess Waiting on a Word.” I’ll buddy you back. We can support each other (I only have two buddies right now, the aforementioned David and Nicole). As to what I’m writing, I’m going with a YA/”New Adult” story focusing on love and tragedy and revolving around characters in a college dorm. I’ll give you more details as I go (unless I get shy about it), but here’s my first line:

“I didn’t know that being a queen could be so much fun,” Ben joked, as he adjusted my tiara on his messy brown hair.

Yeah, not Hemingway, but still fun.

Have a great day!