Anticipating the Challenges
Week 2, Day 15
Dear Problem, Meet Solution
There is nothing easy about NaNoWriMo, but I’m embracing this opportunity fully. I’m allowing myself the space and the time to finish this manuscript and begin the next stages of publishing.
In order to set myself up for success, I’m highlighting some problems I’m anticipating in order to be proactive with my solutions.
Problem: I decided to do this last minute.
As in the night before the challenge began. I didn’t give myself a preparation window, which may put me at a disadvantage.
Solution: Take advantage of previous NaNoWriMo literature on Medium.
Fortunately there is content as far back as 2014. I see this as a huge benefit. When I have some down time, I’ll consume words of wisdom or articles that’ll help me refocus my attention to reach my writing goals.
Problem: Having friends and family visit.
Though it is a welcomed distraction, it’s also a huge deterrent from writing every day. The hours I am going to spend entertaining, I know I’m going to carry guilt for not writing at least a little bit. We also have a new roommate moving in and we’re hosting Friendsgiving at our place. Lots of opportunities for distraction.
Solution: I’m adjusting my word counts accordingly for those days.
I think it’s still possible to write 2k words, but on days I am distraction free, I want to aim for 5k.
Problem: I still have a job to do.
I’m the content manager of the Nightlight and my business partners are counting on me. It’s going to be difficult to write extensive advice for parents while simultaneously writing a travel memoir.
Solution: Set up a bullet task list and execute them accordingly.
November, December, and January are slower months for the baby industry. Though I plan to crank out new content, it doesn’t have to be as frequent as say, March and April. Aim for biweekly articles and completing smaller tasks around the website.
Problem: Staring too long at a computer screen.
I already do this in my day to day. My back gets tight. My eyes get strained and gloss over. My brain turns to mush. Sitting at a computer all day is my least favorite thing.
Solution: Eliminate unnecessary/unproductive screen time.
I’ve already deleted social media off of my phone which is a habit I think I will keep even after NaNoWriMo is done. I’m allowing myself an hour per day to catch up with emails, designing our website, and managing social channels. My phone is on silent mode except for the timers I will be using. I’m going to be reading more books too.
Problem: Confronting the emotional baggage I’ve been dragging around for the last two years.
Fuck. Just. Fuck. I slip into a mild depression every single time I have an emotionally draining day. It took me five days to recover from the #MeToo movement on Facebook. I can’t imagine the havoc this is going to wreak on my psyche and emotions.
Solution: Positive affirmations.
- There is power in vulnerability.
- This story matters and it is ready to be told.
- This has the potential to help other people.
- Transparency is always worth it.
Problem: Writer’s fatigue.
I think the NaNoWriMo fatigue is a well known hurdle we will all face in our writing. This is the most I’ve written in a consecutive month, so I’m expecting depletion of energy levels across the board.
Solution: Self care.
Making sure to maintain my gym routine. Keep healthy foods in the house to avoid stress eating. Drinking plenty of water. Taking walks just to get the blood circulating and my heart pumping. As with every other challenge in life, self care is so important. I won’t allow this to slip under the radar.
