I am a little more than halfway through my NaNoWriMo memoir, An Insignificant Life: 26,306 words towards the goal of 50,000.
It hasn't been an insignificant struggle. thought it would be harder to write fiction (like I did last year) than a memoir. I was wrong.
First, there are the constant distractions. The second week is always hard, but it has been a nonstop fight with distractions I did not have in writing fiction. I keep wanting to fact check and, although I know that now is NOT the time to fact check, there I am doing it.
Some of the fact checking has been fascinating, but, again, now is not the time for that.
I am mentally exhausted. My memory has so many holes in it, it is like a piece of disintegrating lace. The "why" of "why should I examine my life" is slipping just beyond my reach, laughing in my face from a safe distance.
I try to listen to the inner voice when it whispers "you need to write about this particular memory" but other times, I just think of my NaNoWriMo writing buddies who have completed their 50,000 words, and feel a little bit of envy. I shouldn't, and I know this isn't a competition against my buddies. So I will need to find a way to remotivate myself. Even if I have to start a new WIP, that counts against the total.
I will never read a memoir again in the same way. Last year, I said the same thing about fiction works. I haven't even done all the work that goes into a novel yet. I have never put any of my WIPS (works in progress, but I might as well call them Whips) through even the first editing process.
Until last year, I never knew writing was so much work. I am not even reading the NaNoWriMo pep talks or going into the forums right now. If I wanted to distract myself, I should at least be doing that!
So, I am behind where I should be - on day 18 I should have had 30,000 words written. My spouse's cataract surgery, and the four day Thanksgiving weekend, are almost here. Last November, I even got sick and couldn't write for a day or so. If that happens this year, I am finished and not a winner.
I haven't depended much on past posts for this blog yet, which I was going to do. So I must implement "Plan B". Be prepared to read some of my early posts. I hope you enjoy them.
Are you in NaNoWriMo? How are you doing?
You can do it, Alana! It sounds like you are learning a lot! I'm looking forward to reading your memoir!
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