What is the one thing I struggle with most when I sit down to write for Nano? A messy room? My to-do list? The cries of unfed pets? No! It’s how much my back hurts when I sit down, no matter where I park my butt.
After hours sitting at work (or if you’re fortunate enough to have November totally open to write), how do you relieve the aches and pains of crouching over a keyboard for hours?
Exercise (ugh)
I am not a runner or a gym fanatic, and since my neighborhood is full of yellow jackets at present (which would definitely induce me to run, but not for exercise!), I’m restricting myself to indoor exercise and stretches. For me that means taking writing breaks for yoga. For you it may be watching a workout video on youtube. Maybe you practice taichi. Or your jam might be Zumba!
Whatever it is that gets you stretching those tight muscles; don’t save it for December!
And why is it important to get moving?
Nanowrimo is Halfway Over!
Today you’ve overcome the midpoint of the race. Whether your word count is where you’d like it to be, or you’re planning to race full-steam ahead to the finish line during Thanksgiving week, the fact is that you’ve made it to the halfway point!
Congratulations! You have the bones of a story before you. Maybe you have the fuller picture of how your Heroine reaches “The End” now that you’ve spent two weeks with her. Or perhaps your Hero has overthrown the whole plot and you’re furiously writing out a new character arc. Maybe when you look back you see cringe-worthy word choices and grammar errors out the wazoo. But stop looking back! You’re not at the end, so keep moving forward!
Eat Well
By that I don’t mean gorge yourself on take-out in order to save time for more writing.
Eat an apple! Grab a pear. Get something sweet or savory that’s good for you and helps your brain (and not your waistline).
It’s amazing what a little natural sugar will do for your thought processes. And personally, I love having a steaming cup of tea beside me for that late afternoon caffeine kick. There’s more to a good writing environment than comfort and utility – keep hydrated and fed (unless you’re trying to get into the minds of your starving characters).
Way to Go, Writer!
Wherever you are in your Nano race, you’re doing great! This is the point in a real race where runners will motivate themselves by thinking the finish line.
So what is your finish line?
Is it 50,000 words? Or is it the end of your first draft? Are you visualizing typing the words “The End” in bold font, or maybe “Read the preview of the coming sequel in the following pages”?!
Let us know where you are in your first draft and how the Nano experience has been for you!
Katie, signing off
Some favorite links to get you started:
The Spinning Pen 
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