It's been a few days since I started NaNoWriMo... okay okay it's been only three days sinceIi started. But I must say that I'm not going to finish the goal of 50,000 words. I just know this. It's my first time attempting something this big. I started off strong on Day 1 writing 1056 words. I thought a very respectable word total for someone completely an amateur and unprepared for this. Day 2 I wrote a measly 656 words. That's it... One chapter. And now I'm temporarily out of motivation. That means that I know I will not be reaching 50,000 words. Yet, I am okay with that. My realistic goal is 20,000 words. I also probably won't be participating in any of the online or physical events. I view this year as testing the waters. What does it feel like to attempt something like this? Do I want to attempt this next year? Should I vary my attempts and/or strategies? This year is my trial run.

Good luck to all the other writers out there. I know that some of them will create some wonderful pieces that actually have a future. I don't think mine will, but that's okay. To me it's all about the exercise.

I will be trying to write every day. So I will probably have fewer blog entries than usual for this month. I am still reading (not going to give that up), but not at a frenzied pace. Book reviews will appear sporadically. Other posts may also appear that have nothing to do with books. I might feel inspired some day to write about life, or crafting, or my job, or music, or food. I also have a few reading challenge goals to accomplish this month to stay on track. I am determined to knock out at least two challenges (only 3 books aways!). We'll see. And if I'm feeling less critical of myself, I might even put up some passages from my NaNoWriMo attempt: The Place that Bordered Death...