NaNoWriMo Countdown in Single Digits

The countdown to NaNoWriMo has entered single digits. In 5 days, 13 hours, 6 minutes and 53 seconds, the starting gun will go off for NaNoWriMo 2009 (and I will officially turn 35).  I'm guessing that when it starts, I'll be peacefully sleeping in my bed dreaming of my next 35 years of life.  After surviving 34 years and three Halloween trick-or-treat outings with my kiddos, I'll be worn out and crashing from a sugar buzz.

However, I fully intend to leap out of bed on the morning of my birthday, November 1, and sit down at my computer without passing "GO." My NNWM plan is in place:

1.  I will write 1,700 words a day.  I've outlined the book and have determined that it should be 90,000-100,000 words when completed.  I'll need a lot more than just November to finish it, but I don't want to set my daily word counts too high and end up quitting before I've started.

2.  I've prepped several writing playlists that fit with scenes from the first three chapters of my book.  Here's a sample:

• Staplegunned (Remix) by The Spill Canvas = 3:11
• Dismantle.Repair (Acoustic) by Anberlin = 4:34
• Cross the Line by Ruth = 3:40
• Tiffany Blews by Fall Out Boy = 3:45
• Idlewild Blue (Don’t Chu Worry ‘Bout Me) by Outkast = 3:24
• That Day by Poe = 2:41
• T.V. Family by The Rocket Summer = 4:13
• Swandive by Ani DiFranco = 6:30
• My Junk from the "Spring Awakening" Broadway recording = 2:28
• September Skyline by Single File =  3:15
• As Lovers Go (Ron Fair Remix) by Dashboard Confessional = 3:29
• Shooting Up in Vain (T-Ray Remix) by Eagle Eye Cherry = 4:51
• Some Say by Sum 41 = 3:26
• Typical by Tickle Me Pink = 3:15

Do you have any guesses about the book from looking at the playlist above?

This playlist is just over 53 minutes long.  My goal is to start with three 15-minute power writing sessions (write your brains out without stopping until the timer goes off).  This gets all of the gut-feelings and impressions about a scene's conversations, description, etc., out before I have time to listen to my internal editor and nix anything. I'll have a little bit of music left between sessions so that I don't get distracted and waste time searching for interesting tunes on the iPhone (and then check e-mail and twitter and facebook -- you know the drill). 

Not to worry, I'm not fooling myself into thinking that I can whip out 1,700 in 45 minutes.  Although, at 38 words a minute, it's certainly possible.  But I've set aside two hours a night (after my kiddos go to bed) to get the work done.   I'm not a morning person - always try getting up at 5:30 a.m. to write my articles, but the warm covers and snooze button are too welcoming.  And I need at least an hour to decompress before trying to sleep.  Otherwise, I have characters and plot ideas running through my head and I spend at least an hour tossing and turning and keeping my husband awake!

3. I have 48 scene cards written.  All of my major plot points, pinch points and mid point are figured out.  Still not sure how this sucker is going to end, but there has to be something left to chance, right?  To be honest, I know the very end of this book and how it segueways into the beginning of the next book.  I just haven't figured out how I'm going to wrap up several of the plot points that are specific to this book.

4.  This week I'll be spending some time experimenting with the Snowflake Method.  I've never used this before, but it looks interesting and as though it might spur some new ideas for me during the brainstorming.

5.  I spent some time last night playing around with the free download from Liquid Story Binder XE. I haven't decided whether it is right for me or not.  I tend to get bogged down in "playing" with the features of programs like this, and I end up spending more time uploading photos or formatting mindmaps than actually writing.  The program definitely isn't intuitive when you first open it, but I enjoyed this excellent tutorial posted at Not Enough Words.

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You might recall in a post from October 7, the list that I made for all work that I needed to finish before November 1. Keep in mind that for a full-time working person, this list isn't that long.  But for a girl whose full-time job is supposed to be taking care of her kids, this work-at-home mom things has ballooned of late. Let's revisit that for a minute and take a look at the progress.

• 5 interviews for columns (4 of the 5 completed)
• 4 weekly columns (3 of the 4 completed)
• 2 web design completions (1 out for edits; 1 in the works today)
• 2 conference calls (Finished)
• 1 blog template redesign (Finished)
• 1 business card design process (on hold until December)
• 1 business papers design (letterhead, b-cards, etc.) (in the works today)
• 1 board meeting (Finished with one more scheduled for this Thursday)
• 1 newsletter design (Finished - files to the printer today!)
• 1 newsletter edit/design (Finished - files to the printer yesterday!)
• 1 scientific article with 4 interviews (Finished - submitted this morning)
• 1 PowerPoint template design (Finished - waiting for full script to be crafted, but formatting shouldn't take long)

The end of the tunnel is in sight, and NaNoWriMo is looming. What are you doing this week to prepare?