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Nov 16, 20232 min read

NaNoWriMo 2023: Week Two

Over eight thousand words for the second week of NaNoWriMo 2023. Here's the breakdown.


Title Card with word count for NaNoWriMo 2023 Week 2

8,164 words. I should be at 25,000 in the challenge. The thing is, I have life to do. Take the kids to school, ensure I smell okay, and eat more than a box of Twinkies daily. Plus, my tushy screams for relief if I sit too long.


Sure, I could spend all day writing. However, the following discussion would occur.


Speaker 1: Why didn't you take the kids to school today?

Me: I'm writing.

S1: So, how are they supposed to get to school?

Me: Walk, I guess.

Scene ends with me getting the ever-lovin’ poop kicked out of me.


Nope. Nopeity. Nope. I can write and adult at the same time. Heck, what I've produced so far this month is more than I've done for a long time. So, help pat me on the back, then scratch my left shoulder blade. Ahh, that’s the stuff.


Batman and Robin Meme

NaNo Advice For Week Two

This is for the neurodivergent and writers who have difficulty motivating themselves. It can be tough as heck to write when your brain doesn't work. First, your creative soul can’t properly communicate with your body's control centers. Second, it's harder to deal with disappointments and unaccomplished goals.


The truth is the book world features several neurodivergent authors, past and present. One is fantasy author October K. Santerelli. In a recent Kobo Writing Life Podcast episode, Oscar provided tips on productive creativity for neurodivergent individuals. Some examples include writing in small sprints and rewarding yourself no matter how little you produce.


Take an hour out of your NaNo experience to sip some tea, unknot your fingers, and listen to Oscar. It should help you move through the next leg of the competition. Meanwhile, here's how my week two numbers break down.


Write Decisions Blogs

Goal: 10,000 words | Completed: 1,169 words

Slow and steady. My goal for the next few days is to digitize handwritten material. Thus, this has taken a back seat.


Vantaverse -- A Superhero Universe

Goal: 3,000 words | Completed: 1,022 words

What do you do when you're a bored, 20-something salesperson at Macy's who's also a comic book nerd? You create a new superhero universe. Developed over several years, I kept Vantaverse material on various handwritten and printed pages. It's time to move them into a comprehensive document.


The Reality of it All -- Short Story or Novella

Goal: 5,000 words | Completed: 1,713 words

Another project started decades ago as handwritten material. In script, mind you. So, it took a little time to decipher my left-handed chicken scratch. It’s no wonder my 6th-grade teacher used to throw my handwriting homework in the trash. Then again, she was the devil incarnate.


What Did We Learn Today, Rich?

Sometimes writing sprints work well for me. Other times, I need to take multiple naps a day. Let's hope the goal of 50,000 words is closer by Thanksgiving.


Yours always,

Rich Scott Keller



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