There’s something to finishing a goal.I have never done anything like this before, so I have to CHEER  WOO WOO!

Thanks to Rhonda Blackhurst, I joined the July NaNoWriMo.  Our Writing Cabin had motivated AND motivating writers!  It was awesome to be able to put in my own word count goals and have a team to support me in attaining that goal.  Who would have thought having a word count would help out so much?  It made me put my seat in the chair and get those words down!  (I didn’t want to let my team down.) The words I write at that moment may not be the best words or the prettiest sounding words, but they are on the paper.  As the wonderful Bird by Bird author, Anne Lamott,  calls them Crappy First Drafts (but she uses a different word, same principal). The gist she says is that you have permission to write long, incoherent, hideous, self-indulgent, boring sentences.  It’s okay, you’re getting the words down.  You don’t know what you know or don’t know until you know it.    (That’s a hairy sentence!)

Writing helps me know what I know if  I let go of perfection or it having to look or sound a certain way. Essentially, I got out of my own way, and let the words fly. Now comes the beauty of crafting the words and honing them in on the juiciness of the story.

The other grand part?  It allowed me to make so many connections and figure things out of what I want to write and even some of the hows, which I didn’t have before.  There was some element of knowing my path a little better.  Had I just stared at the screen or better yet, avoid the screen with senseless other “have to” activities in the name of being busy, I would not have gotten more clarity.

If you ever get a chance, you have to read Bird by Bird.  She’ll not only make you feel like you’re a person, but you’ll also know that you’re a writer, faults and all.  Here’s to some wonderful cabin mates and fellow bloggers.  Check them out!

Rhonda Blackhurst

Shawn L. Bird

Pioneergirl08

Wolff1166

And JohnnaA