October Novel Prep Challenge

I don't do nervous. I know I'm weird in that way, but I can focus in the calm. My anxiety makes me frazzled, and I don't accomplish what I want to do. Another reason I do yoga. Calm. Focus. Discipline!

However, I know a lot about criticism. My parents always told me I couldn't go to school to be a writer because I wouldn't (and no person does) have anything worth saying until they're at least 50, or maybe 40 in special cases. They pointed to the pictures on the book covers and they repeated it often to my teenage self.

Don't believe them. It isn't about age or any of a number of other traits that can be pointed to. It isn't about anything except saying what you want to say. EVERYONE has something to say, and you have to get out that first draft before you can go farther. That first draft can be during NaNoWriMo or any other time of year. It can be fast like word-vomit or you can edit every single word five times before you go on to the next one. Each of us has a process that works for that particular case.

You are NEVER wasting your time to get out your story. You NEVER have to share anything until you're ready for it to be shared. Just write!