When you don't write...

NaNoFail. I know, I know, it's not over yet, but somehow I can't see me getting in 44,000 words in ten days while teaching full-time and presenting my house for sale. This is my first fail year after three NaNo wins. Am I disappointed? Not a bit, and that surprised me.

I'm usually pretty hard on myself about getting stuff done and about priorities. I've posted before about the need to prioritise your writing in your day and not saving it for 'spare' time, spare time doesn't exist, you need 'writing time'. But every now and then we fall off the literary wagon and instead of wallowing in self-pity, I think you have to just give yourself a break. And then move on. Pat yourself on the shoulder for not being 200% perfect, do what you need to do at the time and then plan a near future date that your writing will restart. For me, it's the school holidays. 

I'll probably start  dipping back in before that, but I've also got to display my home for prospective buyers in the next few weeks, organise the sale of our other property, shop for a home in Brisbane, do the conveyancing for our purchase, pack up our belongings, teach, do up my paperwork for my next teaching accreditation, etc, etc, etc. So now is the time to pace myself.

How's November looking for your writing? If you've slacked off, what will be your 'get back into it' date?

Here's what I've been doing this month instead - painting my house:

From this:

To this:

And I've painted inside too:

Ready, Set... What was I saying?

NaNoWriMo has begun! Actually it began on the 1st of November, but I was having issues deciding which story to begin. After running through all the possibilities, I decided to go with my original idea of book 2 in the Dog Show Detective series.

Kitty Walker continues to chase those elusive show ribbons with her best friend, Miniature Schnauzer, 'Spade'. Unfortunately, Spade happens to be the worst show dog ever. While Kitty tries to mend Spade's naughty ways through obedience school, she stumbles upon another mystery. Someone is breaking into the cars of the obedience school members while they are busy on the field. Things escalate to house break ins. It starts to become obvious that one of the obedience school members are responsible for these thefts. But who? 

Surely not Kitty's mother? 

Mrs Walker tries to prove her own innocence, after all, Kitty is banned from solving mysteries after she put her life at risk when got involved in the last mystery. Sadly Mrs Walker is as bad at detecting as Spade is at dog showing. Ultimately, Mrs Walker will need Kitty's help, especially since the crimes have escalated from theft to murder.

Day two, I've managed 1632 words. Opening with a show, Spade nicks a scarf off the judge and makes her chase him around the ring until he gets bored. Now Spade has been sentenced to dog obedience school or his showing future is over.

Schroeder, my less naughty, more sooky Miniature Schnauzer