The official blog of Michelle Tuckett, word ninja.

Hello, my writing dears.

I am writing this from my bed, where I have been entombed for the last 2 and a half days. I was put here either by some random and terrible stomach bug or by having angered one of the ancient gods – either of which would explain the misery I am now emerging from. At least it is unrelated my Thanksgiving festivities as I am the only one ill, so that is a blessing.

I am desperately behind on words. When I got sick, I was at some 36,000 words.

Now, after recovering a document of notes I had forgotten about and writing on my iPhone during bouts of lucidity, I have managed to get myself up to about 40,000 words, leaving me 10,000 words shy, all to be written in the next day – a feat in the best of times, let alone while unable to sit up for long periods of time or eat anything more substantial than crackers.

This is the first year I am unsure if I can finish NaNoWriMo. It’s a weird feeling. And I’m very tempted to give up. Very, very tempted – no one would blame me at this point, but I just can’t get myself to do it.

This November has been one full of more roadblocks and setbacks than many others. Even last year when I had a visitor in town for all but the last 8 days, I at least had a job locked down and a story in mind.

This year, everything that could have gone wrong seems to have. (Ok, not everything, but a lot of things). I had a trip, 2 weeks of heavy deadlines, a sprained wrist, a job layoff and consequent job hunting, then finding out I was not actually laid off  (it’s hard to explain). On top of it all, I didn’t follow my own advice and chose a story that has ended up being as exciting as staring at pudding.

All in all, it’s been grim, but doable. I’d backlogged myself heavily, but this weekend had been cleared for writing, and I’d even let myself off the hook of daily blogs to compensate.

All gone in the fevered agony of a freak illness.

So here it is, the 11th hour. I’m sick, I can’t stand or sit for more than a few minutes, I’m writing primarily on my iPhone, and I have 10,000 words to go.

Let’s do this.