Preparation in Pictures!

Here’s what I’ve been doing to prepare for NaNoWriMo:

1. Laying in bed staring at the yellow leaves on the tree outside.

They are slowly falling and I told my husband that when the last leaf falls . . . well . . .

For a more dramatic version, go here. 

NaNoWriMo Prep: Turn everything i see into a horrible story.

2. Making bottles of grape juice that we may never drink because I want them to be bottles of jelly but two of our burners don’t work and I’ve never made jelly so it will probably just be mushy juice but I’m still making juice in hopes of jelly and then when I’m done I am going to say a small prayer that we don’t waste them and somehow find a way. Somehow . . .

NaNoWriMo Prep: Do it even if I don’t have any idea how I’m going to make it work–no idea how it will end, if it’s any good, or if it’s worth my time and effort. Because if I don’t try at all, all I’ll have is rotten grapes and sad feelings of knowing what could have been. A winter without jelly is a melancholy winter indeed.

3. Feeling good about myself because I planned and worked out an amazing project I was going to do at a craft night (MODGE PODGE!!!!!) for church. Cam was my coach as I prepared for the two hours of intense crafting (which I am the worst at and try to avoid at all costs). He even found me some excellent websites to read up on and study. Here and here. 

And then I actually made the light (with the help of about fifty awesome ladies) and I was feeling pretty proud of the results:

See how gorgeous that big fat ball is? Just like Pinterest!

But then today:

Collapsed. Awful. Big huge glue ball with some string on it.

NaNoWriMo Prep: Don’t be sad if what I think is awesome is actually not so awesome. I went through the process. I know how to do it now. I have ideas of what I need to do next time to make it better. Some writers write the entire first draft and then CLICK delete the whole thing and start over. It’s not a failure! It’s a beginning.

And finally

4. Watching this belly grow:

This is maybe my best selfie ever. And I take thousands. THOUSANDS I say. I am very far along with this baby (I won’t tell you how far because I have watched Lifetime Network movies many many times). Needless to say, I am gigantic. HUGE. In the best possible way (I keep telling myself).

NaNoWriMo Prep: No research or planning or computer programs beat life itself. Live now and use it later for your books.

That’s all I got! Happy Tuesday.