Running just as fast as I can

I'm in the weeds!

Do you know that expression? I think it comes from golfing.

Anyway, what I mean is that I am getting behind in my daily words counts and feel like I need to race to catch up to where I should be. I have 34,000 words. At midnight tonight I need to have 35,007. But the gap feels bigger than that. Because I think of how little time I will have to write on Turkey Day and then over the holiday weekend.

I could imagine this convo tommorow at the dinner table:

I say, "Well, if you will excuse me, I must rush off. It's National Novel writing month, you know how it is."

Blank stares.

I add, "I have to write 2,000 more words today to reach my goal."

A well meaning but clueless member of my family asks, "So that should take how long? Half an hour? Go jot down your words and come back for pie."

"It might take a while longer. I have to wait for my characters to speak to me. They're being difficult these days. Simone doesn't want to hurt Thomas but she doesn't love him the way she loves Nik. And Thomas is still in love with Miranda, who is dead. So that poses a different problem altogether. Plus they still haven't told me if Simone chooses Nik or Thomas."

Blank stares.

I hurry from the room mumbling, "Nanowrimo."

They discuss what size straight jacket to order for me.


I will try and explain to my family my need to carve sometime to spend with Nikolas and Simone but I fear it may be a losing battle.