Preparing for NaNoWriMo 2018

It's almost November, which means NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is just around the corner. I've participated in NaNoWriMo the past four years, reaching the 50,000 word count goal my first three years before falling short last year.

This year, I plan to participate again but with a twist. Whereas I had always started working on a new novel for NaNoWriMo, I'm in the midst of a novel now and want to use the event to finish the first draft if I can. It's the thriller that I eluded to back in June, but between June and October, I only wrote 15,000 words. My hope is that NaNoWriMo will be what I need to kick myself in gear.

Last year, I fretted about not being able to write 50,000 words in November, but I'm not worried anymore this year. My day job has gotten even busier this year, and there's less likelihood of my winning NaNoWriMo next month, but last year taught me that I don't need to hit 50,000 words. Just participating is good enough. There's something about NaNoWriMo that gives my writing productivity a boost, and that's what I need right now.

Is anyone else participating in NaNoWriMo this year?

I'm an anti-rainmaker

This post has nothing to do with books or writing, but I thought it'd be interesting to share some random news about me. I think I have a superpower: I can make it not rain wherever I am. I'm an anti-rainmaker.

Let me explain. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, and we've received little rain for the past ten years, leading to drought conditions. All this time, I thought it was because of global warming or other weather patterns. Then, I had to take a business trip to Houston last week. It had been raining every day in Houston the week before my trip (I know because I was watching the weather in order to prepare), and the meteorologists predicted rain every day I was to be in Houston. I was worried about how the rain would affect my plans.

On the day I arrived in Houston, I was surprised and relieved to find that it wasn't raining. My flight was largely uneventful due to the nice weather. However, the forecast that night was for rain all day long the next day. I woke up to a sunny morning, and it didn't rain at all. The forecast that day called for rain the following day. Again, there was no rain. This pattern of rain in the forecast followed by no actual rain continued for all four days I was in the city. On the day that I left, as my plane was leaving the terminal, it finally rained.

There are probably other explanations for what I experienced, but I like to think that the change in weather from forecasted rain to sunny skies was because of some formerly unknown superpower of mine. It would also explain the lack of rain here in California.

If this is true, then I could use my superpower for lots of good deeds. Planning an outdoor wedding or social event that you don't want to have ruined by rain? Call me. Worried about making that driving trip on slippery, wet roads? The anti-rainmaker can help with that.

Let me know how my anti-rainmaking powers can help you.