It’s Day 20 and I’m on track. Last night one of my friends won NaNoWriMo. Just amazing! I’ll get there too, but I write more slowly. Writing speed is something I am working on.

I’m also working on a story for Dean this week. Normally I write in third person, limited viewpoint. This story wants to be told in first person so I am complying, though it’s not the most comfortable viewpoint for me. This is what makes the 52 stories in 52 weeks challenge so valuable. I have many opportunities to challenge myself.

Ray Bradbury said “Write a short story every week. It’s not possible to write 52 bad short stories in a row.”

It seems to be true. Many weeks produce passable stories. Though some weeks the writing comes hard; some weeks are crowded with other things; and some weeks produce stories that are probably not publishable. But even those questionable stories are still valuable because they teach me a little something I can use later in a better story.

Next year I intend to write books after the short story challenge is over. I think I can use what I’ve learned about myself writing short stories to write novels. I’m excited for the future.

Onward!

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