I was in the third grade when I received my first journal. And, while I couldn’t articulate at the time, that was when I discovered writing as mechanism to self-soothe. Writing helped me, and it still does.
But that doesn’t mean my journals are worth reading. When I’m journaling, I’m an “indulgent writer.”
We’re now knee-deep in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), the ambitious writer’s one-month sprint to 50,000 words.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of writers take on the challenge, and thousands succeed, saying adios to November with a first draft of a shiny new novel in tow.
It’s a truly amazing feat. But it’s not for everyone.
For a year and a half, I studied as a creative writing major at a tight-knit private university. I wrote poetry under the guidance of a published poet, learned how to develop a narrative arc, and attended readings by local authors.
Now, I’m a professional freelance writer and English major at a different school. But as I look back on my creative writing studies, I see many mistakes that I made (and that other students made, too).
Happy Day Three of NaNoWriMo 2015! How’s that word count so far? I’m allowed to ask that, because this year I’m actually participating. I’ve written a book in four months before, but one month? Insanity, but here is what I’ve learned and struggled with so far: the beginning and getting started.
![The Affair [writing prompt]](https://thewritepractice.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/The-Other-Woman.jpg)
Have you seen The Affair on Showtime? One of the most aspects of the show is it’s format. It’s a great device that will make a wonderful practice!
Let’s overcome creative block by playing Shiritori, a Japanese word game, where the first letter of a word is the last letter of the previous word.
