Ah the first day of NanoWrimo. This year, 2020, it happens to be on a Sunday. Thinking about this, I realize it probably could not have been on a better day. Some would ask what about Saturday? Even though most people have the MOST time off on Saturday, in reality I would say people have the least amount of free time during their days off on Saturday. Take a moment and consider everything that you try to do on a Saturday. Between sleeping in, or getting up early to start the day off correctly. Shopping, day travel, visiting with friends and family, or finally getting around to working on those projects you have been planning on for so long.

Now Sunday on the other hand is in my mind a whole other beast. The day of rest. A time we sit back and purposely try not to do anything other and a big fat NOTHING while we dread the coming of the new work week. This year’s NANOWRIMO starts on THAT day. Definitely not a bad thing, and possibly even arguably a good thing. That is how I am looking at it.

So how did it go and what did I do.

First, I took advantage of Nano starting on a Sunday by staying up until after midnight on Saturday.

The good old Midnight Nano start!

Grouped with dozens of other writers from my region I kicked this year’s writing off right at midnight. Ove the course of almost two hours, a dozen or so writers started their novels off on the right foot by getting word counts in without a minute to spare. Many like myself passed the daily goal before we were even done.

See, I prefer the fifteen minute sprint if I’m doing the group writing type of setting. They are fast, easy, and when there are so many distractions around you they allow for short bursts of cutting it all out before you are forced to let some of it back in.

With my wife working on her own book in the background, my son off in bed after getting a tummy ache from too much candy, I was able to put in four fifteen minute sprints. I averaged about 550 words per sprint which gave me well over my goal of 1700 for the midnight run of Nano.

It was a terrific start for this year’s project. Then it was off to bed.

AND the morning came too soon.

Up at 7:30 am and already behind on the sprints by 8:15am. Others were already up and back at it before I could get my coffee and bagel. But once I did, I was with them.

Starts and stops. Stuff to do around the house and family to keep happy, I was able to do 5 more sprints. This put me in for another 3,000+ word total bringing my day 1 writing target of 5,000 to fruition.

It was a terrific start. My writing was moving along. In total I spent 2 hours and fifteen minutes actually typing on the keyboard and it netted me my goal for the day.

A 5k day is a great start. Puts me ahead of the curve which I have full intention to keep going. So many other people in my region turned in a great day as well. Plus this only counts those who joined our local Discord channel. Who knows how many other people had a great start to the month.

Sundays are the best. I know it will only happen every 5-6 years, but too bad it can’t happen every year.

Now, on to day 2!