Its NaNoWriMo Time!

Dear NaNoWriMo-ers:

Do you suffer from Manu-Suck Syndrome? Do you ever feel like giving up? Go through this daily checklist. See if this sounds like you... which it WILL for every writer at some point in time...then don't worry! Scroll further down for the best treatment I have to offer: Inspirational writing quotes from some of today's top authors to get you through National Novel Writing Month! #NaNoWriMo 

A Day in the Life of a NaNoWriMo Writer Suffering From Manu-Suck Syndrome

1. You wake up after a sleepless night full of thoughts like "I suck at writing" and "I NEED A BETTER WORD FOR SAYS" and "This book will NEVER be as good as The Hunger Games. I should quit while I'm ahead, it's the best thing I could ever do for society." 
2. You get your coffee. You spill it all over yourself, but that's okay, because the shirt you're wearing has a million and one coffee stains. And some chocolate from yesterday's dozen cupcakes you purchased to help stifle the pain of Manu-Suck Syndrome.
3. You sit down on the couch. You open up your MS, the one that sort of burns your eyes when you look at it, and start to work.
4. Five minutes later you're on twitter...talking about the new socks you just bought, or how you're thinking about eating pasta later, or checking out the twitpic of some dude in NYC wore a bikini down the street in -5 degree weather. Whatever it is, it's WAY more important than writing. It just IS, okay?! You have 30 days for NaNo. You have time.
5. You start writing again. Five minutes later you're starving. Seriously, you're going to DIE if you don't rush to that restaurant you love that's an hour and a half drive away, not including traffic. It's super important. You haven't been in 3 days! So you go. You binge. And then you order dessert. Cupcakes again.
6. You're finally back home. Time to write. But...but you're so tired. You take a short  three-hour nap, and you DREAM about your MS. Because that's work too, isn't it? Of course it is. Who cares if it's on paper, the book is FINISHED in your head, so you don't need to worry about getting to work any time soon. You're sure everyone else on twitter hashtagging #NaNoWriMo is feeling the same.
7. It's after 4PM now. Time to really get some work done. You start writing...
8. ...and it's really hard. Your eyes are sort of melting off of your face, and Twitter is just a single click away and....
9. ....you start banging your head on the keyboard and getting the END key stuck to your forehead. So then you have to rush your laptop to Best Buy to get it fixed. 
10. Dinner time. You end up sobbing into your bowl of Spaghetti-O's because every time you take a bite, the little noodles in your spoon spell "WHY?!" and it's just so painfully poetic that you lose it and rush straight to bed, where your sultry Twilight poster on the ceiling just reminds you of how pathetic you are. You can't even get a freaking vampire to love you....what makes you think you would EVER be able to finish a 50,000 word novel in a month!?

Okay. So maybe that's a little bit melodramatic...but I know I've had days that definitely feel close to that. And I think it's safe to say that every writer in the world feels the exact same way. Well, I'm here to tell you that it's okay.
GREAT WRITERS HAVE A HARD TIME, TOO. Even the published ones! 
 When I wrote THE MURDER COMPLEX, I wanted to die on occasion. Writing is hard! But there's hope from today's Writing Greats to help us all along the way...to keep every writer inspired and spread the hope that YOU WILL MAKE IT! Take a while to let these quotes settle in. Then get your butt in the chair and make magic with words. I promise the end result will be totally worth it. :) Thanks to all authors for taking the time to provide me with a quote! You are all awesome!

From Megan Crew, author of THE WAY WE FALL "Doing anything well enough that you can take pride in it is going to be hard. If you love it, it's always worthwhile."

From Gennifer Albin, author ofCREWEL "Writing is pure creation. It's like pregnancy - hard, uncomfortable, ecstatic, fulfilling, but nothing compares to holding the end product."

From Lauren Oliver, author of DELIRIUM, PANDEMONIUM, LEISL & PO : "Writing is a socially acceptable from of schizophrenia!"

From John Corey Waley, author ofWHERE THINGS COME BACK:"Being original, honest, and realistic can be tough to do simultaneously, but when a reader is moved, it's all worth it. Woot"

From Julianna Baggot, author of PURE "Writng is the daily practice of empathy"

From Leigh Bardugo, author of SHADOW & BONE: "Try to have a sense of humor about your mistakes and quirks. Laughing helps me face the page."

From Gina Damico, author of CROAK: "Because after working on a single page for hours and finally getting it right, it feels like you've WON AT LIFE." 

From Wendy Higgins, author of SWEET EVIL. "Writing is a mix of imagination, determination, exhaustion, and most importantly love for your story, which makes it all worthwhile."

From Sharla Lovelace, author of THE REASON IS YOU:"Unplug! Unplug! Unplug! Stay away from shiny objects!" 

From Leah Clifford, author of A TOUCH MORTAL: "Writing is like ballet. It takes years of practice to look effortless.Stretch your imagination the way you'd stretch your muscles, slowly pushing further. Do it everyday. Write down the good parts."

From Gina Rosati, author of AURACLE: "Get off Facebook and Twitter and WRITE!" 

From Jill Hathaway, author of SLIDE: "Just keep writing, just keep writing! (to the tune of Little Nemo "Just keep swimming")"

From Jenn Reese, author ofABOVE WORLD: "Most of my fave quotes come from Bruce Lee: "Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.”(Which I interpret as: Stop talking about writing, get your butt in the chair, and actually do it!)"

From Jo Treggiari, author ofASHES, ASHES : "Writing is pain? No seriously, Writing requires hard work, perseverance, a childlike sense of wonder & just a tiny pinch of luck."

From Brodi Ashton, author ofEVERNEATH: "There's nothing to writing. All you do is sit at a typewriter and bleed." -- Hemingway

From Kendare Blake, author ofANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD: I am so bad with inspiring writing quotes. I just keep hearing Rob Schneider screaming YOU CAN DO EET!"

From Sarah Prineas, author ofWINTERLING: "Never Surrender!!!"

From J.R. Angelella, author ofZOMBIE: "Fearlessness first, then patience. Be fearless in your writing, and be patient with the pursuit."

From Gretchen McNeil, author ofPOSSESS: "Talk hard. :) "

From Elana Johnson, author ofPOSSESSION: "Write more."

From Miranda Kenneally, author ofCATCHING JORDAN: "Just because someone says you should change something in your writing doesn't mean you should. You're smart too. You wrote what you did for a reason. Try to remember why before making any big changes."

From Kevin Craig, author of SUMMER ON FIRE: "There is no RIGHT way. There is YOUR way. Try everything until you find the way that works for you."

From Jennifer Castle, author THE BEGINNING OF AFTER:  (1) "Trust your voice." (2) "The only thing that will ever stop you from being a writer is yourself."

 

I hope you feel inspired. Have a wonderful Holiday, and in the words of one of my best friends, KEEP CALM AND WRITE ON.