I’m feeling better, finally. Probably back to where I was exactly one week ago, when I went to the dentist. I still don’t have all of my voice back, and I still tire easily. But I wake up with thoughts and ideas instead of just being tired.

These are the danger days. If I’m not careful, I’ll push and then relapse, yet again. I really want to get well this time, so I’m not doing anything strenuous. I’m sitting while I write this, because I’ve done enough standing and walking this morning (relocating from the main house to the tiny house, as it’s Monday morning.) I told my Nerd Fitness coach that I wasn’t doing anything more than a few light stretches in the morning until I had my full voice back for two days. Etc.

I’m figuring that I’ll have my full voice back by tomorrow or Wednesday. I do feel a lot stronger and better. But I need to take care of myself!

Now, onto numbers. I wrote 14,581 words last week. I don’t know about you, but I’m hella impressed with that. My weekly goal this year is 15K. That I was so close despite being so sick is good.

My monthly goal is 62,500 words (to reach an annual goal of 750,000). That means that by the end of the day on the 15th, I need to be at 31,250 words. (Or about that.)

I’m currently at 24,285 words, as of the end of the day on the 13th. There’s about 7000 words difference between the 13th and the 15th. That means two days of writing 3000 words per day, plus two blog posts, and I’m caught up. (Kind of.)

This astonishes me. I’d thought there was no way I was going to get anywhere near my writing goal for the month as I’d been so sick.

Now, I still might not make it. I figure that as soon as I get all the way well, and I start doing things like walking and exercising, I’m going to get hit with my period and won’t really write (or do much of anything) for four days. However, I’m pretty sure that I’ll at least get 50,000 words this month, which is a good secondary goal, as far as I’m concerned.

So while I’m not pushing during these danger days, I’m still kind of pushing, at least in terms of word count. Though sitting and writing isn’t strenuous. It’s way, way fun. I love the novel I’m currently working on. I’m a little over 21K in. It’s been a joy. I’m writing this one pretty much totally into the dark, and the twists and turns the characters keep throwing me are delightful.

This piece feels so much more epic than anything else I’ve ever written. Everything is just on a grander scale. The stakes are higher, as are the consequences. I’m loving it. Still have no idea how long the first book is. Somewhere between 60-90K. I’m not rushing, though. Every once in a while I feel like skipping straight to something else, something not immediately in front of me. I have to take a deep breath and not “cheat” but go deeper, stay with the characters, let the scene that’s in front of me play out.

I hope that you had a marvelous weekend, and that your Monday is going well!