Jeff Brutlag

So as I’m writing this, we have literally a whole week left of National Novel Writing Month, and I…kind of feel like it’s kicking my butt.

But that doesn’t mean I’m not still determined!

We’re 7 days away from the end of the month, and I’m currently sitting at 15,826 words written in this novel. Which, in terms of NaNoWriMo, especially at this point of the month, is a little scary! However, in terms of even writing a novel at all, that’s absolutely incredible!

I’ve motivated myself to write almost 16k words of a novel in about two weeks. That’s wild. Whether I get to 50k by the end of the month or not, I’ve still gotten a decent start to this novel, and that’s huge. Some people rarely even get that far when they start, well, anything, so to get this far in just a couple weeks feels absolutely amazing.

This is the mind-frame I’m trying to have during this last week, knowing I’m so far behind when it comes to NaNoWriMo. While I could get anxious and panic about the possibility of not meeting the goal, I’m trying to shift the focus to the fact that I’ve even made it this far, at all! At this rate, I could have the writing process of this novel done by early next year. If I really strap myself down and get to it, it could even be in January of next month! That sounds lofty, but hey, stranger things have happened.

So while I’m definitely nervous about whether or not I’ll make the goal, I’m trying to stay positive, and trying to remind myself that I finally started this novel after wanting to start it for so long. I’m motivated to finish it, and I know I plan to see it through. It’s not just important for me to get it out there, but I feel like the story I’m writing could be so important for queer youth. I know it’s the story I would have not just wanted, but needed when I was a baby gay, to feel a little less alone when it came to developing my identity.

If you want to support the creation of this novel at all, I want to say that your support on my Patreon page would mean the absolute world to me! Even if you can only spare $1 per month on becoming a pledge, that would be a big help with helping me reach my writing goals. If you can’t support monetarily though, that’s absolutely okay! Sharing this blog post, the Patreon page, or even just some of my writing, that would also be such a big help!

If this entices you a bit more, though…this will be the last week that novel excerpts will be available at the $1 tier! If you’re interested in seeing bits of the novel I’ve been writing, and you want to support, this would be the week to do it! After this next week, excerpts will be moved up to the $3+ tier.

A big thank you to all who have supported, whether it’s financially, by sharing my content on any of your social media sites, or by just leaving a comment saying that you’re excited about my writing. Every little bit helps, and I cannot stress how your support goes a long way.

Keep kicking ass and being magical, friends. You’re all incredible.