JaNoWriMo

I only have two more days until I start writing my novel. I still haven't outlined it. I'm screwed. This makes me wonder how professional writers keep turning out books year after year. Do they outline at all or do they just sit at the computer typing whatever story comes to mind?

I've been meaning to sit at the dining room table and just type until my fingers ache. Unfortunately, I know I wouldn't get anything done. I'm too easily distracted. I've tried writing in coffee shops and libraries, but I'm not able to stay focused.

As far as outlining goes, I've come up with a ton of ideas when I have no pen or paper or computer to jot them down.

This reminds me of the time I had to write a screenplay for my screenwriting class. I couldn't for the life of me get anything done when I sat at my computer to type. But let me be in my other classes or at work and the characters, scenes, etc would start coming to life in my head. I wrote most of that screenplay in my American History class. I got 20 pages of a screenplay out of the way one day. I really impressed the instructor because he thought I was feverishly taking notes.

I figure with about three hours of hard core writing after work and 4 to 8 hours of writing on the weekends I should be able to get 50,000 words by January 31. I can do it. It's only about 1,700 words a day. I can do that. A piece of cake. I can do it.