I only have one more day to decide whether or not to participate in National Novel Writing Month this year. I don’t write well to prompts and generally make good progress on my own. Plus, I write in so many different genres and forms I’m not always ready to dig deep into a novel.

Last year was an exception. I wanted to finish Storm Watch,  the third book in the Unfinished Business series, by summer 2016. I had three chapters written, I knew where I was going with the story, and the second book was about to be released. I was tied into the characters and the story. All of my marketing was focused on this series. I committed to write 50,000 words and made my goal. But I was wrecked. My marketing in advance of the holiday season was impaired.

While having a deadline helped me in that case…