Well, it's finally here! It’s the first week of NaNoWriMo. We came out of the gate running on day one full of words and full of energy. Bottom line, we’re all typing as fast as we can whenever we can, and things are going either just how we planned or exactly the opposite. If you haven’t abandoned your manuscript, this article is for you. If you have, remember there are three more weeks yet and you have the power to keep writing. Create a new world! And use this article for inspiration.

So, as a little writing break pick-me-up, here are some of the signs that the first week of NaNoWriMo is upon us:

1. You haven’t seen people all day. Maybe for a few days.

The door shut, headphones are on and music is blasting. Writing is more important than socializing.

And sleeping.

…but not eating, hence the next point.

2. You’re surrounded by piles of snacks.

Halloween candy, primarily. It will be gone soon, and you did a good job rationing it the first day, but now it’s hard not to pig out every few words. That’s okay, nobody’s judging. You also possibly have goodies like chips, cookies, crackers or whatever else you can get your hands on. It’s usually pretty unhealthy, but you can exercise later—for now, it’s writing time.

3. You’re actually writing during your writing time

Do it while you can. Write your fingers off in the full thirty minutes or the hour or whatever, because the days are coming when you’ll be scrambling to find even ten minutes. Harness the energy vibes.

4. You haven’t veered off your notes yet

Or maybe you have. But it’s still going well enough for you to open the document every day and know where the next scene is headed. Keep the pages rollin’ in.

5. The word counter is still small, but you’re updating every day.

It’s only a tiny sliver of green against the gray background, but just wait. In two weeks it will be 50% full or more. Few things are more satisfying than witnessing the fruits of your own work, and the progress bar visual is a great help.

6. You don’t hate your other responsibilities yet.

Or at least not as much as you will in the following weeks. It’ll mostly be the papers—every word you have to write that isn’t your novel will really start to get irritating. For now, stay on top of your work to help make it easier on yourself later.

7. There’s a lot of coffee going down the hatch.

You’ve got to stay awake, you’ve got to stay alert, and coffee is just so good for the soul. Few things help more than a strong or sugary drink. And you’re drinking a lot of it.

8. Your words are in (or near to) the THOUSANDS

That's incredible! Keep going.There are more words to write. Next week they will be in the tens of thousands, and the finish line will be in sight. For now, stop reading this article and get back to work. It’s NaNoWriMo.