The WDC NanoLounge

Hey there! Tough one, you have my sympathies but I would have to agree with Erin that subterfuge will eventually bite you where the sun doesn't shine.

As a Mum (albeit of two little ones) my thinking is along the lines of Erins; see if you can ask them why they would like you to stop, acknowledge their perspective and then walk away and take some time to think about their reasons.

They might be worried about the 'obsessive' nature of NaNo - and it's true that seeing that kind of behaviour can be worrying for a parent. The might be concerned about balance - are you getting enough 'fresh air type thing? Who knows, they may even be worried that you won't achieve your goal - they could be trying to protect you from something.

Try to ask them about their concerns by making it clear you want to understand what their problem is and then think about it.

It may well be that you can come back with some carefully considered suggestions for how to address their concerns. Then again maybe you can't and NaNo isn't for you this year.

IF you find that you can't compete in NaNo then perhaps you can agree with your parent to continue writing your novel over a longer period of time. I for one (and I'm sure many, many other writers on here) would be just as keen to support and cheer you on if you set yourself a target that is more acceptable to both you and your parents.

Let us know how you get on.

Hugs from a largely neurotic Mum in the Making too.

Kxx