Sometimes I look at healthy people with wonder (and yes, OK envy). I will never understand how it must feel to have so much energy all the time. I can barely remember if I brushed my teeth this morning let alone anything important like what I had for breakfast (I’m going to say Cheerios because that sounds healthy).

But if there’s something I’ve learned from living with less energy, it’s to take advantage of good days. On good days, I work toward making the bad days easier. I do more. I work longer. I push myself just a little bit harder.

Just like in life there are good days and bad days, there are also good and bad days in writing. Some days everything flows neatly and easily. Some days you have so many ideas, you’re scribbling them down on every piece of paper within reach.

But there are also bad days…days when no words come. Days when it’s difficult to remember your heroine’s eye color (I’ve started giving all of my characters hazel eyes), middle name or even entire plot points. Or worse, there’s an accident, an emergency room visit, or crisis that must be dealt with immediately. Days like that can make you want to pull out your hair.

If you’ve used your good days wisely, you won’t fall as far behind. No matter what you’re writing, always try to prepare a small ‘cushion’ should something unexpected happen. As you’re writing your novel, push to have a few thousand extra words.

You can’t prepare for every possible scenario, but you can be wise with the good days. As you chart your course for NaNoWriMo 2011, remember to be flexible but wise in using your time.

Image Credit: Jan Willem Geertsma

Debra Weiss, editor of Today’s Teen Writer, is a twenty something writer living on the East Coast. When she’s not at her desk, she can usually be found at her local Wal-Mart, searching for the perfect notebook.