NaNo 2023: A Burnt End

So, it’s finally happened. All semester, I’ve been running on a state of half-burnout, keeping myself afloat with periodic rest days and the drive to do well in every part of my life. Whether it be grades, club leadership positions, or work shifts, everything had to be juggled, even if that meant rest fell to the wayside.

But, that lack of rest finally caught up to me in November, right when I had high hopes for my writing. While my goal for NaNoWriMo was to write twenty episodes for The Bounty, I only got through about two and a half episodes.

I’m burnt out.

I would love to say I learned my lesson, and wax poetic about how I will take more time in the future to never fall into any state of burnout ever again, but I know that I am at risk of falling into the same trap again. After all, part of the reason for the semester’s state was because I burned out at the beginning of the year, and never actually rested fully out of it.

So, while I pinky-promise to try my best to take care of myself, we’ll see how that goes with my plans to draft something over winter break.

Setting that aside, I do want to post a small snippet of what I did manage to get done. Here’s the introduction to the first episode of The Bounty!

~~

Open with typing/newscast noises and soft music. There are no sounds as if the JOURNALIST is in an actual room. Instead, they act as sort of a narrator in this opening.

 

JOURNALIST

A convergence of monster hunters is occurring in the small town of Monty. The commotion is in response to a bounty set by Mayor Everest Jenson to find a so-called monster in HighRiver State Park.

 

The situation began in the beginning of March with reports of a strange creature by local teenagers. Since then, multiple locals have been declared missing. HighRiver State Park has been closed in response to the disappearances.

 

On April 9th, Mayor Jenson stated in a public press conference that the town will pay fifty-thousand dollars to any individual or group who are able to apprehend or kill the monster in Highriver State Park. He has noted that the individuals and groups will not get any specific aid from the Sheriff’s office, other than materials from the already-concluded investigation into the monster.

 

In response to our request for comments, Mayor Jenson wished to assure tourists that there is no threat to human lives from any specific monster, but that this investigation is to clear the state park to be reopened for people to enjoy.

 

The Monty Sheriff could not be reached for comment.

 

We will be here with the monster hunters throughout the investigation, interviewing them to learn more about just why they would answer such a strange call.

 

This is [xxx], signing off.