NaNoWriMo: Distract Yourself

When a reporter asked Ernest Hemingway how he started a new book, Hemingway said, “Defrost the Refrigerator.”

The long Thanksgiving weekend is quickly coming to a close. Hopefully, you have kept up on your word count for NaNoWriMo while also eating turkey and trimmings, watching football and parades, and napping on the sofa. If not, you may be spending today working on your NaNo project while everyone else you know is walking off that extra pumpkin pie. If you are stuck on the computer, do not despair. Here are three fun ways to insert some fun into your writing life:

1. Draw a stickman. At this clever site, you draw your own stick person and then watch a scene from its life unfold. I found the site to be great fun.

2. Armored Penguin. If you have not had enough fun with words yet, how about this: create a word search, a crossword puzzle or a word scramble for free.

3. Bookworm. A month ago, Zynga closed my favorite games on Facebook (Word Twist and Scramble). While this has undoubtedly improved my productivity, I still need a word game fix from time to time. If you are looking to play a word game, visit PopCap and try the free online version of Bookworm.

Your turn: What online diversions have worked for you?