Hmm. How persistent is the conditioning?

I just did a bit of insomniacal work on one of my three Gauntlet* stories. What with concerts, and editing gigs, and State Emergency Service stuff, and being really rather unwell with this head cold (not to dwell on it, mind you), I realized it was pretty much the first fiction writing I'd done since validating my 50,000 word count for NaNoWriMo.

I found myself going back to edit and polish as I wrote, which is my usual method, and each time a little voice shrieked, "No! Word count! Get the word count! Edit later! Polish later! Word count! As soon as you write it, it's valid word count! Don't change it, don't, don't —"

I did, in fact, change it, every time, but it was a wrench to do it. On the one hand, it's good to know that now, when I have to, I can suspend the compulsion to fiddle as I write. On the other hand, I'd rather not think I'm going to be compelled to suspend the compulsion (although the irony is intriguing). Instead, I'd like to think that now I have the choice of which way I want to write.

Will the shrieking subside until next November's NaNo?

*For those who tuned in late, some of my Clarion buddies and I have joined in a mutual challenge: write and polish to sendable state three stories by Christmas.