NaNoWriMo 2008
December 12
I found out today that I was the first in my region to “win” and had the second highest word count (the winner had 106,798 words). Felt kind of good.
I started revisions on the novel last weekend. Slow going. I am working on the weakest spots first, so added 5600 words so far. Writing the draft was much easier than revising it.
December 5
Revisions begin tomorrow. I have nearly five typed pages of notes for this process. Mostly, I’m looking forward to it. Part of me doesn’t want to know how bad the first draft is, lol.
November 26.
I verified yesterday morning before I left for work. It’s official!
November 23
It is finished. The official word count of the rough draft is 87,297 (per nanowrimo.org).
I know it needs a lot of work yet, but the story is told from beginning to end, including the short epilogue. I feel…happy, sad, let down, and relieved.
November 22
I was able to type today in short bursts, so I loaded in all my longhand and finished the day at 79466 words. The scenes are slowing down as we approach the finale. The details are getting richer. It’s not meant to tease readers, but something I’ve done without thinking. I think back to all the advice I’ve read on suspense and building up to the crisis point and realize I’ve learned more than I know…though most of it is from being an avid reader of good novels. I’m also finding new ways to procrastinate. Perhaps I should rephrase that. I spent today taking care of loose ends from earlier in the month that just couldn’t wait any longer.
November 20
Surprise visit to doc and hospital last night has left my right wrist in a condition making typing pretty painful (blown vein, blah blah), so I have been writing long hand until I can get it typed in. I stand at 72849 per Word and 72847 per the NaNoWriMo site. I’m in the final character relationship bits before the big crisis chapter. The epilogue is forming in my head. I’m tired of being in labor with this book, and am more than ready to set it aside and see what I think after a few weeks. I’ll stop when the book is finished. I’m estimating 85-90k words, which is fine.
I am unofficially the first to complete in my region. My regional team mates were very supportive and proud of me. It meant more than I thought it would.
November 17
I’ve found a comfortable pace…enough to let me know I’m working and progressing, but still in the range of “comfortable.” I’d prefer to give it a range of 2000-3000 words a day on the novel, but my goal for the remainder of November is 3000 words a day. That should put me over my 90,000 word goal for a working rough draft.
My word count at the end of my writing session today was 63499. The story is progressing, it now feels more like work than inspirational fun, and I’m developing some good work habits.
November 15
I took the day off to run errands, spend time with hubby, and read. Came home, took a nap, woke up and reached 58930 words. Therefore, I have moved my day “off” to tomorrow! 
November 14
My worst internal fears were realized. I posted my word count in two places, the NaNoWriMo page and the only outside group of people I’ve been NaNo chatting with.
My outside group ignored me. Trying to stay positive. Hey, at least they aren’t sending me hate mail or something. I’m still writing with them because this story is so not finished, but also imagining how I would feel if someone posted that if I was behind or struggling.
I’m feeling sad; though I want to be cheering them on, it is tempting to withdraw.
I’m at 52849, and will write more this evening as soon as my post is done.
November 13
While Hubby is busy with the new expansion for World of Warcraft, I’ve been working through a new plot direction and have the characters moving again. I estimate the story is about 45-55% told. However, today is the banner day.
The funny thing is, I don’t feel great. A sense of accomplishment would be nice. Really. Instead, I feel embarrassed and guilty because I finished my 50k on November 13, and several of my friends are still working to get to 20k.
I have a distinct life pattern that is common among women. Sometimes we hold back our accomplishments in order for others to not feel bad. Obviously we’ve had some experience with others’ comments and reactions in order to “validate” this behavior. For all I know, people might be happy for me. Except…the one place I posted the news has remained silent. I’m human, though, and I want someone to say “woot you did it!” Instead, I’ll hug the news to myself and go to bed.
November 12
Today, of all days, and at 45,541 words, several sub plots have reared their heads and must be fitted in. It’s a good thing I believe in the value of revision because I’ll be reworking the first 20k words completely, I think.
I should finish the 50k by the weekend sometime, but I’m not stopping. There’s a lot of story left to be written. I’m really enjoying this!
November 11
Wow. Even writing between customers when I can’t leave the front, I can rack up a lot of words. I write these long hand. Before I leave the day job, I plug in my flash drive and type them up.
The story had a new element introduced today. It came out of nowhere. Blindsided by my own characters! I didn’t place the box there for them to find. They found it on their own. A new subplot, which will be useful for explaining events long in the past.
If I can believe the word count feature of Word, I stand at 40893. I have visions of finding out my word count feature is broken, much like a speedometer or gas gauge. UGH, lol.
November 7
As hard as I find it to believe, I am nearly at the halfway mark. I doubt I’ll stop at 50k. The story has me now, and must be written in full on the rough draft. I might send it to Ken Kiser, who knows all rough drafts are crap, but won’t admit you can get a normal or even decent rough draft out of NaNoWriMo. 23473 words logged.
November 6
I’m slowing down a bit, now. Just over 3500 words today, which brings me to 20734. I like this story.
I spent some time thinking last night about another type of duality writers deal with. The confidence versus insecure duality is strong. Even Stephen King copes with it, as he explained in On Writing. I got out my journal and started my entry with “Just for the sake of argument, let’s say I’m a pretty good writer…” and wrote for pages about writer insecurity.
My beta reader likes the story. While I don’t put a lot of stock in her opinions yet, her interest and demand for more is keeping me motivated. I will have to deal with the possibility that her opinion of the story and my writing could be accurate later on.
November 5
I have, unintentionally, garnered a beta reader. And now I must confront one of the issues I have as a writer. She says “this is good” and I think she’s just being nice. She asks if she can take the first 37 pages home and I think she just doesn’t want to hurt my feelings. Sigh. I guess I have issues.
17228 words. slowing down a bit, which is fine. I knew I would. The story is still rolling along. I inserted two scenes tonight also, to develop a relationship and to develop the MC’s “flaw.” I managed to get a bit of foreshadowing in both. Ah, it’s good to be a writer.
November 4
I hit the 13724 mark today. I always start off strong on new projects, so the numbers don’t really surprise me. Check back with me around the 15th and you might get a different story.
I saw one writer from Melbourne, Australia has already hit 30,000 words. Given the extra day, that is 6k words a day. Pretty staggering. The hands won’t stand for that. In fact, I’ll probably be in hand splints by month end. But it IS fun.
I wonder if I could bribe hubby to do some typing for me….hmmm.
The story is coming along nicely. I even managed 15 handwritten pages on my other novel as well.
November 3
I have the sneaking suspicion that this is way too easy at the three day mark. I know myself well enough to know I better get the words in now, because I’m either headed for burnout at the end of 30 days or will put both hands in braces for the month of December, lol.
The first three days have been remarkably easy. I even spent some time yesterday writing on my other novel, though I haven’t typed it all up yet. My word count is ridiculous right now, but I do feel I had better get ahead. Life has a wonderful way of throwing wrenches into the works, and I want to be ready. Pessimist? ME?
I finished today at 10655. I’ll be heading into the story’s first crisis this week and I’m looking forward to it.
It’s a really nice change, working from start to finish instead of starting in the middle and then getting the ends.
November 2
I confess I wrote beyond what I intended today. I can’t shake the feeling that I need to get as much done as I can this first weekend. I will enter my official word count for the day at 8178, though I might be back at it this evening. For the moment, I have other projects that require attention.
This is the first long fiction piece that I have started at the beginning. It feels odd, but also pleasant. Generally, I’m starting with a big scene and then filling in the rest. Starting at the beginning is a nice change.
November 1
Okay, so I went a little overboard. Actually, I did and I didn’t. I knew I’d have to get some extra “words” in the bank for the days I know I will have heavy commitments elsewhere. It is noon, and I stand at 4418 words. The story is, I think, a good one and capable of holding my attention. However, there are other things in life to attend to (such as laundry!). I must walk away from the computer and rest my hands. I am pleased with my first day’s efforts.
October 31
I posted. It’s official. I am working on my writing buddies list (hello to Melissa Donovan and K. Jayne Cockrill and Dara and others). I have worked a little on the story, fleshing out characters, finalizing the large plot details, and thinking of an opening scene, the crisis scenes, etc. The story is coming alive in my mind.
I have to work tomorrow morning, but with luck I will be home by midmorning and typing away.
October 30
Doing some research tonight, I ran across several posts from Ken Kiser talking about the dangers of binge writing. He’s not the only one who feels NaNoWriMo is a waste of time. I might change my mind about that, but I’m doing this for fun, for the challenge, and out of curiosity. There is a part of me that feels a small thread of shame, though I think, as an adult, I’m certainly allowed to participate in projects of my choosing. I am a serious writer. I’m not published yet, but that doesn’t mean I don’t take writing and the writing process seriously. Just because I’m a serious writer with two projects already underway doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy some grueling, word pounding fun. Writing is FUN. I think I’m going to enjoy November.
October 29
Wow, I’m nervous. I hate going into something like this fairly certain I won’t hit the mark. It won’t be for lack of trying. I work 11.5 hours a day at the day job, getting up at 3:30 a.m. and going to bed between 7 and 8 p.m. I have the blog posts, articles, and the holiday season (my first as an etailer) coming up. I have got to be certifiably insane!
I fleshed out plot details and other story elements today. The ending is still hanging open a bit, but coming together. I like the idea that I don’t have to worry about anything but production.
My hands hurt just thinking about this undertaking. PsA is NOT a nice thing to have, and typing can cause serious pain. Ahh, well. In for a penny…
October 28
I can’t believe I’m doing this. I KNOW I don’t have time. I KNOW I have several serious commitments in November. I am well aware that I may not hit my 50k. I signed up anyway. At nearly the last minute, I decided I wanted to participate in the 10th year of National Novel Writer’s Month, even if I failed.
I made this decision about 10 a.m. I talked to my coworker and supervisor to garner support and spent the rest of the day thinking about plots. I came up with two, and settled on one last night. I wrote a couple pages (longhand), just freeform thoughts about where the story might go, what elements would work, and getting some basic character information down. It was the most natural thing in the world to write the opening, but three words into it I caught myself and stopped. Not until Saturday!
