NaNoWriMo :: NaNoWriMo Blog

Determination and better prioritizing were the two factors that have eluded me in past years.

This is my third year attempting NaNo and my first win. I made a lot of excuses in past years for why I didn't have time to write (starting new full time job, new house, hosting Thanksgiving, etc.); my progress (or lack thereof) is a reflection of that. I was determined not to make this year a repeat of those past tries.

I began mentally preparing in early September and twitched through October while impatiently waiting for November 1st to roll around. My story is a sequel to a novel that is half-written, so to to satiate my impatience and to get into the proper mental frame of mind, I wrote a couple of end-of-story chapters to prepare. The first weekend was entirely committed to NaNo, and the high word count achieved encouraged me to keep going.

I made sure all "distractions" were in hand, and also broadcast that I was a participant on my blogs. This inspired friends to join, making this the first year that I had writing buddies who shared in my miseries.

I carried my laptop with me everywhere. On my lunch hours at work, I'd visit nearby coffee shops (it's Seattle so we're always a stone's throw from the java) to write. I get home pretty late and am usually exhausted, but I pushed myself to spend at least an hour each night writing.

In the end, I reached 50,000 words in about twenty one days and had 60,000 by the end of the month, which completed my novel. I slacked off during that final week; otherwise, I could have easily written more. And, most surprisingly, I found I could still have a life while still keeping my writing a priority!

I'm so grateful for this experience! Thank you! Thank you!