NaNoWriMo :: NaNoWriMo Blog

At 2 am on the morning of Friday, November 28th, I had 27,039 words written. I had quit, given up, abandoned, bailed, jumped ship. Wasn't gonna happen.

Then I sent off a work-related email (yep, when you're a freelancer, 2 am IS part of the work day) and I saw Janet Fitch's Pep Talk sitting unread and unloved in my Inbox. I figured "what the heck" and read it.

And I read this: "Protagonists need to screw up, act impulsively, have enemies, get into TROUBLE."

And I knew that was EXACTLY what the problem was. I was bored with my story because NOTHING was happening, and nothing was happening because I was being way too safe, too coddling with my characters.

And just like that... new vistas opened up, and suddenly, I really, REALLY wanted to finish my novel. The trouble was, I was running out of November, and needed to write 23K words (give or take) in about 3 days if I was going to make it.

So I brewed 2 pots of extra strong coffee, took out the good cookies (with the Belgian chocolate, mmmmm), put on my NaNo 2007 shirt, and got to writing.

By the time I was done that long night and day and night, I had written just over 13,000 words, and there were 2 days left in November. 39 hours of awake time, and a huge catch-up leap... which was further aided by pounding out another 7K the next day (after a long sleep). Now I just needed to coast and churn out an easy 3K on the 30th, and I'd be done.

I finally validated on Sunday about 5pm EST, to the backslaps and woohoos of my fellow Wrimos, in a coffee shop in western Montreal.

The story's not even remotely finished. Having one or two bad things happen to my MC is the very best thing I could have done for him, for my novel, and for my sanity.

This year's NaNo was a trial by fire and one of the toughest things I've ever done. And I am so incredibly proud of what I've accomplished.

Thank you, Janet Fitch, for your inspiring and wise words. Thank you, NaNo honchos, for sending them to me.

See you next year, folks. :)

As of 11/22/08 (aka a week from yesterday), I only had 23,000 words, and I made gargantuan push in the last week to become a winner very late last night. I hope you are just as successful (and happy) as I am!

...I'm at 35,000, with two days to go here in NZ. For the 1st time in 8 years, it looks like I may not actually complete my nanowrimo novel.

Sounds like an entertaining challenge! I'll race ya!

Although, if I was to input my NoNo novel for this year into a certain area, I would win, I am going for a personal score of a hundred grand of words. Unfortunately, I am at just over 91 000,, and I am planning another 7 000 today, to reach 98 000, followed by a final sprint of 2000 words.

Fortunately, since I write a thousand words an hour, and my schedule is largely in 3-hour chunks, and since my chapters are almost always 2 000 words each, I am on a roll. Soon, in an hour, chapter 31 will be finished....

I'll come over and babysit for you, to free you to write!

It's the least we can do, after all you do for us in the forums!

We're cheering for you at the finish line! And we have cheescake! Hurry up and come and get it!!!

:) Criss.

Talk about behind, I'm at 6604. I think I've been doing too much tinkering.

I'm at 31597 as of this. And we'll finish. I'm currently shooting for 45K by Saturday. Sure, that leaves me a WHOPPING 5K to do on Sunday, but hey, the beauty is that last year I wrote 25K in three days (Nov 28-30) including 15K on November 30 to finish out. So this should be easy. I'm already past the halfway mark, and so are you. The rest is cake :).

Onward to 33K before the night ends!

Bless Pandora.com for providing me a soundtrack this year.

I'm at 21,000+ words. It's so discouraging. My current goal is to get more than 1/2 way. Being a mother of two and working as a teacher makes cranking out the words really difficult. I'd write all day today and tomorrow but there's this weird custom of Thanksgiving. Still, I am grateful (see the clever tie-in) for nanowrimo. I wrote WAY more with that goal than I would have without it. About 21,000 words more, I'd say! :)

Best of luck on WINNING!