First Time NaNoWriMo Participant - The End

Well, what do you know? I did it!

50,317 Words - WINNER!

That's right!  I actually did it!  If you've read the progress reports in past posts, then you know that there were quite a few days that I had struggled through.  I didn't think I was going to make it and I wasn't alone.  I saw that there were a large number of people having the same trials I was.

My biggest obstacle was my own mind.  I doubted the path that my characters were leading me down.  I doubted my own ability in steering them through the challenges they faced.

I'm sure other writers can relate.  I've seen a few of my favorites give interviews or blog about similar issues.  I can keep telling myself to let go of the fear and doubt, but it has a way of sneaking in through the nooks and crannies and planting seeds that can take root and feed.

Thanks to a great amount of poking and prodding by some very key people, I surpassed the goal with hours to spare.  Six of them to be a bit more precise.

Here's the rub.

I'm not done!

I have 50,000+ words on a book that I need to add to in order to complete it.  I have a strong foundation to work from and characters that I have come to know and actually enjoy!  Well, except for one.  There is one secondary in particular that I'd love to kill off, but I think I'll just lock him up in a cell for a long while.  He might even have a limp.   Oh! Maybe he'll learn a lesson in basic human kindness from his cellmate.  Or he'll be fully schooled on obsessive possessive behaviors by an unwelcome stalker.

I had already decided that if I didn't get my 50k, I was going to continue on no matter what.  It was more about setting the goal, and making sure that I achieved it - right along with the other hundreds of thousands of participants.  I had only myself to blame if it didn't work out.

I could blame any number of things for not attacking the goal every single day, but the truth would have been that I didn't really apply myself.  I would have known that I hadn't from the numerous times I'd procrastinated on various sites.  I need only look at my Facebook feed, Pinterest boards, Tumblr, or Twitter.  They had all aided me in ignoring my writing altogether.  It wasn't their fault exactly, they didn't know.  I used them to hide away from the very people I'd promised that I would write about.  Shame on me.

So, now what?

Now, I finish what I had begun on November 1, 2013 and make sure that my character's story is ready to go out for review.  I also have the draft I wrote in August/September that I need to go over just once more before deciding whom to send it to.

If anything happens with either of these works, I will be sure to let you know here, and on Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr, and Twitter.

NaNoWriMo Progress Report - Week Three

Week three, I mastered the art of procrastination.

I did everything in my power to avoid my MC story because he I was talking me myself into a circle.  Rather than combat him the issue - because I hate confrontation, don't ya know - I ignored everything that had anything to do with writing.

I was extra diligent in my cleaning, I gave my dog the extra cuddles he wanted, took a nap or two or four, watched some extra shows, and even recorded some things I probably never would have watched if I hadn't recorded them.  And yes, I took to Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, Pinterest, and even Ebay to get away from writing my NaNoWriMo Novel.

And now how do I feel?  Panicked!  Because at the end of week three, I was 5k words behind goal and am extremely busy week ahead.

Let's hope that the final week, sees me through to getting to that 50k mark!

I apologize for keeping this short and sweet, but, well, I should be writing a novel!

SIDE NOTE

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you that are celebrating on the 28th! Eat lots of good food and then diet on Monday to get ready for the next big holiday!