I have to say it is an amazing feeling to complete such an intense challenge. I will no doubt post about what I have learned during the process but my brain needs a rest and to re-group before I attempt that!
My last days of NaNo were not as I expected. Quick summary of word counts:
Thursday
Lots of my lovely sprinting friends were busy eating Turkey so I sat down at the usual time and wrote 770 words.
Friday
FIRST DAY OFF FROM WRITING SINCE NANO BEGAN!
Saturday
2,379 words over several hours.
Grand total - 50,006 words!!!
You see on Thursday it all went a bit wrong. Or right. I can't decide. I happily wrote and finished my story but I was only at 47,627 words. I always knew this was going to be a novella length piece (a la Agatha Christie) and that the intensity of NaNo was probably making me race through my story quicker than I would have otherwise but I still found myself at a bit of a loss.
I made some notes on things I had wanted to add in and decided I would do that on Saturday. I had plans Friday night so I was going to try and do some morning writing but I knew the adding in of bit would take lots of brain power and by friday morning, that was lacking. So Saturday night saw me sitting for several hours adding in bits and pieces that I feel added to the story. There was one bit between two minor characters that I love and am so glad I added in. I didn't want to add in for adding sake.
I added in all the bits I wanted and checked my scrivener word count and it was 50,014. Word made it 50,006 so I validated and won!!!!
I guess I had expected a frantic race to the finish on Wednesday with copious amounts of coffee and my hair getting wilder and wilder as my brain got hotter and hotter. But it wasn't like that. It was quite calm. I finished, tweeted that I had finished, text a couple of my friends that I had won and went to bed.
So what now? No I am seriously asking all of you. I need to think over the next couple of days what I want to do now. I feel like I want to leave my murder mystery to one side before I go back and edit it. I hope that isn't a big mistake. I just want some space from it as it has been consuming my thoughts for the last month and I want to approach it fresh. I really want to print some of it out as I like to scribble all over things rather than change them on the computer. Also, I am fed up of staring at a computer!
I have two children's stories in first draft stage and over 30,000 words of a chick-lit book that I stopped working on a while ago. So plan is to think about my next step. Another murder mystery? Although I found it ever so hard and I am not sure it is that 'clever' a plot or back to my first love chick-lit if I can get my head around it. Hmmm...time to think. I will check-in on Wednesday as usual and hopefully I will have decided on my next step.
This week is manic at work so I am so pleased I have won NaNo early so I can focus on what needs to be done for the inspection we have this week. And next saturday is the day I am being a bridesmaid for my lovely friend so this week needs to have lots of opportunities for rest too!
I hope everyone is doing well with their goals, NaNo related or not.
Thank you to everyone for your encouraging words, they really do help and mean alot.
You, my friend, Em, totally rock :)
ReplyDeleteHuge congratulations of your NaNo win and thank you so much for the encouragement over the past month.
So, what now? Well, the advice of most is to put the manuscript aside for at least a month to gain distance. Good thought there. I'm pulling mine apart, not revising but fully restructuring, which is another way to go. I guess it depends on how you feel about the story. Keeping it or fully re-writing it?
Take a deep breath. Enjoy the fresh breeze. Have a great week, Em :)
Congrats on the win! Take a deep breath, set the story aside for a bit, and bask in the accomplishment. Hope you have a great week.
ReplyDeleteI totally know what you mean about the almost slow and gentle end to NaNo. I also thought that I would be frantically trying to finish, pulling all nighters and driving myself crazy, but... I wrote the last 2000 words while watching Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade with my parents, and all the while I was feeling weirdly emotional about reaching 50k.
ReplyDeleteI think your idea of setting your story aside for a bit of a breather is a good one. When I finished CampNaNo in August, I was so worn out that I didn't really write anything until November started, with the exception of some flash fic pieces and brainstorming in October. My NaNo novel isn't finished, and I think I'm going to keep working on it, since I'm in a bit of a groove, but not as intensely as I have this month.
But pop the bubbly, and take some time to celebrate my dear. We've accomplished a ton!
Hi, Em! Congrats! Sounds like you have your first draft complete, not to mention winning NaNo! I'm big on setting things aside after a draft. I catch a lot more after letting something rest, often for a couple months. Then I print myself a copy & do a paper edit. Works for me!
ReplyDeleteWell done on finishing nano - did you enjoy yourself - I know I did but so tired now!
ReplyDeletePersonally I have run out of creativity after nano - mostly I think because I'm tired - I'm leaving mine for a little while - I suspect not long as a couple of new ideas have suggested themselves and insist on being added to the story!!!!
Whatever you decide I wish you well with
best wishes for coming week
Congratulations again on finishing so strong! I'm so very proud of you. I don't know what I'm going to do with my lunch hour now LOL? Maybe we'll have to turn it into a couple times a week sprint time?!?
ReplyDeleteI think I have to put my story aside for a little bit. Besides that every successful and still sane person tells me this is what I should do, I feel like I am completely drained of ideas. Don't be surprised if you find me drooling in a corner somewhere!! Once I've addressed life and all that other stuff, I'm going to print and mark it all up....another excuse to buy new office supplies. I will probably make notes on things I know are missing, do more research, stuff like that which I can do without really writing anything.
Whether chick lit or children's stories, I'm sure it will be a refreshing change from all those bodies hehehe. Thank you so much for your support and camaraderie throughout the last month!! Have a wonderful week!!
Congrats, Em! Woo-hoo!!
ReplyDeleteSorry I'm a few days late...I was racing to finish up my NaNo novel, too! We did it. ;}
Thought I'd commented on this on Sunday... Obviously not!
ReplyDeleteI don't think it hurts to hear it so much - well done! You consistantly wrote this month, that's brilliant.
Yes, you're very right to leave the novel before starting the editing process. You need to come to it 'fresh' and you can't do that if you've just finished writing it. Most people say leave it for a month/6 weeks.
When I finish my novel, I'm going to concentrate on short stories, that way I won't get sucked back into something BIG for a month then have to give it up again!
I think I'm going to go back and write a load of 'Fiction Fridays' that I've missed - you should too! And post them!!!!
Congratulations on accomplishing NaNo!
ReplyDeleteHmm, don't have too many suggestions...maybe give yourself a little break (like a few days), pick a date/time that you're going to write again, and then start writing whatever is demanding to be written?