NaNoWriMo 2007 #19
I did it! 50,000 words (and a few) and two whole days early. And I still have a /lot/ of story to go, so my aim for Friday night is now 55,000.
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NaNoWriMo 2007 #18
I am about to start writing the last 3404 words of this year’s fifty thousand.
I was about to type ‘of this year’s novel’ when it struck me that my story is far from finished; I’m perhaps 60% of the way through. I could have been a lot further on, but I did include a lot of filler in my words so far, which will be ruthlessly cut once I finish the story and get into the editing process. Why so much filler? Well, I was afraid of running out of plot and wanted to make sure I had plenty of words down just in case, even though I could always have gone back and written extra.
3404 words in one evening is quite a lot, but certainly not impossible - my best day so far this year has been 4040, but I wrote over 5000 in a single day a few years ago. And although I do have several days to spare, I’d still like to hit my target as soon as possible and then keep going instead of giving up after 50K as I’ve done in the past.
And this year’s NaNoWriMo has inspired me to write and to write lots. I have numerous ideas for short stories bubbling in my head, as well as the semi-written novels of the past couple of years (The Chosen ones), potential spin-offs from this year’s novel (Interplanetary Exchanges), and even a vague notion of possibility in my 2003 novel (which I’ve just realised was never named). Isn’t that the kind of person that publishers are supposed to like, those who have plenty of things written or ready to write?
Anyway, I want to give it a go. I really do. Technical writing is no longer enough, I need to exercise my imagination as well!
Edited at 22:52 to add:
Well, I haven’t made 50K and I’m not going to tonight. I had a long bath and faffed around a lot. But with only 1,667 words to go (a perfect NaNoWriMo day’s writing, in fact), I’ll make it tomorrow. And I’ll get me some decent sleep tonight instead of sitting up writing.
Read: November 19th - 25th 2007
The Fresco, Sheri S Tepper - finished Thursday 22nd. Own copy.
Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen - finished Saturday 24th. Library book, first read.
[Sara Gruen is an ex-technical writer who has used NaNoWriMo to write a couple of her books... hmmm.]
Shadow of the Giant, Orson Scott Card - finished Sunday 25th. Library book, first read
Ongoing total for 2007: 160 + 8 re-reads
NaNoWriMo 2007 #17
Aarrrggggggghhhhhhh.
That’s the sound of me having a real problem in getting started on my writing today. I’ve been pootling round at the computer, on and off, for about 4 hours now, and haven’t written a thing. I’ve even managed to put off my writing by doing some housework.
Even if I /don’t/ write anything today, I’m still on track to finish my 50K by Friday. As long as I can manage to write for the rest of the week, anyway. But I really wanted to get to 45K today (I’m on 42,282 at the moment) or even beyond.
And I’m still only 55-60% of the way through the damn story!
NaNoWriMo 2007 #16
I have written nothing today that matters. The reason? Another session up at the Seamus Heaney Centre, this one with Glenn Patterson, just as good as last week’s. (I need to look for some of his stuff to read.)
But the session was followed by the arrival of Robbie Meredith of BBC Radio Ulster’s artsextra programme. And several of us were interviewed for it, to be broadcast Monday (coincidentally while we’re having our regular meeting).
I /hate/ being interviewed for radio, or doing any kind of public speaking really; my hands were shaking by the time it was done. But yay for publicity, even if it’s late in the month!
NaNoWriMo 2007 #15
This is just a happy dance to note that I’ve just passed 40,000 words, three days early and after a hell of a lot of reasonably inspired writing this evening.
Go me!
