The First Full Week
of NaNo
of NaNo
I
have just finished my first full week of my unofficial attempt at National
Novel Writing Month. It has been a tiring week and my neck is sore. The week
began with day five of the challenge.
have just finished my first full week of my unofficial attempt at National
Novel Writing Month. It has been a tiring week and my neck is sore. The week
began with day five of the challenge.
Day 5: The plot of the
story deviated from my outline, but it is still going in the right direction. I
wrote 1692 words for the day.
story deviated from my outline, but it is still going in the right direction. I
wrote 1692 words for the day.
Day 6: I wrote 1775 words and just passed the 10,000 word mark, so I was one-fifth of
the way through the month with just over one-fifth of the words written.
the way through the month with just over one-fifth of the words written.
Day 7: I wrote the crucial
scene, the scene that shows my main character has changed. 1827 words for the day.
scene, the scene that shows my main character has changed. 1827 words for the day.
Day 8: Writing seemed easy
today. It’s great to write a chapter length scene of 1697 words when I am trying to write 1667 words a day.
today. It’s great to write a chapter length scene of 1697 words when I am trying to write 1667 words a day.
Day 9: One of my
characters decided to get themselves killed three chapters early, why do
outcasts always do the unexpected? I wrote 1747
words.
characters decided to get themselves killed three chapters early, why do
outcasts always do the unexpected? I wrote 1747
words.
Day 10: Had to do a bit of
medical research while writing the chapter. I was feeling as exhausted as my
characters as they battle for survival. I wrote exactly 1667 words for the day.
medical research while writing the chapter. I was feeling as exhausted as my
characters as they battle for survival. I wrote exactly 1667 words for the day.
Day 11: Sore neck, tired,
but I persisted and wrote 1705
words.
but I persisted and wrote 1705
words.
All
up I wrote 12,110 (I have changed this number as it was wrong – I told you I was tired) words for the
week. After eleven days I have written 19,043
words, at the same time last year I had written 20027 words. I am currently
only 706 words ahead of schedule, so
I can’t afford a bad day.
up I wrote 12,110 (I have changed this number as it was wrong – I told you I was tired) words for the
week. After eleven days I have written 19,043
words, at the same time last year I had written 20027 words. I am currently
only 706 words ahead of schedule, so
I can’t afford a bad day.
0 Responses
This is excellent Graham. You are committed and of course you can do it.
All I would suggest is that the work is the most important, not the word count, hence why I steer clear of Nano. It's too easy to quickly steer off the path.
'Giving up' may actually save you more work and stress in the end.
Best of luck with whatever you do.
Hi Anthony,
Well of course giving up would save me more work 😉
I reckon what I am writing during Nano this time is of a lot better quality than what I was writing last time when I started the novel – but I could be mistaken.
A lot more is happening in the novel at this stage – much of the 50,000 first words was primarily suspense building as lots of unanswered questions were raised. But I reckon when I rewrite it – and I now anticipate the first draft will be around 160,000 words – substantial chunks will be cut from the start.
I am not a writer who sits and waits for the perfect words when I am writing the first draft. Trying to perfect the words comes when rewriting. The first draft is all about the story. But I do think I have been including more detail this time around then the first time around.
And hey, I am really enjoying writing. Look forward to it, thinking about. I walked to town and back yesterday and I had my note pad out for most of the trip scribbling down dialogue and plot points and details for the chapter I wrote later that day and the chapter I plan to write today.