Friday 21 November 2014

Phew!


So today marks the end of my #NaNoWriMo campaign and I'm delighted to say that I won! I successfully wrote a whole novel (50,000 words) in 21 days. And I am beat!

As I shove my mouth full of my jelly baby reward and await the inevitable sugar crash I'm able to momentarily bask in completing my next novel. Normally it takes me 3 months to write a book so it's good to know that if I push myself that extra bit I can trim that time down to three weeks. But it is tough. I've been writing consecutively every day breaking targets of 4 and 5K. It has been extremely draining at times but I had my goal in mind, I knew where my story needed to go I just had to get it there.

I am now looking forward to a blissful weekend of doing not very much. Whilst #NaNovWriMo was fun I think  in future I'll stick to my 3 month turnaround times as there is far less pressure that way.

When people learn I'm a writer they often say how much they'd like to write a book of their own. My advice to those people is take advantage of #NaNovWriMo. Everyone involved in #NaNovWriMo is crazy supportive and it's that kind of encouragement which will really help you out on the days when you are struggling to write. And I can certify that it is more than humanly possible to write 50K in one month. I completed my own story whilst working full time as a freelance writer. Balance is important, so is planning. I personally find planning to be absolutely essential!

Good luck to everyone hitting the home straight with their own WIPs! I hope you all manage to cross through that finish line! I'm off to send my newly completed novel to my agent, fingers crossed she likes it!

I'm so relieved to just be finished that I'm even considering sharing my big box of jelly babies! Any takers?

xoxo

Monday 10 November 2014

Hitting the Half Way Point

So we are ten days in to November and I've passed the 50% mark on my WIP. I'm currently at 28,031 words so am looking set to complete the novel before #NaNoWriMo concludes.

I've heard from other participants that this is often the point where they hit a wall. I can honestly say that mentally I'm pretty drained. I've been writing solidly every day but not just on my WIP but also my freelance work. I'd normally give myself a few day's off, at least over the weekend, but in order to complete the 50K within the month I really need to work everyday.

On a positive note, as tired as I may be I'm in no danger of hitting a wall. I've actually got the rest of my entire story planned out in finite detail so just need to press on and finish it now. But I am...tired. When you write you pour yourself out in to your words. You sit at your desk and just bleed and of course that level of engagement takes its toll. To those who know me I'm a bit of a zombie at the moment. When I do emerge from my Disney themed study, blinking and bleary eyed I tend to just want food (anything sugary) and some quality time with my favorite TV shows.



I am losing track of the days. I'm working late in to the night and falling asleep in the afternoons. Yet it will all be worth because my story will be complete. And then what will December have in store? Edits mainly for my upcoming releases. It really does never stop but I'm living my dream and wouldn't have it any other way!

How is everyone else's #NaNoWriMo shaping up? Hope you are all hanging in there! I tell myself to just keep writing, just keep writing, sung to the tune of Dory's 'just keep swimming' in Finding Nemo!

xoxo