NaNoWriMo Wrap-Up

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     I have finally rested up from my NaNoWriMo experience.  It was wonderful and terrifying all at the same time.  But, I finished and that's the main thing.  It's been a month and now it's on to the re-write.  All NaNo winners get a certificate from CreateSpace for a free proof copy of their book.  An actual paperback copy of my book complete with a cover.  Then I can feature it on Amazon for sale or I can keep it private.  I guess you realize what I'm going to do.  Private is not for me.  Hiding my accomplishments under a barrel, not for me, either.  It's a fantastic opportunity and I intend to run with it.
     I created this postcard, using Vista Print Services, as a way to announce my intentions to myself, to the world, and a few others.  This will keep me focused on what I need to do now and where I am going from here. That would be forward.  I have a deadline with CreateSpace, so that should help with the focus part, as well.  "So, a bit of a self congratulatory celebration as I head off into the unknown land of repetitive re-writes", she said, as she toasted her accomplishment with a Pepsi.
     I will continue to update my progress here on my blog, so watch for updates.
   

NaNoWriMo Day#25

     A short time ago, I signed on to the NaNo site and after scrambling my story, uploaded it to the site for verification.  Needless to say, I WON!!!  I can't begin to tell you how great that feels.  I am really proud of myself.  I worked hard, persevered and made it through to the end.  I kept telling myself that I'd make it.  But I didn't really know if I would or not.
     In the beginning, at the first meeting at the library, I thought, "Yeah this shouldn't be to hard".  Of course then I wrote the first night, woke up exhausted the next day, (after writing 2,000 words) and suddenly, 50,000 words looked like a whole lot of distance to cover in a month.  Then I slogged through that first week, getting more exhausted and not making much of a dent in the word count.  Suddenly I'm wondering what I've gotten myself into.  Then I had an ear/possible cold during week two.  I'm thinking I feel awful and writing a couple of hours after coming home tired from work seemed a fool's errand.  But I kept at it.  Then I hit some kind of adrenaline rush and wrote 12,000 words over the weekend.  My story took off and the next thing I knew 25,000 words appeared and then I closed in on 35,000 words, then 45,000 words, and finally I blew past the 50,000 word mark. 
     I can't believe I made it.  I can't believe I won.  But I'm so glad I did.  Where do I go from here?  Well, I'm off to buy a frame for my winner's certificate (that may have to wait until tomorrow since today is Thanksgiving-I don't know if anything is open) and then it's time for the real work to begin as I start editing my manuscript. 

NaNoWriMo "The Finale"

     I finished!  I won!  I was so afraid that I wouldn't complete this task that I really knuckled down and pressed onward toward the end.  It helped that as I neared the middle of my story, I picked up steam and the story wrote itself.  The momentum was incredible.  Then just when I thought I had peaked to early, I added some more characters who fleshed out the story even better than I hoped.  They moved the story on to its conclusion.  And then I was done. 
     I didn't realize how tired I was until yesterday.  I had decided to take the day and just kick back.  I needed to do that more than I knew.  I felt lousy all day yesterday.  I really thought I was coming down with the flu.  I was achy, nauseous and just felt rotten.  By the time bedtime rolled around, I was sure that I was going to be up all night camped out in the bathroom.  Instead, I slept well and woke up with tons of energy.  Apparently I was just exhausted.
     Now that I have the story down, it's time to move on to the polishing of the story through research, rewrite, and whatever else.  I can upload my novel beginning on Nov. 25 (Thanksgiving Day) and then I can collect my winner's goodies.  I'm not sure what all that involves but I know there is a certificate.  And that's my main focus.  I intend to frame it and hang it on my wall.
     I DID IT!  YES, I CAN! 

NaNoWriMo Day #19 AND Day #20

     I wrote like a fiend last night.  I ended my story and in a strange twist, the characters that I added at the end shaped the story more than I can say.  It was an added element that I needed.  It added a terrific finish.  But I was still shy about 1200 words.  So begins the epilogue.
      I was just bone tired so decided to go on to bed.  What to do about today, though?  I had to be out of town in the evening and would miss my regular writing time.  I'm so close.  What should I do?  Finally I decided that I would set my alarm, get up early and finish the story with the epilogue.  I did.
      After Day #19 my word count was 48,791.  After Day #20 my word count was 51,340.  OMG!  I made it!  I can't believe it.  I was so afraid that I wouldn't make the word count in the allotted time and here I made the word count with 10 days to spare.  I did the Snoopy dance all around my apartment when I finished. 
     I reflected on my accomplishment, when I finished.  I wrote my first story when I was 7 years old in 2nd grade, double spaced on notebook paper, four pages front and back.  The teacher encouraged me further by having me read it to the class after recess.  I was hooked and vowed that someday I'd write a novel. I've been writing ever since.  And now, all these years later, I've written the novel I promised myself.  It's really a rough, rough draft.  It needs a lot of polish, but it's a start.
     (Oh did I mention, I still need to add the novel notes at the end.  I think I'll have time before the deadline.)  I can't wait to submit my finished novel for the word count check.  You better believe I'm doing that on the 25th of November!

NaNoWriMo Day #18

     Last night I thought I had peaked to early.  I just couldn't put words to paper.  And I had a pile of words left to add to my word count.  But overnight, I thought about it, and I introduced some new characters at the eleventh hour.  After their conversation occurs with the heroine and I do my epilogue, I should be well over the word count.  Currently I sit at 46,298 with nearly 100 pages.
     I have always wanted to write a novel.  But I tend to edit, a lot, until I can't even move one word forward without the agony of stressing over whether this word is the right one or not.  And then the momentum is lost.  NaNoWriMo has freed me from all of that.  I just keep telling myself to move forward.  One day at a time.  Get through this day of writing.  Get through the next day of writing.  Then the next day.  Don't look back.  Don't stress.  I can take care of all of this during the rewrite.  This method has been working really well for me.  Look at my word and page count.
     Finally today, I went in and looked at my messages from the other NaNoWriMo participants.  I knew the messages were piling up.  But I didn't want to take time away to read any of the messages or surf around on the internet.  That's a good way to get off track and lose focus.  I'm apparently more confidant now.
     I see the light at the end of the tunnel, and it's not an oncoming train . . .Hello Day #19.

NaNoWriMo Day #17

     I am so close to reaching my word count.  I sit at 44,064 words.  I need 5,936 to finish.  I have over 90 pages so far.  I'm amazed that I've come this far.  And this fast.  I'm not there yet, but I'm closing in on that 50,000 word mark.  It will probably take me a week at the rate I'm going.
     Last night I didn't hit it as hard as the night before.  I watched back to back episodes of "Burn Notice", wrote for an hour, then watched "Family Guy".  It seems so weird when I stop and do everyday things instead of spending all my time writing.  It's like I have to enter back into society or something like that.
     I wasn't sure that I was even going to write at all last night.  I had a rough day and I was tired from the day before.  But I just said to myself, "look you have to put something down and I don't care if it's the worst crap you've ever written, just write."  So I did and an hour later when I blinked my eyes and entered real life again, I had 1,800 plus words.
     I think I might have peaked to early, though.  I don't know if I have enough story left to make the word count.  I decided that if I don't, I will put in a writer's statement or novel notes or whatever, telling about the real life events that this story is based on.  That should take care of my word count, but this is only if I need the extra words for the count.
     Skidding into Day #18. . .join me.

NaNoWriMo Day #16

     I was so tired last night when I got home from work.  I didn't think that there was any way  for me to write even one single word, let alone 3,600 plus words.  I started writing and I could not stop.  I wrote after supper, I wrote through a couple of breaks, and even though I turned on "Family Guy", I didn't watch much of it because I was to busy writing.  I wrote through "King of the Hill"  and through the first part of "South Park". I probably should have just shut the TV off, but I just tuned it out of my mind.  I didn't want to take the 10 second break that it would take to switch off the TV.  I didn't take my shower until almost 11:30 p.m.  I just couldn't stop writing.
     Needless to say, I had strange vivid dreams all night.  I could not get up to go to work.  I finally made it to work (a bit late) and I have just now started to wake up.  Wednesday's are busy days at work and I need to be in tip top shape.  Probably not going to happen today.
     I sit at 42,179 words and 87 pages.  My Inner Editor keeps calling, texting and emailing.  I kept telling him to cool his heels with all the other inner editor's.  He's impatient.  He keeps asking about how the project is going.  Apparently he has met some friends he wants to introduce me to, and soon, their names are Vision. Lofty Goals and Big Ideas.  I think Lofty Goals and Big Ideas are twins.  They dress the same and it's hard to tell them apart.
      Heading into the home stretch. . . Day #17 begins today.