I DID IT!!
I finished NanoWrimo within the month. Actually, (not to brag) I not only finished writing the full 50,000 words five days early, I finished the entire story within that time. I will admit that it needs some HEAVY revisions before it can see the light of day, but I at least have a complete story to work with. That's something right?
So since I went through the harrowing, yet wonderful experience of NanoWrimo, I thought I would share a bit of what I went through. You know, just in case you would like to join me next year. Here are my pros and cons:
Pros
1. I wrote every. Single. Day. Every day for a month. I write pretty regularly to begin with, but having a goal to meet each day was great. My tenacious personality and my rather crazy task commitment, forced me to sit down each day and write. My goal was 1,700 words a day, but there were days where I went over. That was okay, but I could write less than my goal.
2. I wrote an entire story. That is usually the hardest part of writing. It sounds silly, but I once found a quote that said (I'm totally paraphrasing), "Which is better? An amazing book floating around in your head or a mediocre book written down? The mediocre book will always win because it is written down!" I can't remember who said it/ tweeted it, but the phrase still rings true. The first step is always to get your ideas and thoughts down on paper.
3. I get to see the astonished look people give when I tell them about meeting NanoWrimo's challenge. You should try it. A knowing, smug smile always comes to your lips and a sense of pride wells up in your chest. It's awesome!
Cons
1. It took up A LOT of my free time. I fell behind on cleaning the apartment, I fell behind in watching my usual T.V. shows, even reading became a luxury if I finished my word count for the day. It was a little frustrating to be reading an epic fantasy novel for almost five weeks...yes it took my five weeks to read a 600 page book...inconceivable!
2. I was more concerned with word count than I was with the content that was going into the story. Usually when I write, I pick and choose my words carefully. I rearrange them so they sound right and are perfect. It makes me excited to discover opportunities for alliteration and onomatopoeias. For NanoWrimo, that did not happen. It was more like word vomit. I was just getting words down on the page. The story is there, but it's going to take time to wade through all the awfulness that surrounds it.
3. It was exhausting. I finished right before I had four days off from work for the Thanksgiving holiday. I did not touch my little green flash drive at all during those four days. I needed a break from writing and being creative. I read books and mindlessly watched T.V. I spent time with my husband (who I also had neglected through the month) and focused my attention on my family. Even the week after Thanksgiving, it took me a little while to get back into the groove of writing like I usually do. I found myself glancing at the word count and having to remind myself that it doesn't matter for this story. I was also just writing to write instead of making the best possible story I could.
All in all, I've recovered from the experience and it was fun. I recommend it to anyone who has a story stuck in their head and they need an excuse to get it out. If I'm honest with you, I am glad that there is a whole year ahead of me before I jump back into it. And I will do it again. I won't lie, it's hard, but worth every minute!
