I Did It!

I completed my Nanowrimo challenge to write 50,000 words in the month of November. I actually rather enjoyed it and am still continuing to write the story. Whether anyone will ever want to read it is another matter. It was good to allow myself to write whatever I fancied, rather than trying to conform to writing guidelines. I also allowed the plot to develop organically rather than planning. The starting points were a song on a Celtic CD I had in the car and a very short story I wrote two years ago.

It turned into a time slip murder mystery. I am beginning to wonder if this is my genre, as I have another half completed manuscript of a similar type but in a totally different setting.

2,000 words a day are very possible. My ironing pile suffered, hence the five hour ironing marathon yesterday. In general, however, my housework still got done, as it was useful thinking time.

I already had a good practice of being a “waiting” writer. By that I mean I write when I am waiting at the doctor’s, dentist, hairdressers, outside school, during Daniel’s piano and swimming lessons and even if a friend is getting a coffee in the café and I am keeping the table. I think that Nano has focussed my mind and made me even more fastidious about this practice

The exercises at writing class could generally be adapted to be part of the plot of the Nano novel too. It will be interesting to see if my new word count regime continues. They say it takes 21 days of repetition to create a habit. (And yes I have written over a 1000 words today!)

I have to say that the word count could not have been achieved without the support of my family and friends. My husband was particularly helpful, showing an interest in my word count, cooking meals and even on occasion taking over my turn at reading the bedtime story to Daniel when I was in the flow.

My writing buddy, Ellie Swoop, was always there when I needed a moan or to talk through the plot. (I hope while I am writing this that she has written her last 2,000 words and achieved her Nano target too. I’m looking forward to the celebration!)

One of the best things has been the caring comments of my new friends on Facebook, many of whom were met because of the New Voices competition. You know who you are and thank you