Halfway Through NaNoWriMo Check In
Well, folks, we’re halfway through National Novel Writing Month, and I must say: what a ride it’s been so far.
Not to brag but definitely to toot my own horn, I’ve hit 42,000 words as of today. Do you know how wild that is???? I do. Because let me take you on a journey of how long it’s taken me to write my other novels:
1. A little over 3 years. Started my second year of high school and finished some time in my first year of college.
2. About 2 1/2 years. Started my first year of college and finished toward the end of my third year.
3. 2-ish years. Started my senior year of college and finished about a year after I graduated.
4. Just over 1 year. This is impressive for me! I started summer of 2019 and finished it last month. Granted, I only finished it when my friend Amy told me she wanted to try NaNoWriMo for the first time, and I thought I’d give it a shot too. Only I had anywhere from 10-15 chapters left to write at that point. I gave myself the near impossible task for a slow writer: one chapter a day. But I did it!
So this is 5, and I’m determined. I guess I should’ve given myself a daily writing goal years ago. As you can see, I’ve gotten quicker, book by book, but it’s nothing like writers who can knock out a solid first draft in a few weeks. Yes, I was dealing with school for almost all my previous attempts, and that’s partly why it took so long to finish those, but it was my fault for rewatching Friends or psych for the hundredth time instead of writing. I didn’t even try to multi-task!
Full disclosure, I started this one a couple of days early, but it was a bad week. I cried a lot about work, and I was stressed about the election. I couldn’t find myself able to sit down with a book to read, so I figured I’d figure out the first chapter or two of this project. Those chapters are usually a wash for me anyway and will be torn apart in my first edit.
But since November 1st, I’ve committed (and succeeded) to 2,000 words a day. Sometimes I’ve gotten more, but I’ve stayed up until the stroke of midnight a few times to hit that lucky number.
Truthfully, I didn’t think I could even get this far. I would’ve been proud to hit 20,000 by month’s end! But 42,000 in the first half?? Are you kidding? Who is this girl and what has she done with the old me?
The biggest change in this one is that I’m typing it instead of handwriting. *GASP* I know. I’m a traitor to myself! But I thought it would be easier to track my word count, and it meant I didn’t have to worry about my pens running out of ink or having to buy a new notebook. I’m not saying I’ve changed my tune about handwriting first drafts, but the pros are very helpful in trying to write an entire story in a month.
Of course, I do want to say that with COVID times being what they are and people’s creativity levels being often nil, this NaNoWriMo has a very different feel. I don’t see the excitement brewing on the internet. It’s completely fair! I’m surprised I’m not right there with those people, considering I’ve read four books since September, one being a reread (Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter) and another being a re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-reread (Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume).
I’m proud of everyone who thought to themselves, “Yeah, fuck NaNoWriMo this year.” Because yeah, you’re right. Who has the time and patience and energy for this? Especially with the election week doom-scrolling! (But hello Biden/Harris administration!)
I just knew it was a challenge for myself. One that I was ready to take on to try and pull myself out my slump. It helps that I picked a fun love story inspired by one of the greatest albums of all time (reputation by Tay Sway is the bomb, and I will fight anyone who says otherwise).
I feel like I’ve had a weird relationship to the spectrum of creativity throughout COVID. While it seemed most people were anxious and feeling the most drained they’d ever felt, I was finding really successful ways to cope. When everyone was starting to get the hang of this—dare I say it???—“new normal,” I was spiraling. We’re switching places again, it seems. Except that now I feel like I’m straddling that line. I have barely been able to touch a book, but I’ve been writing up a storm!
I foresee a writing slump coming, as I always do when I get to this part of my stories. And if I can’t hit my daily goal anymore, then we’ll just have to go with the flow. There’s no right way to write a book. There’s only your way.
But now I’m going to go in and maybe get ahead on my word goal for the weekend and maybe watch Pride and Prejudice again. Or re-listen to Paul McCartney’s discography—because did you see the Rolling Stone interview with Taylor Swift? I cried. Or Harry Styles’s Vogue cover? Who has time for writing when there’s fashionable Harry to be looking at???
If you’re doing NaNoWriMo, how’s it going? Proud of you for even writing one sentence this week.
If you’re not doing NaNoWriMo, how are ya in general?
Wear your masks, everyone, and do your best to stay home! Major COVID spikes are happening again, so only go out if it’s necessary. Be safe and find some ways to smile. Look at pictures of Chris Evans with his dog. Or cry it out with some Taylor Swift or a sad movie.
Feel good reads if you need them:
– You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson
– Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
– Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
– Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
– Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan
– Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
Honk if you’re excited about the prospect of preserving democracy and don’t want eloquent and empowering people like AOC to give up politics! (Pls, girl, I’ll fight people off for you).
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In case you missed it, I got published! Link to my flash fiction piece Shadows Over My Window here.
And check out the other great pieces on the Coachella Review blog!