NaNoWriMo 2011 daily diary
Week One - Entering the tunnel
November is for NaNoWriMo! Writing a 50,000 word novel in 30 days flat isn't as crazy as it sounds. Calling it a "novel" is generous because anything you get out of such a frantic writing month would need a lot of work to be publishable. But you have a first draft to work from.
This year I'm writing a sequel to my 2009 novel, "Between Universes". When I read that one, I was surprised to find it didn't stink and I still liked the story. Sure it has rough spots and dead patches and some clunky dialog and odd coincidences, but it has a big orange tom cat and characters who all want something, though most of them don't get it which makes for interesting situations to play with.
Tuesday 1st3041 words. A little writing before work, and a chunk afterwards. With my car in the garage for a wonky thermostat and bad battery, I worked from home today, saving my drive time for writing. Skived off karate and went to the Barnes & Noble write-in at West County Mall. Made my personal Nov 1st goal of 3000 words and had a celebratory cookie.
Wednesday 2nd5054 words, 2013 today. Wrote 400 words before work while sat in front of my light box, another 700 at lunch in the conference room with Harold Chester, and the rest at home in an empty house while Hubby was out. My bad guy is a little too likeable right now, but I get to write some really nasty characters in another scene or so.
Thursday 3rd7225 words, 2171 today. Strong finish, encouraged by St Louis wrimos Beta Wulf and jsights on Twitter. Both of them incorporated the phrase "pterodactyl of love" into their novels after I tweeted about mis-hearing a DJ Sammy song "Paradise of Love". Pterodactyls, they're a Thing.
Friday 4th9251 words, 2026 today. Put a regional dare on the NaNoWriMo forums to get people to put the phrase "pterodactyl of love" into their novel, also on Google+. Someone sent me a link to the pterodactyl of love on Twitter! NaNoWriMo tweeted a challenge: Get to 15k by Sunday. I'm going to try.
Saturday 5th12271 words, 3020 today. Got up to 2000 words at the Crooked Tree Coffee House write-in in St Charles, aided by two 15 minute word wars (I won both, 625 words and 706 words). Finished up at home and crossed the 3k barrier for the day. Another 3k day tomorrow and I'll make 15k by Sunday and be well ahead of the curve. Story going well, writing monsters in the dark.
Sunday 6th15305 words, 3034 today. Wrote a thousand words before the write-in at Clayton Bread Co, finished up the rest there, amid some truly eyebrow-raising discussions topic ranging from Hello Kitty items through flying whorehouses. Brain-fried by the end of it, but good to be among friends.
Monday 7th15722 words, 417 today. No lunchtime writing, met a former work friend for lunch instead. Wrote a little at home, but tired from karate.
Week Two - Plowing on
This is where it's supposed to get difficult. I don't have TIME for it to get difficult, I have too much story to get out!
Tuesday 8th19001 words, 3279 today. My last day at the old company, changing job during NaNoWriMo may be certifiably crazy. Working hard to eliminate my deficit from yesterday after an emotional Happy Hour with the old company saying goodbye to me and two others.
Wednesday 9th21074 words, 2073 today. Wrote a thousand words at Jen's place in the evening, finishing up at home afterward. Drove over 130 miles today, I'm supposed to be relaxing!
Thursday 10th23148 words, 2074 today. Wrote less than 500 words before dinner, the rest after. Less driving around today, more relaxing. Wondering how I'm going to manage writing lunchtimes at the new job next week.
Friday 11th25238 words, 2090 today. Great start to the day at Crooked Tree coffee house in St Charles with Joy and Dale, and an excellent hazelnut mocha. Forgot to ask for decaf coffee, that might explain the flurry of words.
Saturday 12th28444 words, 3206 today. Wrote at the Crooked Tree coffee house in St Charles in the company of other wrimos, finished up in Chesterfield Barnes & Noble while waiting for a movie. Unexpected things happened to my main character and I'm not sure where she goes from here. She's pretty ticked off.
Sunday 13th31010 words, 2566 today. Broke the 30k mark at the write-in at Clayton Bread Co, then the 31k mark. Trying to build up a buffer before starting the new job tomorrow. After much pondering, I have a set of titles that I like for this trilogy I'm writing.
Monday 14th32513 words, 1503 today. First day at the new company! 807 words before work, exhausted afterwards. Finished up in the evening. Probably won't get much written tomorrow between work and karate.
Week Three - And miles to go before I sleep
This week has felt like really hard work. Wrote till 11pm on the Friday, struggling to set up a new routine. Fred was right, it is crazy to change job during NaNoWriMo. But is it just crazy enough to work?
Tuesday 15th33607 words, 1094 today. Went from work straight to karate, then home to write. This new job schedule is unkind to my novel. Hoping to get into a better rhythm on Wednesday or Thursday. Still ahead of my personal schedule of 2k a day but the buffer is almost used up.
Wednesday 16th35654 words, 2047 today. Wrote alone at home, still in karate gear after my lesson, trying to break the 2k barrier and get my rhythm back. Writing some confrontational scenes that ping my nerves a bit.
Thursday 17th37689 words, 2035 today. Found a whole new way to make things even worse for my characters and they can't do anything about it. Working 7-4 now, much more suited to my rhythm. Finally writing the mid-novel crisis point where everything goes wrong for all my characters.
Friday 18th39693 words, 2004 today. Forcing myself over the 39k barrier past my bedtime, trying to keep my 2k a day pattern going.
Saturday 19th41720 words, 2027 today. Wrote at knitting morning, then at home waiting for friends to turn up for the Jim Gaffigan show tonight. Making one of my bad guys much nastier today, and relying on a website, Written? Kitten!, to get me over the 2k mark.
Sunday 20th44346 words, 2626 today. 300 words at home with the laundry, more at the Clayton write-in (attendance is greatly reduced, possibly because of the rain and cold), more at home while Paul went to the St Louis Night of Scribbling Recklessly at MoKaBe's. Two characters behaving in unexpected ways today.
Monday 21st44346 words, 0 today. I'm tired.
Week Four - Can't stop the story
I don't think I'm going to finish this story at the end of the month, but I am going to finish it, and the third part of the trilogy, then edit the whole lot, possibly using a Holly Lisle course, How to revise your novel.
Tuesday 22nd46521 words, 2175 today. Writing after karate, trying to reduce my deficit from taking yesterday off. Skipped ahead and worked on a fun scene, then went back and added a new character to keep a viewpoint in one location after two other characters left there.
Wednesday 23rd49016 words, 2495 today. Have made up for skipping Monday, I'll probably be able to validate on Friday and "win" but I won't be happy till the story is over. I like this one, some characters have turned out to be really conflicted.
Thursday 24th50160 words, 1144 today. Happy Thanksgiving! Writing while checking on the caramelising condensed milk for banoffee pie. I made the 50k goal, but the story still has a way to go. I feel justified in slacking off my 2000 words a day pace now.
Friday 25th50160 words, 0 today. Black Friday, took the day off.
Saturday 26th53451 words, 3291 today. Started at the Crooked Tree write-in, continues at Kaldi's in Chesterfield valley. Good things happening to the story, still a long way to go.
Sunday 27th56203 words, 2752 today. Wrote at the Clayton Bread Co write-in with headphones on, much better attendance this week. Story is coming along nicely. Skipped ahead and wrote a couple of good scenes, then had to go back and fill in the blanks.
Monday 28th56851 words, 648 today. According to the My Month stats widget, Mondays are bad writing days for me. Wrote a good scene and filled in a gap between scenes. Hubby crossed the 50k and validated tonight!
Week Five
Tuesday 29th57736 words, 885 today. Still filling in the blanks between scenes already written, wrapping up one storyline and bringing an older one back into play.
Wednesday 30th58814 words, 1078 today. Last day of NaNoWriMo, I wrote at lunchtime at my desk and nearly got to the end of chapter nine. Three more chapters still to be written, I plan on finishing this book in December.