Made it! My third NaNoWriMo is safely completed, emailed to myself, put on a memory stick and saved on two different computers. Not that I’m paranoid.
As I suspected, things speeded up. Not because I’m bored of writing, or of the story, but I always get faster towards the end. I was practically holding myself back as I got each character placed for the final scenes: don’t forget that bit; she needs to come in again; what about the jam? All those important little things. And I bet there’ll be someone or something I left out.
I went into Monday with a target of 3000 words, and just about pushed out 3005. I had to stop part-way through the big reveal scene, which was pretty annoying, but probably good in that I knew exactly what I’d be starting with the next day.
I didn’t plan to finish on Tuesday. Not with 3000-plus words to write and a full afternoon of tutoring. But that’s what happened. I completed the 1250 words on my plan in the morning, and as I got home a little earlier than usual, and had some time before doing the school run, I set to work again, adding another 600.
Unusually, the other half was out that evening, so after the kids were in bed I dived back in. I wasn’t sure if I’d finish the whole thing – by 9pm I was definitely tiring – but I got a second wind after passing 50K, and ended the chapter, and the book, with something I hadn’t expected at all, which is probably in the best traditions of NaNoWriMo. Last day words: 4020. Copied, pasted, validated and shiny victory claimed by 9.20pm, two days early!
Here’s the progress graph, which looks fairly sensible this year:
It felt very odd to wake up on Wednesday with no words to write. Some of my new spare time was spent tidying NaNoWriMo away; putting my notes into what is now the series file (get me!), filing all the emails where I sent myself the work-in-progress, getting out the notes for book 2, which I’m now editing. No more first drafts before 2018, I told myself sternly, before going out to writing group on Thursday. And at writing group I had an idea for a book; something different from anything I’ve written before…
It never stops, does it? Shiny things, shiny things! But I’m determined that that story will not begin until 2018. Time to get Pippa 2 into shape first!
NaNo Stats:
- Words: 50,910
- Writing days: 28/30 (as I finished on Day 28)
- Dodgy additions to internet search history for research purposes: can’t tell you, it’d spoil the ending 😉
- Murders: wait and seeeeeee…
- Cups of tea: I need a mathematical formula to work this out for the final week. Probably fewer than previous weeks, as steam was coming off the laptop at some points – no time for tea!
- Celebratory glasses of wine: possibly more than one!
The final NaNoRhiNo, a majestic beast whom I’ve had for years. He used to sit on my desk at work.
Liz Hedgecock 
It’s interesting reading about your writing process. I’m glad Thursday can be inspiring.
Yes, shiny things, shiny things…
Where indeed does it all come from?
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