Monday, November 23, 2009

My NaNoWriMo Experience


I'm coming down from the high I've been on since November 1st when I first sat down to write my first novel. As I type this, I'm sitting slouched down in my recliner chair instead of sitting upright in my desk chair at my writing table. My eyes are half-closed and I know bed is going to feel real good tonight.

It's nice to have reached my writing goal of 50,000 words as a participant of National Novel Writing Month, NaNoWriMo. I'd like to summarize how the 22 days went. I'm really too tired, but let me try.

1. It was exciting to be doing something I'd never done before.

2. I knew if I sat down at my keyboard, words would come.

3. Some days I really wanted to sit down and write.

4. Some days I sat down to write only because I knew I had to in order to reach my goal.

5. When I make up my mind to do something, I'm hyper-focused. That worked to my advantage.

6. It was fun having blogger friends who were also participating. Knowing we were all doing the same thing at the same time was comforting and motivating.

7. Instead of writing nonsense in order to reach 50,000 words, I found myself with a certain amount of purpose and direction. That was unexpected and made the whole challenge more worthwhile.

8. Writing 50,000 words wasn't as impossible as I'd anticipated.

9. I'm looking forward to going back and reading my novel. Considering how quickly I had to write, I'm sure a great deal of my novel will be somewhat unfamiliar, like reading someone else's work.


The most exciting thing about writing for me is reading something I've written and being amazed. Reading something I've recently written and barely recognizing it as mine is an unusual experience, one that keeps me coming back for more.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I couldn't agree more. You've summarized nicely the experience that I believe most of us had.

We'e all eager to read bits and peices of each others work and I anxiously await the approval to read yours! I feel like a kid in a candy store standing on my tippy toes peering over the top of the counter and trying to find where the really good candy is hidden. I know Shaddy's MS is back there somewhere)

I'm not sure I am ready to go back and reread my own. I'm saving that for the editing process.

Natasha said...

Shaddy, you put it all so well! Thank you! I'm still chugging along on mine but not perhaps with the same fever pitch I had for the first three weeks.

I'm hoping that some of my characters will come to some kind of resolution by the end of November, but I'm not sure about that yet.

But I'm not going to go back and reread what I've written until I've put the whole thing down for a week or so and let it set. Then I'll look at it with fresh eyes.

I'm looking forward to reading some of yours, Shaddy. You have such a great sense of humor and I'm sure it will be fun to read!

Anonymous said...

It is a nice feeling of community. I enjoyed the company too. I can't wait to read an excerpt from your story.

Gullible said...

Congratulations, Shaddy. I am curious to find out what you think of your novel after it's cooled off a bit.

Rob said...

Congrats m'dear! So awesome that you met your goal .. I had a feeling that you would pull it off! Wistflly enjoy the spoils of your witty writing war :)

Cheryl Peters said...

darksculptures: I'm trying to keep an open mind regarding my novel. If I'm happy with it when I go back and read it, that's wonderful. If I want to toss it in the garbage, I won't be all that disappointed. My initial goal was just to write 50,000 words so if there's anything at all of value amongst that mass of words, I damn well better feel pretty good about it.

Natasha: You deserve to let up on your writing pace if you so desire. You're going far beyond the 50,000 words, in itself admirable beyond any words I can muster up at the moment.

I'll wait a while before I read my novel. Like you said, my mind will be clear and fresh if I distance myself from it for a week or so.

dayner: I can't imagine going it alone. I suppose we could have, but having company was invaluable.

Keep up your determination as you keep writing. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the story.

Gully: I've got it on ice so it shouldn't spoil.

Rob: As I look back on the 22 days that I was writing, the time went pretty fast.

I am tired though. I overslept this morning, something I very rarely do.

Thank you for your support.

Walk said...

Congrats my friend on your triumph. Now tell me, which is harder NaNo or one of those running, swimming, biking throng, I mean thon's?

Cheryl Peters said...

Walk: That's a good question. They're so different, it's hard to compare them. One is entirely mental and the other is mental and physical.

They are both wonderful challenges; that's my answer.

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