I wrote 50,000+ words of my novel, Change the Game, and submitted it a day before the NaNoWriMo deadline. I honestly didn't think I could. I had a very slow start, churning out less than the prescribed 1667 words daily. I even hit literary walls during my trip to Seattle, where I thought I could crank the words out because I would spend copious hours cooped up in a hotel room. That turned out unproductive, because no matter how I tried, I couldn't find my writing groove. I rolled up my sleeves and jumped in with both feet when I got back home, about 11,000 words behind, reminding myself that if I don't finish this novel now I never will. So I wrote. And wrote. And wrote. In the process I neglected my family, my health, this blog (is anyone still reading this?). The only thing I didn't neglect was work, because I couldn't do any writing at work. Shows you my distorted priorities.

I love my husband. He has been so supportive through all this. He would wake we up from the couch, reminding me that I should write amidst my sleepy protests of tiredness. He would let me have espresso at night when normally, he would forbid me to even smell coffee past 2 pm. He helped me with my convoluted plot twists and turns, including the unbelievably difficult task of coming up with characters' names. [I've run out of former teacher and co-worker name combinations!] He is my number one critic and number one fan. I began the process with letting him read my Chapter 1 and when I asked if I should continue writing, he enthusiastically replied "Yes! This is salacious! I can't wait to read the rest of it!"

With 59,289 words crammed in 30 days, my novel is far from over. The story is not finished, I haven't killed off all the characters I want to. Plus it will probably take me 30 months to edit this sucker (NaNoEdMo anyone?). But I feel a great sense of accomplishment, I learned a lot this short month. This project is a great motivator for me. My only regret is I didn't get to go to the Bay Area closing party because, ironically, that night was the meeting of our book club at work.

I had a wonderful time. But I'll probably never do it again. For now, it's off to sleep. Glorious sleep.

Vangie Fuhrman got cold on 12.03.2004 9:12 PM. |