Ahhh the sweet feel of victory after a long battle...even when that battle was with yourself and your own self-impossed deadline created by some crazy people.
It's kinda how you feel after you stop pounding your head against a wall- for a month ;).
This NaNo had some good and some bad- we'll start with the bad ;)
This year just felt like I was doing alot of of fighting with myself. Could be because I was doing something different with this book (a stand alone romantic fantasy) or something else. But it just felt like I was fighting alot!
My hand hurts. Ok, sounds whiney, but my right hand didn't like this-LOL. I type with three fingers, mostly with my right hand...
It took up time I could have spent doing something else- ANYTHING ELSE.
The good :)
It got my writing and creating mojo back- that alone is worth all those long horrific hours and a sore hand.
I now have the bones of what looks like a kick ass good book- we'll see how I feel in a few months- but this one could rock big time. AND it's a stand alone! WOOT!
I got to play with other writers on Facebook, Terra Firma Farscape, RWA, and through Buddies on NaNo- it is great to really be hanging around writers in such a situation- we're crazy, but we're together.
It was a great challenge- a marathon for writers- and I crossed that 26.5 mile line :). Feels really good.
So, the long and short- NaNo was the best of times and the worst of times. But now it's over :). I'm planning on letting the mess set for a mo nth or two- and in the meanwhile polish up and edit the other books and start sending them to my chosen targets ;). I think I'm a better writer for finishing NaNo.
It's funny. I signed up for NaNo about three years ago, fully intending to write my butt off, and nothing came of it. I've always considered myself incapable of writing to a deadline (at least when it comes to longer stuff), so when I suddenly decided to jump in feet first this year ... I had no hopes and really no intentions. I have done original fic before, but it's been smallish and has always struck me as utterly ridiculous (my writing, that is, not original fic as such).
ReplyDeleteThe big thing ... I had no plan. Just a vague idea that sprung from a conversation with a colleague about the shortcomings of the Danish penal system. Even now, about 50,000 words, I still don't have a clear image of my lead character. But I will finish the story and I will 'publish' it online. Just to see if anybody even reads it. :)
So, I can sort of relate. I really had no bad side of this, but not really a good side either. I was kinda balancing in the middle there, just writing because I needed this to go well. It's been a bad month all in all and I just needed one thing to go right. And it did. So I'm good. :)
The support on Terra Firma was great. I think it helps if it's a team effort and the spirit of competition is always a motivator. :)
Congrats, Marie!! I totally agree about the bad points and the good points.
ReplyDeleteYou're SO right about the writing and creating mojo. My fire for writing had dwindled over the past couple months. Even through part of November I was fighting myself to keep going and finally get this story which had been wanting to be written done. It wasn't exactly because I was revved up, but I knew I really wanted to do it.
Somewhere down the line, my mojo showed up. That made it so worth it for me too. Now I can't wait to finish writing it. lol
Congratulations Marie!!! I'm so proud of you!!! :)
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see how this one turns out for you...
Lisa :)
Thanks for coming by Cathy, Sarah, and Lisa! Yeah the mojo coming back is a VERY good thing! And checking in with my scaper writers really helped :). LOL- Lisa- you're just happy I finally did a romance ;).
ReplyDeleteThanks again!
Congratulation, Marie. I tried it one year but didn't get enough words done. You are an inspiration. Good job.
ReplyDeleteMary Galusha