So I've totally been keeping up with my NaNo daily goals all Thanksgiving Break, but I've been doing all the family stuff and traveling that goes with Thanksgiving. So if you're one of the few who are interested in me writing a novel and how I'm going about doing that, then I'm going to give one big update for the last five days.
I've pretty much solidified how many chapters are in my book and how I'm dividing those chapters. I've decided to use the days of a week as an organizational structure following my protagonist through his seven day vacation home. I've drafted the first five days completely. I've outlined the last two days and I'm just writing the days as they happen.
I didn't have an order to the first couple of days of the novel, but one has emerged as I've written. Now that I've settled on an order, my drafting has began to just go with what I've outlined. It's funny, I started with no direction, just two characters. Now I'm outlining each day left and following my outline to a T. I'm also pretty sure that I will be wrapping up my novel right around the end of the month. I've only have one and half days left in the timeline of my novel, and each day is roughly around 5,000-9,000 words. I'm sitting at 42,000 right now, so if I follow my previous pattern then my novel should be around 50K.
I didn't have an order to the first couple of days of the novel, but one has emerged as I've written. Now that I've settled on an order, my drafting has began to just go with what I've outlined. It's funny, I started with no direction, just two characters. Now I'm outlining each day left and following my outline to a T. I'm also pretty sure that I will be wrapping up my novel right around the end of the month. I've only have one and half days left in the timeline of my novel, and each day is roughly around 5,000-9,000 words. I'm sitting at 42,000 right now, so if I follow my previous pattern then my novel should be around 50K.
Once I finish, I'm going to take December off to cool down, play some video games, and distance myself from my first draft. That way I can get annoyed with my typos and overuse of the word "but" next year.
Soundtracks of the last few days: Ratatat, Lifeformed, and The Notwist
Word Count: 42,371
DAY 25
I got my writing done today. It was a freaking grind, which was strange because I've felt pretty inspired over the last week. I think it had to do with me being back at work. So the grind of work seemed to influence my feelings about what I wrote. But I wrote and finished my second to last chapter and started my last chapter. It's the beginning of the end.
Soundtrack of the day: Bazan's "Curse Your Branches"
Word Count: 45,705
DAY 27
I'm closing in on the end. I'm working on the final couple of scenes of the final chapter. I don't know if the end I intentionally timed the end of my novel with the end of the month, but it's working out this way. Be back soon with final thoughts. I'm finishing my novel tomorrow...I'm pretty sure.
Soundtrack of the day: Mogwai's "Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will"
Word Count: 48,025
DAY 28
I'm done. My first draft is complete. I'm not going to edit anything till next year. I'll have more to say about about the process in a few days. I'm pretty sure that I'll write a reflective long response when I get some free time. I've got a lot of work that I've been ignoring. I'm going to do that.
I'm tired of writing. Thanks for listening to me as I did this.
Soundtrack of Victory: Japandroids "Celebration Rock"
Word Count: 50,060
DAY 25
Sundays are always busy days, but I started today by leaving early and writing at a coffee shop before church. I got about 1,200 words written before eight. Then I finished the word count after the twelve o'clock game. I'm pretty much still working on the end of the second to last chapter. Once I finish that, I'm on the home stretch to finishing the last chapter, which means that I will be finishing the first draft of my first novel. It's kind of crazy how much work it was, but the work wasn't half as hard as I thought it would be. I'm sure there are plenty of challenges ahead with editing a rewriting, but I'ver never written more than 12,000 words on anything school or personal. So I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. If you couldn't tell, I'm feeling good about writing now. 1,667 words just doesn't seem like that much anymore.
I also am pumped that I kept my writing going over a break. It was super hard or anything, but breaks normally mean that my schedule go to crap, which did happen, but I carved out the time.
No new developments on the novel. But I did start my 5K program today. So I hope that goes well.
Soundtrack of the day: Pandora Station Ratatat
I also am pumped that I kept my writing going over a break. It was super hard or anything, but breaks normally mean that my schedule go to crap, which did happen, but I carved out the time.
No new developments on the novel. But I did start my 5K program today. So I hope that goes well.
Soundtrack of the day: Pandora Station Ratatat
Word Count: 44, 023
DAY 26
I got my writing done today. It was a freaking grind, which was strange because I've felt pretty inspired over the last week. I think it had to do with me being back at work. So the grind of work seemed to influence my feelings about what I wrote. But I wrote and finished my second to last chapter and started my last chapter. It's the beginning of the end.
Soundtrack of the day: Bazan's "Curse Your Branches"
Word Count: 45,705
DAY 27
I'm closing in on the end. I'm working on the final couple of scenes of the final chapter. I don't know if the end I intentionally timed the end of my novel with the end of the month, but it's working out this way. Be back soon with final thoughts. I'm finishing my novel tomorrow...I'm pretty sure.
Soundtrack of the day: Mogwai's "Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will"
Word Count: 48,025
DAY 28
I'm done. My first draft is complete. I'm not going to edit anything till next year. I'll have more to say about about the process in a few days. I'm pretty sure that I'll write a reflective long response when I get some free time. I've got a lot of work that I've been ignoring. I'm going to do that.
I'm tired of writing. Thanks for listening to me as I did this.
Soundtrack of Victory: Japandroids "Celebration Rock"
Word Count: 50,060
Mr. Isley you are amazing! Congratulations on your first ovel draft!
ReplyDeleteThanks, good sir. You were the my writing pal this year.
ReplyDeleteWell done!
ReplyDelete