Post-NaNo

YES! It may have taken 12k on the final day, I may have just squeaked by at 11 pm, and I may not be entirely done the story (even after using two NaNo's to write it...shh), but I did it! As you can clearly see from my little stats bar on the right, I (somehow) managed to pull through with a grand total of 50,568 words, thus winning my second year in a row.

Not too shabby, if I do say so myself.

The thing I love most about NaNoWriMo is that it's almost like a school year. At the beginning, you're inspired and motivated. You sit down every day and you write those 1,667 words like nobody's business because gosh darn it, this year will be different! But then, as the month goes on, you fall out of the groove a little bit. Those 1,667 daily words turn into 1,600, then 1,000, then less and less until you're lucky if you get any words down at all.

The end of the month is the best--or the best, depending on how you look at it. The clock is ticking and there's all this pressure and while you're not necessarily scared of failing you just don't want to because you committed to this, gosh darn it, and if you don't follow through you will never live it down. Be the circumstances good or bad, though, some people--myself included--against all odds, manage to pull through and write thousands of words in a day.

I think I can safely say that November 30th will always be my most productive writing day.

The only problem is that after all is said and done, I'm left feeling exhausted. Say what you will, but writing 50,000 words in a month is hard--especially when over 1/5 of it is written on the final day. (I never was too good at pacing myself.) The post-NaNo period is always spent by me doing nothing except playing Sims. (And catching up on all of the TV shows I missed during November.) Seems pretty counter-productive, when you think about it; spending such a long period of time working hard, then spending a couple weeks doing nothing.

But you know what? I think I deserve it. As do all of you other wrimos; whether you wrote 50,000, or only managed 100, consider yourself a winner. You dedicated a month to writing; now dedicate three hours to playing Sims.


Until later,

- Justyne

Holy Crap Why Did I Do This (WFMAD Day 10)

It's that time.

That time, during any challenge I commit myself to, that I ask myself a simple question:

"Why oh why oh WHY did I agree to this?!?"

It's always easy in the beginning.

"Hey, this looks like fun! I'll give it a shot."

I never really think about it too much.

"Wow, this is easy! I'll nail this challenge, no problem!"

But eventually, the time comes. The time when you start staring at a blank document for hours upon hours, every day. When your daily goal isn't accomplished quickly and painlessly, at the start of your day, but mere minutes before you go to bed at night; if you even complete it at all.

Just as I have these problems with NaNoWriMo--which eventually leads to me writing 13k words in a day, which isn't all bad--I also find myself having troubles with WFMAD, this month. Some days have been easier than others; some days I finished the post early, had a chance to read it over carefully, and was able to post it without any problems at all. Other days, however, are filled with struggle; I spend the greater part of the afternoon wrangling words into sentences, failing to succeed before heading to work. My supper break is then filled with more wrangling, as I type furiously into my phone, followed by more of the same once I get home. Finally, the blog is updated; late into the night, when I should really be asleep.

I always imagine writing as easier than it actually is. I picture myself typing away furiously, the words flowing quickly and painlessly onto the paper. I'm always harshly awoken from my little fantasy the second I sit down to write, the blinking cursor taunting and torturing me as it refuses to reveal any more words of the story. 

This is the hardest part of any challenge I commit myself to; tredging on, even when writer's block stands in my way, and I'd rather do just about anything else.

It takes perseverance, and determination.  And I think it provides a test, of some sort; can you commit to finishing what you start?

I sure hope so.

Until later,

- Justyne