NaNo is over now what?

This has been the busiest November I can ever recall spending. Happily the stress level was low but my emotions ran the full gauntlet of a loop-de-loop rollercoaster.

For those of you who don’t know me, I’m usually the calm one. I’m the perpetual big sister with a shoulder for everyone else to cry on. This month, even though I’ve been laughing and silly, there’s been an undercurrent of emotion I’m not used to dealing with. It’s made life interesting to say the least.

As I’ve mentioned before I was taking a course through Transitions. I highly recommend it to anyone who is at a crossroads in their career (or even their life). It is a roller-coaster. I discovered a lot about myself that I’d effectively hidden or taken for granted over the years. It also validated the path that I’m on and has given me even more connections and resources to use in my journey.

I crossed the 50,000 words finish line on Saturday for NaNoWriMo. During the all day writing marathon at my place and we had a blast. Two of us passed the finish line amidst lots of applause (and huge sugar rushes from all the sweets and other goodies). PaperBox Books supplied pop and pizza to keep us fueled during the day. The last people left just after 10pm. I was so sorry to see them go. My house felt very empty afterward.

Today is the last day and even though I’ve crossed the 50k mark there are still a few thousand words left to my story. We’re word warring with New Zealand, so every word counts. I’ll finish my story and do my part to win.

Then it’s back to the grind:

Reviewing novels to publish at PaperBox Books, creating a proposal for a couple of places to conduct seminars on internet marketing and writing (this really excites me) and creating/updating three website that fell by the wayside during November.

Comments

  1. I just wanted to say that the write-in at your place was definitely my favourite.

    The company was amazing and there was just the right balance between socializing and writing. And reaching fifty thousand while there are people around to cheer for you is the preferred way to do it.

    Back in September when a lot of people I know online were talking about signing up for NaNoWriMo I was sure I would never be able to do it. I knew how busy I was going to be with school and work and my birthday, and my other writing, and the blogs/podcasts that I do. I KNEW there was no way I could do fifty thousand words in a month.

    But then I had this great idea that wouldn’t leave me alone, and I thought, why not? At the very least I would get to fifteen thousand and have a good start.

    And now here I am with a completed rough draft and all these icons that say WINNER. And I haven’t stopped smiling for a week.

    Perhaps this is why your write-in was my favourite. It’s where I first saw that most glorious or words.

    I’m so very glad I listened to peer pressure about NaNoWriMo. I’m very thankful for getting the chance to meet everyone, and to discover a community of people close to me who are here to support each other in achieving a career in writing.

    Thank you so much!

  2. It was fun wasn’t it. And crossing the line with cheerleaders motivating and cajoling you is the best feeling.

    I’m thinking about doing another couple of write-ins throughout the year. No sense waiting for a whole year before we do it again!

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