Tales Post – NaNoWriMo 2015
So as you may have seen from twitter I have been persuaded by a lovely group of encouraging friends on twitter to participate in #NaNoWriMo 2015!
For those of you who are not aware what NaNoWriMo is it is basically where we take on the challenge of writing a 50k novel in a month!
Now I have to admit I signed up last year and just did not put in the effort I should have done but I feel this year will be different!
I feel more determined to succeed!
I feel that I have a formed idea in my head even if I have no actual plans of where this idea is going to take me!
I have an encouraging group of friends on twitter cheering me on as well as a super supportive family!
What could go wrong?! 🙂
So basically throughout the month of November my blog may be a little quieter than usual as much as it pains me to say. I love my blog so so much but I really really want to achieve this goal and succeed in getting a 50k word 1st draft down on paper in November 2015!
I am going to update my progress with #NaNoWriMo2015 on this blog post every day with some brief thoughts of how I’m feeling about it and what I’m writing. I guess you could call it a kind of diary of progress. Something to look back on in years to come and hopefully say I did it!
If you would like to at me on #NaNoWriMo my user name is ChelleyToyTales 🙂
The Plan
I have been plotting a rough (very rough) idea in my head since around July 15 / August 15 time that I have been itching to get down on the page!
So now is the time!
All I have is this rough story line and the three main characters and a couple of events! I literally have no idea where typing a story each day is going to take me or the characters but I am super excited to find out!
I’m planning to pace myself and write the required 1667 words a day or maybe slightly over, but I feel little chunks it better for me to write and be successful at writing.
#NaNoWriMo2015
Day 1
Okay so I feel I have kicked off my novel with a bang! I have written 1703 words of my story so I am well on target! For my first day I am super happy with myself! I started at what I feel would be the start of my story and I’m surprised at to where an hour and a half’s worth of writing took me just with a simple basic idea. Reading it back to myself and making a couple of alterations I was amazed at how it sparked some of the rest of my characters journey and the story that I am so excited to carry on and write. I was even brave and let my husband and son read these first 1703 words and they seemed to love it! Here’s to day two! I’m a bit worried that I’m back at work tomorrow which means writing at night. I feel a few late nights coming!
Day 2
I was a little worried about getting my writing done tonight after work and Corey’s homework, but I managed it fine. So I started off my writing and words towards my daily target today with two writing sprints with my friends Sally ( @TheDarkDictator ) and Laura ( @LauraAlyceH ) . We did two sprints. One 15 minute sprint and one 20 minute sprint and we basically just wrote as much as we could in this time. So basically I wrote like the wind! I already had thought a little of what I was going to focus on tonight in my writing through out the day so I had a focus so I literally just went for it. I wrote a kind of flashback scene for two of my main characters. Where it will end up I’m not sure but at the moment it flows nicely after my first part that I wrote yesterday. So with thanks to these sprints I wrote 1k words in under an hour and a I had the basic premise of what I was trying to write down. After a spot of dinner I went back and expanded what I had written adding more detail in and dialogue. This actually worked really well and I hit my daily word target writing 1656 words on day two making my total words so far 3359! I am beaming with happiness right now! I do think writing in these chunks is working for me at the moment. They are basically chunks of a story which I hope I can piece together by the end! Until tomorrow!
Day 3
Was so so tired after work tonight and didn’t get back in until a bit later. Was a bit worried how I would do today. Anyway I wrote 1677 words and hit my daily target and have reached over 5k words now! I am really please with myself for pushing through tonight. Again like Day 2 sprints helped again with Sally ( @TheDarkDictator ) together with Nazima ( @snazzyreads ) we did one 15 minute and 2 20 minute sprints and I met my word count. I then went back and read what I wrote and changed a few things. I realised the village my characters live in was basically described like Emmerdale! That had to change! And I added in a character I did not even realise I had! Apparently this does happen when your in “the zone” according to twitter. I was very concerned about where he popped up from. His name is Mr Fred Lewis. I may keep him in memory of this occasion! lol
Not entirely sure I am in love with what I wrote tonight but I feel I have developed my characters a bit through some extra dialogue and events. I went to an event with E Lockhart earlier this year and she said to develop her characters she just lets them talk to each other on the page and they come to life – good tips! Seems to be working for me!
I am in shock I have reached over 5k in 3 days! Baby steps, bit by bit and some sprints seem to be working for me :-)….well at the moment anyway!
Day 4
So tonight I was pretty tired. It was my Mom’s birthday so I didn’t sit down to write until about 8:30pm as …well basically I was eating lovely cake! Nom Nom Nom
Anyway with thanks to a sudden flash of inspiration over said cake and some sprints with the lovely Sally ( @TheDarkDictator ) again I superseded my daily word count hitting 1840 words tonight! Making my grand total 6876 words! So many words out of my mind! Quite a scary thought! Anyway I finished off the scene I started yesterday building my character a bit and also jumped to what I feel may be an end scene only because it came to my mind and I just had to write it down.
I received a pep talk email through NaNoWriMo and it talked about not worrying if you don’t write your scenes in order write what comes into your head and then piece it together after! Super advise!
Hoping I may pluck up the courage to let someone other than hubby to read it soon just to see what they think! *gulps*
Oh and I also gave my WIP a name tonight…..subject to change of course….One For Sorrow thought up by my lovely hubby.
Day 5
Extremely tired tonight! This is becoming a reoccurring theme throughout the working week! Anyway again determination ploughed me through. No sprints today so basically I just knuckled down and wrote 1682 words tonight making my grand total now 8558! This is the first night I have just written and not read back anything of what I have wrote so it will be interesting to read that back tomorrow I dare say!
I have just started a scene where I am setting up the start of my characters present day journey. As you know I don’t appear to be writing consecutively so I currently have scenes darting all over the place. Anyway super happy and now I’m off to treat myself to watch some TV and some chocolate!
Day 6
I did it! I hit 10k! Woo Hoo! I honestly never thought I would see this day! I think this is the furthest I have ever got with any writing that I have done for quite some time now!
I promised my hubby, Kevin and my son, Corey that I would watch a film with them tonight as basically I have been tucked away in the little office most of the evenings this week typing away so as soon as I got in from work I got typing and hit my daily word count writing 1692 words in about an hour and a half.
Slightly concerned I have not read anything back what I’ve written in the past few days so I may have a horrifying surprise coming my way! 🙂
Day 7
I have to admit I struggled knowing what I wanted to write tonight. I am getting to that part where I need to start planning some proper plot now that I have established the characters and have set up a few things. I managed 1669 words today making my total now nearly 12k. Once I got started on a scene I really got into it and the words flowed out!
Day 8
I whizzed through my daily word count today writing 1682 words in about an hour and a half or less. This makes my total word count 13601! Wow! I never thought I would see the day that ever happened! I did some writing sprints to help this along nicely. Finding these really useful and supportive.
I have been looking over some notes I made when I did a writing for teenagers course last year run by the lovely Keris Stainton. Reading back these notes and now knowing my rough story and characters a bit better I think as some point in the coming week I am going to sit down and plot a little bit more out to try and give me focus on what I’m writing.
I haven’t read anything back that I have written for quite a few days now. I’m not sure if this is a good or bad thing to be honest. I’m either in for a nasty shock or a lovely surprise I guess!
Day 9
I started writing so late tonight! I think about 9:45pm but determination pushed me through. I’m not too sure about what I’ve written though I think my tiredness over came me today, but I reached the daily word limit writing 1692 words making a total of 15293 words so far altogether in 9 days. I definitely need to do some plotting though! I know I keep saying this.
I let my hubby read this very raw first draft od 15293 words and he says its really good – part of me wonders if he is biased lol. He actually seemed to get a bit of a lump in throat moment and also said my characters seem really distinctive on the page. He also pointed out that mid way through a smaller character I changed his accent from posh to northern! How did this happen?!
Day 10
I’m keeping up the momentum and have hit my daily word count again with 1678 words which now makes 16971 words!!! OMG!
Not sure how I feel about what I wrote today. I kind of moved the story on a bit so it’s actually starting to gain some momentum and move in the right direction.
I seem to have a mixture of present day and flashback scenes with two different narrators….so that’s interesting! I’m loving my characters though!
Day 11
So tired tonight! Today has been such a busy day! I also have a book to read and review for my blog on Friday and am running a little behind! Anyway….word count hit again with 1704 words written tonight. Although this is the first time the words felt a little not right and I don’t think I’m going to like the scene I wrote when I finally get around to reading it back! We will see.
On the plus side hubby has now read my writing until the end of day 10 and he is enjoying it so fingers crossed!
Total words nearing that 20K mark at 18,675. In fact I may reach this tomorrow maybe! Whoop whoop!
Day 12
I had a bit of a break from writing today as I had commited myself to a blog tour pre deciding to do NaNoWriMo so I needed to finish the book and get me review written.
Will catch up with words over the weekend! I hope!
Day 13
I was out tonight after work so didn’t get in until mega late! Another night without writing means my missed words is going to be through the roof! Hoping I can catch up over the weekend. Feeling a bit panicky!
Day 14
Yay! I got back into writing finally today! I managed 2176 words as I am behind on my word count if I want to complete this before the end of November! I finally hit over 20k! Yay! Although I’m not sure about what I wrote, but editing at the end of NaNoWriMo may be a blessing!
On another note this is the most I have ever written!!!
Day 15
(note I forgot to take a snapshot last night – but this was my progress even though it says 0 words written today!)
Really want to catch up on my word count today! Got up early and managed to get around 900 words out before going out for lunch and then hot my word count and over when I got home!
I’m nearly at 24k! Really want to hit 25k tomorrow night! I need to make up 1389 words plus tomorrows word count to be back on track!
Enjoying where my story is leading me although still have not read anything back! OMG!
Day 16
Yayyyyyyyy!!! I finally hit over 25k! It’s felt a bit of a struggle between 20k and 25k and I am convinced none of what I have written is actually any good and just rambles from my head!
Still have not caught up properly. Think I have around 1300 words to catch up on and be back on target. But I figure if I just write a few everyday between now and the weekend I will be back on track.
It’s now nearly midnight and I need to get to bed. But I’m going to bed feeling satisfied that I have hot halfway albeit exhausted and going slightly delirious about getting the basis of a novel done in a month! lol
PS – Reminder to self,…..I let some one read my writing and they said it was lovely and wonderfully British. Read this when feeling like all else is failing Michelle in the future!
Day 17
I do not have a clue where this scene came from tonight! Not a clue! But I’m sticking with it for now! Word count met and now 27k plus words written!
Day 18
Eeeekkkk! Almost at 30k! Tried to move my story on a bit tonight the best way I could!
Also have been brave and sent my writing to a couple of friends to read! *gulps*
Day 19
I finally hit 30k!! *parties* May not have been the best scene I wrote though!
*reminder to self MOVE YOUR STORY ON!!!!*
Day 20
I had a well earned day off…I was just shattered tonight when I got home from work!
Day 21
I had such a bust Saturday and then friends over in the evening I never got chance to write *gulps*
Day 22
Right 6k to catch up on to enable me to still me on track!
*Settles down. I can do this!*
*scoffs cake as brain food*
Whoop Whoop! I almost did it! Almost back on track!
*falls into bed*
Day 23
I did it! I’ve finally caught up and am back on track!! Whoop Whoop!
8 Days left! Must stick with the daily word count now if I want to win.
Don’t think my story will be finished by the time I hit 50k which I cannot quite believe!
Day 25
I HIT 40K!
Questionable about what I wrote but still…..
Under 10k left to write until I am I Nanowrimo winner!
Day 25
Day 26
Day 27
Day 28
Day 29
I DID IT!!!! I’m so happy!
Whilst I still have a good chunk of my story left to write I hit the Nanowrimo target of 50k! I can’t believe it and I am actually so proud of myself 🙂
