50K in 30 Days?!

Yeah, it's about 2:45, and as we speak, I am getting the word processor file ready for the NaNo site to validate it. 50,001 on my computer, but previous experience with this validator tool is telling me I should end up with a word count slightly higher than that.

Is the novel finished? Not hardly. I still have a plot to work out (remember that whole not showing up until late thing? It means I'm far, far away from being done). But I have hit the 50K mark, and it seems crazy after all the work I've put into this in the past month for me to not get the work validated and get the award and stuff. It would be easy for me to forget. Today is Sunday, and Sunday is usually full of things to do. If I don't validate what I have now, I won't remember in time, and I'll be a sad panda come tomorrow morning when I realize I didn't win because of it.

Celebration time, yes? I'll come around in the next week or two and post the final word counts for the month. In the mean time, let's bask in the knowledge that not only did I take on the challenge of writing 50K in 30 days, but I conquered it!

Day Twenty Eight

Days 26-28 Combined Total: 12,750

NaNoWriMo Total: 46,245

Yes, I am currently less than 4K away from making it to 50K in 30 days. I would feel a lot better about it if the plot hadn't decided to show up at about 40K, but I'll take what I can get. Especially when it comes from an all-nighter resulting from an obnoxious ear ache last night.

You'd think I would be curled up in a ball of misery, but nope... I ended up hunkered down at the computer with a bottle of aspirin and my liquid refreshment of choice for the month (PowerAde, baby...). The pain has proved to be an excellent motivation to write. 10K in 7 hours. I never thought I had that kind of writing power in me... nice to know I can focus and write that much in that amount of time.

I did get some sleep, when I went to bed at 8 this morning. Slept for a few hours, then pounded out another couple thousand, to get to the total above. And now I am off to bed again, because getting sleep so I can get more coherent writing out is of great interest to me. Goodnight!

Day Twenty Five

Days 18-25 Combined Word Count: 13,352

NaNoWriMo Total: 33,495

I wish I could say that the 13K or so in the past week was merely an accumulation over the last week, that I kept to the goals I started out with as far as word count, and that I did not kill myself trying to get to this point. The only true statement is that I did not kill myself to get to this point (but that should be evidenced by the fact that I am alive and posting this blog... although I suppose I could be a bot that has just so happened to put together a blog post in a manner coherent enough to sound like it is really coming from a person, as opposed to not. Just trust me, I am no bot).

I'm totally kidding that only one statement is true, though. Truth is that with the help of word sprints on the NaNoWriMo boards, I was able to make it through the 13K this past week. It still doesn't really catch me up, but it does at least allow me to feel slightly productive - although I am feeling grossly unproductive at the sight of all those people who blew by 50K in the first half of the month. Yeah, I know. Don't compare them to me. Just don't do it. First year and all that jazz. Right? Right. So, let's move on.

Thankfully, Thanksgiving is generally quiet around here. I should have some time to get things done and close the gap between here and 50K.

Oh, did I mention that they've got the validator up and going on the NaNo site? The 33.5K I'm posting tonight is from their count, not mine. According to my word processor, I'm about 150 words short of that. Can't complain, though, if they want to count more words than I am. And I won't. I'll take it wherever I can get it, so long as I come by it honestly.

Day Seventeen

Days 11-17 Combined Total: 4147

NaNoWriMo Total: 20,143

Definitely not where I was wanting to be at this time, but since I'm not too far off the halfway point at just a little bit over halfway, I am trying to not stress out too much. Besides, this weekend was definitely crazy, and there was very little time to find a computer and type even if I wanted to - lock-ins, picnics, helping my brother-in-law pack up the house here in AZ so he could get the stuff to the new house in Maine... yeah, crazy, hectic, and busy don't even begin to describe it.

Guess I'm just going to have to make it up. Now, if only that stupid plotline would show...

Day Eleven

Days 10 and 11 Combined Word Count: 3433

NaNoWriMo Total: 15,996

Yeah, this not trying to update my word count every time I turn around is turning out to be a wonderful idea. Unfortunately, I'm floundering on the idea of a real, actual plot. Please, make yourself known soon. 16,000 words in isn't the greatest place to start, but better before 25K than after, right?

P.S. - Happy Veteran's Day!

Day Nine

Days Eight and Nine Combined Word Count: 4,764

NaNoWriMo Total: 12,563

I'm not gonna lie. It's been such a pain in the butt to update on the NaNo site that I probably won't spend much time I don't have to updating. Which means daily updates like I originally planned are out the window. Sad, sad day.

Day Seven

Day Seven Word Count: 757

NaNoWriMo Total: 7799

Week in Review:

I've spent a lot of time in the past week just writing into a notebook and transfering that to the computer because there is a lot of time during the day where I am in transit to someplace, or am waiting for something to start that I can and do write. It's helped, but the hump is still there. Instead of being at 12,000-14,000 words, I'm a little over half of that. I know it would help if I could get some time doing word sprints, but I don't know yet when I can actually do it. Hopefully, this weekend. That should help with the shortfall.

Day Six

Day Six Word Count: 2827

NaNoWriMo Total: 7042

Better day. Much better. Of course, it helps that I sat down for more than just a few minutes and wrote beyond what I wrote at work. Still...

Day Five

Day Five Word Count: 1173

NaNoWriMo Total: 4215

I know slow and steady is supposed to win the race, but really? C'mon...

Day Three

Day Three Word Count: 2113

NaNoWriMo Total: 3042

Not bad. Just need to get a jump on it and crank it out.

Day One

Day One Word Count:
929

Ugh. So far short of the daily goal. Gotta step it up!