Do NaNoWriMo

50,039! I did it!

It felt great clicking on my word count and seeing it begin with 50. Yay!

I still have lots more to write and I’m going to continue with my novel until it’s done. Every night I’m going to do this. It was a thrilling experience to do this all November that I want to stay with it.

And the golden NaNo winner’s certificate looks very snazzy!

YAY! YAY! YAY!

My blue NaNo line is snuggling right up to the finish point. I didn’t feel like writing last night so I gave myself a break and spent the night reading. This afternoon, I made up for it by writing two days worth. If I write tonight, I’ll finish right on time. I’m excited!

I’m past the 40,000 word marker and the finish is near. This time I can honestly say that I’m fully enjoying the journey; the finish line is just something to look forward to, but it’s not the prize. My WOOHOO! in this year’s NaNo is the fun and amazement I felt every night writing out my heroes’ lives and discoveries. Even on the nights that I didn’t feel like writing, I managed to reach my word count and usually surprised myself with what I came up with. I really go it this year.

I’m almost at 40,000, which is around the corner from the finish line and this makes me sad. I’m genuinely enjoying NaNo’07.

This is what I’ve learned from it so far:

• The fun factor is the most important ride in writing. If what I’m writing fizzles out on the fun, ditch it for a ride on another roller coaster.

• Even though I’m the creator of my novel, I’m not always in control. My heroes will occasionally do what they will and I dig this.

• Writing at night works for me.

• The nights that I don’t want to write are the most interesting ones. It means my unconscious doesn’t want to tell its secrets, but if I give it some toffee caramels, sometimes it’ll divulge the most fascinating things to me.

• Writing is my passion. I need to do this. Everyday.

Last night was the mother of all NaNo nights. I wanted to end it at just over 300 words. The words weren’t coming and I really didn’t want to go on. I put my heroes in a new and exciting, but tough place and I didn’t have to heart to take them through it, so I let them take in the scenery for a while, well, they stayed there for most of the night.

And I stayed with it knowing that something great would come out of it. By the end of my writing session, they were ready to move on. And now, they’ve started a few steps on their way and I’m ready for the new adventure!

It was an unexpectedly emotional writing session last night. My heroine began exploring a new landscape on her own and then the hero showed up waiting for her. I didn’t expect this! But it’s good that he’s there because she needs someone to walk by her and help her through this foreign place. How odd that I’m the writer and yet I’m the one constantly being surprised. Writing can be more adventurous than the actual story.

I wonder what they’ll do tonight.

Last night was a trip! My heroine took a leap of faith and went into a new landscape with unseen, exciting new possibilities. Tonight, she and I are going exploring. Right now I see nothing, but I know as soon as the cursor starts to flash, we’ll be off.

Last night was hard. I really had to push myself to get to my daily word count, and a lot of last night’s writing was simply getting to the word count, which was arduous. Writing honestly can cut too close to the bone.

Breath. Sigh.

Move over plot, see you later dialogue, bubye character developement. I’m having too much NaNo fun to care about these things right now. As long as I’m enjoying it, I’m not concerned what form it takes. It doesn’t even have to make sense. Maybe I’ll write gibberish tonight, or list the virtues of flossing. I figure the novel form will come later, as will the tension and plot. They’ll find me when I’m ready for them.

I feel like I should put some more plot twists in my novel and make my characters do something other than wax on the things weighing on my mind. But, heck, they’re my characters and this is my story. I’ll write whatever I want to write about. Maybe I’ll make this into one continuous ‘what is the meaning of life?’ dialogue. Could be interesting. It is for me.