NaNoWriMo 2006

I finally finished my novel this afternoon (after passing 50,000 several days ago). I kind of sped through some of the ending stuff, but I do have a complete first draft. YES! And I’ve verified my word count (official final wc = 91,628), so I’ve now officially completed this goal. YES!

I love NaNo.

Now, I’ve just got to find time to edit the darned thing. ;)

Yep, I crossed the 50,000 mark last night, so when the time comes when we can verify our word count, I’ll be ready! YES!

Still have more writing to do, but it feels good to be on the other side of 50K. :)

I’m up over 47,000 words right now, and will most likely cross the 50,000 finish line sometime this afternoon or evening. That won’t be the end of my writing this month, though, since I’m only about half-way through my narrative. Still, the writing is going along very nicely, and it’s a good feeling to know that, barring some unforseen circumstance, I will soon be a two-time NaNo winner! :)

Last night, at exactly 12.00 midnight, I began writing. I only got to about 316 words before I called it a night, but it’s the ceremonial aspect of it that counts, I figure.

This morning, not feeling too inspired (might have something to do with having been up at midnight :D), but I’m sure the words will start to flow. They’d better, anyway. :)

Bwah! Well, I’ve now gone from scrambling to think of one decent idea for my novel to having THREE pretty darned good ideas. Well, okay, maybe “pretty darned good” is an exaggeration, but I do think all three have potential. There’s the Egyptian thing I mentioned a few days ago (hopefully more Neil Gaiman than Anne Rice, though, Cathepsut!!! :D :D :D); a fictionalized story about some Titanic survivors (this is the current front-runner in my mind); and I also remembered that I want to write a sequel to my 2004 novel, “Speak of the Devil.” Okay, so I’m a bit short on actual PLOT ideas (well, except for the “Titanic” idea, which has large sections of plot built into the idea by virtue of these having been real people), but I’m reading Chris Baty’s book and am choosing to believe that having no plot really is no problem. :D

Now, I’ve just got to choose which one I’ll write! (I will probably let my LJ friends join in the fun by creating a poll sometime soon, too). Of course, there’s always the chance that something else will occur to me between now and November 1st. YIPPIE!

I am really getting EXCITED about this, and am itching to start writing. Which, of course, I can’t do. I might pick up “Speak of the Devil” and do some editing, though, in the meantime. YAY FOR NANOWRIMO!!!!!!!!

I’m herebedragons at the site, btw, if anyone out there wants to add me as a buddy. :D

I’ve been thinking a lot about what I’m going to write, and I think I’m going to put my original idea on hold. I still love the idea of writing this book about my ancestress, and fully intend to do it someday, but it’s going to require a LOT of research on the time period in general, and I just don’t think I’m in the mood/have the time to do it before November (since I’m homeschooling my son and going through training to become a yoga teacher). I figure that when we get to that period in American history, my son and I will do the research together. :D

So, I’ve been playing around with alternate ideas. I actually have one really good one for a horror story, but it’s a book I’m not willing to write yet for “superstitious” reasons. (Dumb, yeah, but oh well). Then this evening I thought of something that might work out very well, if I can get a handle on it. I had the idea while reading a book on Egyptian myths, and I thought of a little twist on an historical event which might prove interesting. So, we’ll see if I can flesh it out a bit in my head before November. Otherwise, I’m kind of at a loss as to what I’m going to write! I had thought of doing something related to the “Titanic,” since it’s been “all Titanic, all the time” around here for the past few months, but as yet no true inspiration has come to me along those lines. I think this Egypt thing might work out all right, though.

I was a winner in 2004, but skipped last year . . . but this year I’m BACK! I’ve decided that I want to pursue more writing in my life (maybe with an eye to getting published), and this seems like a great way to get myself back in the writing groove in a serious way.

I think the book I’m going to write is something I’ve had in my head for a few years – a fictionalized account of an ancestress of mine who took her family west through the North American wilderness in the early 1800s. Loads of research in order for me to write it, though – so I guess it’s a good thing I’m creating this goal now. Maybe I will actually DO the research before November, giving me plenty of time to WRITE when the time comes. :)