NaNoWriMo 2016 in the Books (Literally)

“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.” ~ Benjamin Franklin

Success!

I didn’t think I would reach this point. That I would be able to finish my novel.And if I did, I was sure I would be burning the midnight oil november 30.

While I had started out strong, the last week I was bogged down with a nasty kidney infection. As my mom and numerous friends told me, don’t write. And they were (pun not intended) right. I was so flipped out on pain medication and antibiotics it would have, as my man-friend said, been like the written version of a Boomerang Video. Thanks hunny love you and your skills too.

Joking aside, he was right. When I first sat back down with my novel just needing a measly eight thousand words to push me over the fifty thousand mark, it was like I was meeting my novel for the first time. Or maybe it was one of those awkward friendships you haven’t seen in years. Either way it was brutal. A total disconnect from my characters. I even contemplated if I should just scrap it and give up for the month.

Being so close I knew I couldn’t do that. If nothing else my competitive Type A personality wouldn’t allow me too. So on Sunday, I not only reached fifty thousand words, BUT I surpassed it, finishing my novel. Yay!

As elated as I am, this is only the beginning. It still needs a lot of work. The thing about NaNo, is that it literally is a spewing of words. Grammar, sense, and all wordage goes out the window. The goal is literally just to get the story out of you which is what I did. And I couldn’t be more excited. Especially since it has opened up new avenues, (thankfully not Fifth) for subsequent story lines and further novels down the road.

I had always thought the creators were sadistical bastards having November be the month for this competition. With the holidays and festivities going on, but it actually makes perfect sense.

I have said it before and I will say it again, writing is not a solitary endeavor. I have been surrounded by so many amazing people who have supported me and pushed me, especially this last week. I couldn’t have done this without them. My heart is filled with so much gratitude for those who checked in or sent me random texts telling me I could do it. They have put up with my craziness this whole month and in doing so I am truly thankful for the relationships that have been strengthened when it so easily could have gone by the wayside. I am thankful for that love and support. When I celebrate it will be with them, because they were as much a part of this process as I was.

And for all of my writers out there, congratulations if you met your word count. And congratulations if you didn’t. The goal was to write, whether it is one word the whole month or sixty thousand, be proud that you did it. As someone told me recently, this really isn’t for the faint of heart. It isn’t. Be proud of what you have accomplished, I know I am.

How are you doing on your novel? How will you celebrate?