NaNoWriMo 2017: The end is upon us

A close look at my stats show that I front-loaded the month of writing. This is a direct effect of having carefully reviewed only part of my outline before I started. The important thing is that I met the goal.

I got there with a good margin: I’ve won* and there are still days in the month. I had two or three days in which I didn’t write a word (but still posted a word count. Damn you, gamification – I wanted that 30 day badge).

So what now? I have 62K word novel (I started the month with words), complete from start to finish. I’m now putting it in a drawer, making some notes on things that need to be sorted when I come to edit and research I need to do. I won’t look at it before January.

So what did I learn?

The main thing I took away this time is that you take the time, you don’t find it. Writing takes time. It’s a personal, selfish, painful and very satisfying activity. It’s about priorities: if you want to write, you’ll make the time. Go out less, use the commute, watch less television.

I learned that having a decent outline helps a lot. That’s quite pleasing.

I was also reminded that I can write many words if I know where I’m going.

To keep the momentum, I’m spending December editing. (A project sitting in a drawer, not this one. That would be madness.) I’m looking forward to re-learning that process. Sort of.

* The term used for completing the challenge.