::Writing:: I won Nano … now what?
NaNoWriMo gets a bit of a bad rep for its push to write 50k words in 30 days. The reality of it is that for some, it’s the group-motivation, camaraderie and challenge against others to reach that final number that pushes them to finish a project.
It’s like looking at your kids’ dirty room and saying … one day … it’s going to get clean. And then when they are 18, shoveling it all out the window into a giant dumpster so that you don’t have to touch whatever is growing in there.
Procrastination can be a writers greatest fault … and for some … the Internet and life, Facebook and Twitter, work and school … it all gets in the way of writing. So Nano is the challenge that gets some off the ground.
It was a challenge in 2009 when I won. I barely hit 50k the day before the deadline. But the story stunk and I left it to disappear into e-oblivion.
Now in 2010, I hit 50k on Nov. 17th, so engrossed in my story each evening, that I couldn’t put it away. I slowed after that knowing I’d met the challenge, but am now pushing 64k words with 4 more days in November … but that means … I won!
Now what?
Send it off to agents as the best new novel out there?
Let everyone read it?
Self-publish?
Not on your life.
First, the story isn’t done. It’s got at least 15k more words to go. Secondly, it hasn’t been edited. Thirdly time hasn’t passed to let me digest what I wrote and see if it’s wonky… flaky … good and solid … something that needs to be trashed or what. Having already written 5 novels this year, I’m 100% sure this one isn’t trash (unlike my 2009 Nano project).
First Kiss(es) — which I’m writing under a different pen name, by the way : www.emigayle.com : the story needs time to simmer … like a good chili … you can prep it, stir it and tweak it for flavor in about 30 minutes, but the true test of its yumminess is when it tastes even better, the second day. 🙂
So, that’s what I’ll be doing … finishing, editing, tweaking and letting it simmer only to return to it in maybe … January/February time frame while I’m working on my 7th novel : Enigma. 🙂
Just to prove that I did in fact win … here is my super-fancy certificate of authenticity. 🙂 hehe.
Congratulations to ALL writers, whether you won or not! Bravo!
2010 NaNoWriMo Winners Certificate
Congratulations! “e-oblivion” cracked me up. You sound like you have a very wise plan. Now what’s this “Enigma” concept you’ve got brewing???
Oh don’t you just want to know?? Keep reading Do Over … I’m pretty sure you’ll see it when you’re done with the last part. 🙂 Trying to think if it’s in part 2 … but I think it’s in the end. LOL ‘Tis all about Grace. 🙂
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Writing from NaNo only gets a bad rep if the writer presumes they’ve produced the best novel of the century in that first 30 day sitting. However, take a know-it-writer (okay, a wise writer :P), who will have the patience, understanding, and skill to make those edits, to find the rough amongst the smooth that can be eliminated or plastered over to make better, and it is still possible to have one decent piece of writing … eventually. So long as you bear that in mind, spewing those words from mind, to fingers, to document with total and utter wild abandon is 100% liberating–whether or not you produce something readable at the end of it … just let yourself go …. go on … you know you want to 😉
You know I can’t just write and not fix. I’ve been editing all along … just can’t let it sit. Gotta write, edit, adjust, etc. but it’s still not done. Shiny polish has to come after the wax and that has to come after the wash … still in the wash stage. LOL
Congrats on the win, and early too! I have to agree, a lot of what motivates a person through NaNo is the group camaraderie. I’ve tried to do NaNo at other times of the year, but it’s just not the same.
Thanks Carol! And you’re right … it’s JUST not the same! 🙂