On the 22nd of NaNo November 2016, at a time I do not remember, in the strange land of me, a first draft was finished.
Thus Agent Kit, book two of The Outlaw Legends, is completed. Not mentioning any red underlines or strange typos or highly painful grammar that may or may not be through the entire thing.
Agent Kit is officially the longest novel I have ever written, with 91,946 words in all (Although technically that wasn't from all in November. I'd written about 13k of random scenes and dialogue and stuff before NaNo started. But who cares about technicalities like that?) and 42 chapters.
How in the world did I write 42 chapters in one month?
I DON'T EVEN KNOW.
I am quite shocked to discover this insane Jane (oh look, it even rhymes. Bonus points to me) who can write 840 words in ten minutes. I mean, I thought I was crazy before when I wrote Monsieur Scattlocke for Camp NaNo and finished draft one in two months at 63k. When I could write 1k in two hours. But now?
Now I don't even know what to think. So at this stage I'm avoiding that thing called 'thinking' and try rediscover this other thing called 'life.'
Who am I even kidding? I never think. Except maybe about sandwiches.
There was no way I entered this month even vaguely thinking it might turn out this way. Winning on day ten was not something I expected would happen. And finishing the entire draft monster of 91k in twenty-two days??? I honestly didn't realise that would ever be possible for me.
I have discovered I have inner depths of crazy that I never realised.
I also discovered that over a month of late nights eventually catches up. Even if Brain is burried somewhere in a mess of writing land, it's gotta come out eventually. And when it does, you gotta watch out.
On Tuesday, I wrote 'The End' and almost started flailing and shrieking but then...
My brain died.
Over a month's worth of late nights crashed onto me and I turned into a zombie. It was like I'd been so hyper focused on the story that my brain had zoned out on everything else, but as soon as the first draft was completed and 'The End' was written on the last page it realised that it didn't actually have any energy to do...anything at all.
So I promptly flopped on my bed and wished it was night already.
When night fiiinally did come, I went to bed early and crashed. It was basically one of those 'head touches pillow - is asleep' moments that are only meant to happen in books. Or if you've just finished writing a book apparently.
But enough of that. It's time, my friends. A wonderful time. A time...for snippets!!!
I'll just mention that I did edit the typos -ahem- so that it was vaguely logical hopefully.
And you may have noticed from the title picture thing, that I have a very cool happening. My sister and I co-bought Scrivener after Camp NaNo and we both are super glad we did. It's really handy and stuff and everyone should totally go join my Camp NaNo cabin and win and get a discount code and buy it. *shameless advertising*
But the point I was getting to was that there's this epic 'compile' thing that can literally make your novel into an ebook. YES. You heard right. I ticked a couple of boxes, my lovely sister helped me insert a cover and boom.
My novel was an ebook.
AN EBOOK.
I mean, sure, it's not published. Not even nearly. Also, it's a first draft. But!!! I stood and flicked through the digital pages and stared at the cover and flailed in general because it looks like a real actual book.
And one day I hope it will be.
Also, the pen. The AusIntel pen. (I've mentioned it before, I think) I own a pen from my own book. Although, in the chaos of NaNo I kind of forgot to put it into the actual story, but that'll be fixed in some draft sometime. It's all very cool.
Wow. This post has been pretty crazy and rambling. But that's pretty normal, I guess.
How is all your writing going?
Has anyone else found this month is going way too fast???
Hello my fine friends! I return from the craziness of NaNo to give you a little update of how it's all going.
Now, I would do a day-by-day update describing exactly every detail of what I did that day and all that, except that I've forgotten most of the details by now and everything is just a muddled mess of excitement and words in my brain.
But I will give you my daily word count and some ramblings of what I am pretty certain happened on that particular day.
And yes. Technically it's halfway through NaNo tomorrow (or the next day if you live on the other side of the world), but I don't do blog posts on Tuesday so...I just couldn't. I thought I'd be early. You know, organised and all that. Phew. You should all be proud of me. (She says as she hurries to smash together a post at nine-- ahem ten (*cough cough* noo, definitely not 11...) at night.)
Okay, so starting from the beginning. Because it's a good plan to do that. Always a good plan.
Day 1
7,095 // 7,095
In which I broke my total-word-count-for-the-day record (it was previously 6k) and did a lot of whooping and being enthused for the first day of my first year of NaNo.
Day 2
3,155 // 10,250
In which I thumped out words and promptly forgot anything anyone asked me to do and-- oh wait. I was meant to be cooking dinner tonight?! ...Oops.
I also competed in several 'wacky word wars' in which we typed with our toes in the first one, and our knuckles for a second one. *cough cough* I won them both.
News flash: Jane Maree can type 101 words in ten minutes with her toes. It has been proven with witnesses.
Day 3
5,056 // 15,306
In which I received several epic messages/emails/things of people pounding my back and screaming in my face of how in the world I got that many words in three days. Also people wondering who had fed my red cordial, or lit me on fire. Good fun.
And there was another wacky word war that we did with our noses. Only problem being that my family walked into the room near the beginning and looked at me like I was a lunatic and made me laugh my head off. I then had to take a trip to hospital to get it glued back on so I only got 30 words in the 5 minute war and someone else beat me by one word. As I said. Good fun.
Day 4
4,915 // 20,221
In which my word warring group starts going into denial because they were sick of me winning basically every single war. *grins sheepishly* I started getting a reputation for being insane. No idea why.
Day 5
3,042 // 23,263
In which I was very proud of my word count because I wrote insanely all morning and then was out all afternoon until 10 pm with my town band concert that I was performing with. I was also very proud of having a not short-circuited brain, because that's always a plus when you have to play a wind instrument for more than an hour straight.
Day 6
0 // 23,263
In which the day was a Sunday and I kept to my general rule of not writing on Sundays and just chilled. And did a bunch of crazy games and active stuff at the park. (Yes. Chilling and active games totally go together in my mind. Do not question my thinking. I am a wealth of all knowledge.)
Day 7
6,766 // 30,029
In which I give advice on how to write fast in a word war. Advice that is entirely serious and that everyone should take. Forget about spelling and grammar and punctuation. Blegh. That's all stuff that can be fixed in the second draft. It'll be fine, just get the 1st draft out of your brain. Who cares if that word doesn't even vaguely resemble what you meant to type??? (I mean, you will care later when you go back to edit. And you will hate yourself. But maybe it'll be fun while it lasts.)
Day 8
5,385 // 35, 414
In which people in my word warring group stopped wanting to war with me. Trust me, this is sad. Never (I repeat, NEVER) become a fast writer, or you will sicken all the writer friends who are still sane. I'm warning you now while you have a chance. I'm past the point of no return. It's my unfortunate fate.
Day 9
7,152 // 42,566
In which I discover that me and a blogger friend (Katie Grace) had both been trying to keep ahead of each other. I would wake up in the morning and 'Ah no! She's ahead 3k again. I must get over that today.' And I discovered that she was actually doing the same thing as well. Thus, with both of us realising, it became 'official' that we were racing to win.
I have her to thank, along with so, so many others for such amazing encouragement.
Day 10
7,613 // 50,179
In which I completely smashed NaNoWriMo on day ten.
I WON NANO AND I CAN'T BELIEVE IT THERE IS SO MUCH EPIC AND JUST AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*clears throat* So yes.
At 8:37 pm I stopped my word war against myself and checked my word count.
I then proceeded to squeal and flap my arms around and make strangled sounds that were, in fact, me trying not to full on scream (problems of it being night and all the little siblings were in bed. I assumed their sleep might be a trifle disturbed if I started screaming).
When I had stopped not-screaming I grabbed the laptop and ran around the house showing everyone my NaNo Stats page (the colour of fluro green has never been so beautiful as in that moment) and squealing and grinning until (and after) my face hurt.
(Also, screaming messages started flooding my inbox which was super cool and exciting. *hugs to everyone who sent them* you know who you are)
Day 11
0 // 50,179
In which I do literally nothing but chillax. Because my brain really needed it. Oh, I also went to a Magic Workshop and learnt some tricks, but in general it was a day where I just forgot about NaNo and recovered from the insanity.
For a day.
But I was super glad that I did, because it was a really great day where I could just do nothing. *cough cough* And maybe the school work that I hadn't done throughout the rest of the week because I was too busy writing. *cough*
Day 12
2,900 // 53,079
In which I start at it again. Jane Maree back onto writing because Agent Kit's first draft still is yet to be finished. I got so so many encouraging messages and epic people throwing confetti and cake and pizza at me, it was just so very cool.
And since my racing buddy's 1st draft wasn't done either...we were still at it. Such fun. We are very much not competitive. *shakes head very seriously* Not at all.
Day 13
0 // 53,079
In which Sunday came around again and I didn't get anything in because we left the house at 7:45 am and got back at 10:45 pm...yeah. It was interesting. But a fun day anyway.
Day 14
4,027 // 57,106
In which day we are still in. (*checks clock* Okay good. *mutters to self* Can't post this on a Tuesday. It doesn't matter if it's late at night. It'll still be Monday...) And in which I war several times, help out with critiquing people's essays and novels and am 3k ahead of Katie. *grins*
So that's a basic over all summing up of my NaNo!
I really have to just say, that I could NEVER have done this without all the loads of encouragement that friends (and complete strangers) have given me. It's kept me going. It's spurred me on. It made me realise that maybe I could do this. And I discovered that I can.
And there's something great about NaNo. Even if you don't 'win' I think you can still totally win. You win if you have fun. You win if you join in with the spirit of the month and have a go. You win if you scream at someone for getting to 50k, or 20k or 10k or whatever!
It's not the word count that matters. It's the...the esprit de corps that is shared, where everyone pushes everyone else on toward the goal. It's the fun and friendship.
And now, Jane Maree out.
How is NaNo going for all of you?
Is the plot springing any unplanned twists?
(or is the entire thing completely unplanned? :P)
Some people have recently asked me why I'm doing NaNoWriMo*, and in my answering, I discovered that it was less than simple. So I decided a blog post was in call (and I was in need of ideas to schedule in my Hiatus/completely-insane-NaNo-writing Month anyway).
*Also, I should mention, this is the actual write-50k-in-a-month-National-Novel-Writing-Month. Not Camp. This is the real thing. The epic quest, not the backyard camp-out.
Reason #1
Because I am crazy basically, and may or may not have a death-wish-by-writing. *distant cackling*
Reason #2
Because several epic people have offered encouragement and it's VERY COOL.
Including someone saying that they'll be there to smash cake into my hair whenever I need it.
Reason #3
Because...why not? Plus, it gives me a reason to put aside the struggle of editing Monsieur Scattlocke and reminding myself how much I love this series by writing book 2. (p.s. It's also definitely working)
Reason #4
It's pushing me to a higher level. Camp NaNo made me realise that I could write a lot more words in a lot less time than I ever realised. Actual NaNo has done the same again. Because apparently I can write 200 words in 5 minutes...I honestly didn't even know that was humanly possible. :P
Reason #5
Now...this is sort of the real reason. Basically because my sister Clare realised that for me, if you say I 'probably won't be able to do something' I will try my hardest to prove you wrong.
And so as we were talking about this one day she laughed (and trust me, there was a tinge of evilness in that laugh) and said "Yeah, but NaNoWriMo actually would be something you couldn't do."
So I'm doing it. From that moment I was going to do it.
And, do you know what?
I'm not worried about failing.
Because, ultimately, it won't be a failure. Yes, I might not reach the 50k words for the month. Yes, it will be hard (I'm dreading the moment that my first-few-days momentum drops off and I crash land in the mud). Yes, yes, yes.
But I will have learnt more about myself. More about my writing. More about the story. And more about all those amazing people who have promised (and already have) to stand by me through the month.
And hey! I'll have more words than I started with at least!
Okay, and since you asked, I'll give you the update for how many words I've written this month so far (not including today since I'm posting this in the morning before I get writing) :
*drum roll*
-15,306
Yep. You read right. To be honest I hae no clue how in the world I managed it. It's compltely insane?! And yet...I've got the words to prove it??!! What even?! HOW even?!
Someone slap me from this dream of wonder. :D
Are you doing NaNo this year?
(if you are, we should totally be buddies *wink*)
Do you ever set personal writing goals for yourself?
|| Jane Maree ||
