NaNoWriMo Weekly Update #3 (I WON?!!)

Aaand thus commences the third week of NaNoWriMo. WHAT. HOW IS NANO ALREADY

ALMOST OVER. I literally feel like it JUST started, yet... here we are, more than halfway through November.

And that means Thanksgiving is soo close, too!! WHAT IS TIME. HOW DOES ONE HARNESS IT AND BEND IT TO ONE'S WILL.

Alas, I haven't figured that out yet. But this week of NaNo was still a very, very good week. Maybe even my best ever. ;D Aaand onto the weekly update!

(no snippets this week because they're all terrible and I don't feel like trying to find something worth reading xD)

I didn't start writing until 11:00 at night. Hehe.

BUT when I did start, it was flowing pretty good. I was really hoping to hit 30k before midnight, but, well, that didn't happen. My little fingers were flying over the keyboard as fast as I could make them go, but I was about 300 words too short.

I did some exciting writing, though; magical things are starting to happen!! Trentley and Jynnia are kinda sorta hanging out with a fairy (who definitely didn't ask permission to be put into the story... she just kinda showed up and stayed there), and I'm having a blast. I'm still getting a bit stuck here and there, but eventually I unstick myself and get through.

That's what I think I've learned to do better since last NaNo. I try not to jump all around in the book anymore when I'm writing the first draft-- especially for something like NaNo. It's so easy for me to get lost in all the out-of-order scenes and forget what's supposed to be going on when I write that way. But when I start on page one and resolve to write straight-through until the last page, even when it's messy, I think it's really beneficial. Maybe I'll do a post on how that's helped me in the future.
(We'll wait and see how this NaNo turns out. xD)

Word count: 1639

I started writing literally THE first second of the day! Because, well... as you know, I was up at midnight trying to hit 30k. xD

And I did! A few minutes past midnight, but I was still so happy I got there!

I had hoped to have a high word count this day, especially with the little headstart I got before the day even technically began... but it didn't turn out that way. *sigh*

Word count: 707

This day was GREAT. Even though I didn't start writing until early evening, I wrote and wrote and actually avoided distractions and got into a flow. I did multiple word sprints (seriously the only way I got through NaNoWriMo last year). And I'm getting to know a new character and it's HILARIOUS. xD I'm writing fairy sisters, who happen to be sassy and really salty. I'm not sure why? But that's how it's going. xD

Anyway! So this day I not only hit 35k (my goal for the day), but I also wrote 5k-- making this my wordiest day so far! Whooo! :D

(also, lowkey freaking out that there are only thirteen days left of NaNo. WHAT. :o :o)

Word count: 5028

Another great day! I got started writing in the evening and wrote for a cumulative total of about 40-50 minutes. (All word sprints. Seriously, guys. They the bomb.)

I'm still hanging out with those fairy sisters, and honestly, I'm still not exactly sure why they're so sarcastic and salty to each other. It's pretty hilarious, though. (Also, their names... Winlie. Verie. Quinnie. Parcie. SUCH FAIRY NAMES AND I AM LOVING IT. XD)

Also... I'm realizing that I often write stories about people who are running from the law. And by often, I mean... I can really only think of one of my books that doesn't involve someone running from the law. It's... kind of ridiculous. (I promise I'm not writing these from experience!!)

Word count: 2562

Something very exciting happened on this day: I hit 40k!

Which is SUPER exciting, because that's farther than I've gotten in most of my NaNos, and also because I'M SOO CLOSE TO 50K!! I still really can't believe I've come this far. I'm on track to not only win NaNo, but win it EARLY! Considering last year was the first year I won it at all and I won it at pretty much the last minute, I'm ecstatic and pretty much in disbelief about this.

Word count: 2596 (I originally stopped at around 2550, but I wrote a few more sentences so I could say I'd written more than I did yesterday xD)

I didn't start writing until late at night. Which was dumb, because I was hoping to cover like 10k between this day and the next... but anyway. xD

Word count: 943

So.

When I started writing these updates, I thought there would be four. You know, one for each week of NaNoWriMo?

BUT BEHOLD: I WON NANOWRIMO ON DAY TWENTY-ONE.

*screaming*

*angelic choir*

YOU GUYS, I WON NANOWRIMO TODAY! On day 21! It only took me three weeks!! AHHH!! *feels like a superhuman*

I wrote SO much today. In fact, it became my wordiest day.

I was just so determined to hit 50k today, on my last Thursday off before Thanksgiving. And I did it. I still can't believe it. Please excuse me while I go scream some more.

I was sitting down, getting ready to write, and I opened up a Dove dark chocolate (my literal FUEL this November), and know the little sayings they have on the inside? Today the first one I opened said, "Today is your day." Yes. Yes, it was. ;)

Also, I just want to say that it RAINED today. As in, it was raining the night I won NaNo. WHICH IT WAS DOING LAST YEAR. I love that so much. xD

Word count: 8601

Total word count for the week: 22076

Total word count for NaNo: 50192

WAIT WHAT. I wrote 22k in one week?? :o I didn't even realize that until I was adding this up. But wow. That's a lot for me. You guys, my goal for this week was to hit 43k. That was it. And then I go and hit 50k before the week's even over.

I'm not trying to make myself sound awesome... and if you still think I am, lololol you should see this first draft I call a winner. It's HIDEOUS. As first drafts are. But I love it and I love you, Trentley and Jynnia, my dear children. *bursts into tears and hugs the babies*

So! That's it! My final week of NaNoWriMo! Well, sort of. I do hope to keep writing for the rest of the month. Originally I hoped to finish this book in November because I kind of saw it being pretty short... but now here we are and I honestly don't know how much longer this thing's going to go. I think my pacing is horrible and I'm probably drawing things out way longer than they need to be. Buuut we'll deal with that later.

(can't wait gif)

I hope you guys have enjoyed these NaNo updates! I personally love reading these kinds of posts. It's so fun following along with someone's progress and struggles with sanity. As always, thanks so much for reading, and KEEP WRITING!

Also, a couple more things: You're probably going to get a post like every day for the next days, because there were some posts I was wanting to do and I'm running out of time, so in order to do them I'm going to have to just throw them up whenever I can. xD Also, just a teensy-weensy reminder that this Thursday (Thanksgiving), my next Havok story will be published!! So stay tuned for that. And don't get yourself too crazy with all the Thanksgiving prep. ;D

So, how is your NaNo going? Are you feeling good about your story, or thinking you might have to do a looot of editing later? Tell me all your victories and struggles! :D