My goal in November was to write between 25,000-28,000 words, and to finish a draft by December 1, if possible. Kind of a half-NaNoWriMo. 25,000 words in a month is not a lot for some writers, perhaps, but it sure is for me. (Especially in a month that included an election, a bout of the flu, and holiday travel.) I started November 1st with a 27,225-word upper-MG work in progress, and a whole lot of ambition.
How did I do? Drum roll, please.
I wrote 25,459 words in November; 28,996 by the end of December 1; and I finished a draft on that day.
Whee!
This project needs a lot of work, of course--first drafts always do. Particularly when you realize toward the end that you need to rewrite a sizable chunk of the middle. Also when you uncover a juicy historical detail around the same time--one that will require you to rewrite another sizable chunk. I needed to get a skeleton of the plot down so I could have these realizations, though--and I did it! My next steps? This week, I'll read through what I have so far and take notes of all that I know I need to address in the first revision.
And then I'll put this MS aside and spend a few weeks enjoying the holiday season. (Read: shopping and baking in a steadily increasing state of panic)
Writer friends, after you do your finished first draft! victory dance, what do you do next?
10 comments:
Congratulations! Way to go! (Also--sometime, probably after the holidays and once you've sufficiently celebrated, I would love to see a blog post about your research process. I adore historical fiction but am TOTALLY daunted by the process of writing it. How much research do you do before the draft/mid-drafting/in revisions? HOW DOES IT WORK???)
I am taking a mini-break after hitting 50K during NaNo, to clean the house like mad and then decorate it for Christmas. I plan to be DONE done with this first draft between now and Dec. 21st, after which I will celebrate by CHRISTMASSING MY BRAINS OUT. Then a round of Cybils judging in January, and revisions starting in late Jan./early Feb. if reading the Cybils shortlist in my genre doesn't make me want to set my laptop on fire!
Good job, Rebecca! I managed to write 20,000 words in November and added those onto my already-in-progress MS. I love how things crop up that make your story so much more interesting. You don't even really mind the extra work it creates. :)
I'm not sure how much writing I'll be doing over the next few weeks. I kind of want to kick back and enjoy the holidays. :)
@Mrs. S: Thanks for the post idea! I'm totally going to do that at some soon point (even if it'll reveal that my method is not much a method). The short version is I do enough research first to have the basics of the plot, but I do a lot more for the first revision, when I know what I need to know specifically.
@Jaime: I want to enjoy the holidays now, too. December is a good time for a writing break. :)
Way to go, Rebecca! What an amazing feeling! When I finish a draft, I usually go through immediately and fix what I know needs to be fixed (because I keep a running list while drafting). Then, like you, I take a break from it. Funny all the things that jump out as ridiculous after some time away. :)
Yay for finished first drafts! And for the steadily increasing panic of baking/shopping. I'll be right there with you! I wish I could share my husband's attitude, where he calmly strolls into the store Christmas Eve afternoon.
Oh, I wish I could adopt that attitude! I was freaking out about shopping not being done yesterday--and it was 12/2. Dude. With 3 weeks left, it is not the time to panic!
Congrats on finishing your draft!! :)
Yay for all your new words and the finished draft! Congrats!
When I finish a draft, I usually take some time away from it as well, to gain perspective and a healthy sense of terror at jumping back into it all again :)
I do a victory dance when I finish the draft of one measly essay. For 25,000+ words or more I'd do some gymnastics, too. ;)
Congrats on finishing and on winning your half-NaNo!
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