NaNoWriMo ‘17 Week Four: In Which Turkey is Consumed and 100k is Reached

IT
IS
THE
FINAL
WEEK
OF
NANOWRIMO!!!!!!!!!!

Week 4 is nearing its close and then we’ll only have a couple of days left of NaNo and just WHAT????????????? Didn’t NaNo start like yesterday? How the green eggs and ham is December LESS THAN A WEEK AWAY?

This week of NaNo was just a blur. (Seriously, didn’t I just post my last post?) But it was a good blur. There were some exciting events (like Thanksgiving!), but there were also some quiet days that allowed me to purely focus on the words. A perfect mix!

So let’s get to the daily log!

WEEK FOUR OF NANO ‘17

MONDAY, DAY #20

Not a lot of words happened this day. Barely any. But I really didn’t even care. Not only are Mondays notoriously busy for me, as I tend to do a lot of cleaning and catching up on those days. (Plus post my blog posts. #Duh) But this Monday I alsooo… I went to a live ballet show of The Nutcracker!

I. Loved. It. So. Much.

I’ve been to see The Nutcracker before, but it’s been probably ten years or more since I last went! My sister and I were just soaking it up.

 

So much pretty.

 

*applauds*

I was already in the Christmas spirit. (I mean, truthfully, I switch to Christmas mode basically the second November 1st hits. #NoShame) But after putting up some Christmas decorations last Sunday and then going to see The Nutcracker the very next day, I full blown turned into Buddy from Elf.

 

I’ve been putting on Christmas Hallmark movies and plotting things to get people for Christmas and thinking up more decorations we can put around the house and yes. CHRISTMAS!!!

Ahem.

Right. So. Monday, yes. Monday basically consisted of getting some stuff done around the house, rushing to get tickets for The Nutcracker (because it was a very last minute decision to go), coming back home and getting some more things done (which didn’t consist of writing, sadly), and then getting all dressed up and SEEING THE NUTCRACKER.

By the time we got home it was late and I was tired but very happy. I considered just skipping writing that day, but I had managed to write every single day thus far this month and my stubborn side thought, “Why not keep up the streak?” So I decided to just throw together 500 words before bed. But, shockingly, as tired as I was, the words flowed very well and I did 700 instead and finished up a scene.

I think the words came so easily that night because I hadn’t written a lot the day before, instead was busy decorating for Christmas. Then all that day I didn’t write and of course went to the ballet, which seemed to fully refill my creative tank. Having a bit of a writing break and seeing a beautiful show utterly refueled me, allowing me to get out at least a few hundred words with ease that night and aided me in writing the next day.

Words Written: 743 (My lowest wordcount in a day for this NaNo. But hey, words are words!)

 

TUESDAY, DAY #21

As I said, after Sunday and Monday, my creative tank was totally filled back up. This was a very good thing, because Tuesday was a free day, giving me a chance to focus on the words.

Writing went so well this day. The words just flew, and next thing I knew, I had 6k words done for the day. *flails like an excited octopus* At the beginning of the day, I thought I’d only be able to get in 4k max. That 6k was such a happy surprise! I was also extra happy because I finally finished chapter 17 this day. See, I usually finish up chapters in a day or two (during NaNo, let’s not talk about non-NaNo months…), but chapter 17 would. not. end. I ended up being in that thing for 4 DAYS. It felt like I was going to be writing it foreverrr. It was such a relief to be done. I mean, I quite liked chapter 17. In fact, it was a big-uber-exciting-semidramatic-ultra-reveal type of chapter. Thiiiings went down and it ‘twas funnn. *cackles* Buuut after a while I was ready to MOVE ON.

So between being all pumped after seeing the ballet, getting 5k in, and finishing up chapter 17 and finally moving on to 18, Tuesday was a good day!

Words Written: 6,004 (*dances*)

 

WEDNESDAY, DAY #22

Per the usual, I had work Wednesday. It was a very busy day at work and then I had an errand or two to run afterwards, so I figured I’d not get many words this day. I surprised myself with 3k words by the end of the day.

I don’t know what it’s been about this week, but I’m getting the words in much, much faster. I suspect it has something to do with the end of NaNo nearing. Something about seeing that finish line ahead puts my fingers into mega-drive. I tend to always write a fair amount faster during the final days of NaNo. Not only am I driven by the ending being near, but I’ve spent such a long time in my novel, writing it has become second nature. The final 10 days or so of NaNo are always magical.

Anyways, Wednesday I went to bed with 3k words written and chapter 18 done.

Oh, I also absolutely destroyed all of Karis’ hopes and dreams by the end of this day. Good times, good times.

Words Written: 3,307

 

THURSDAY, DAY #23

Thanksgiving!!!

I made a conscious effort to not write this day, with the promise to myself that I’d squeeze in a few words before bed. But otherwise I just wanted to hang out with my family and eat until I exploded and just enjoy a bit of a break. It was a holiday after all! I tend to take a break from writing on Thanksgiving. Since it always lands near the endish of November, it’s a great time to say hello to my family again after disappearing behind my laptop for weeks on end and to let myself refuel.

So this day was a happy one preparing food, looking through pictures with the family, and just hanging out and enjoying each other. And eating far, far, far too much. But turkey and dressiiiinnnggg. *nomnomnom*

It felt so good to spend the day with my fam and remember all the many, many things I have to be thankful for.

I did end up writing a bit before bed, like I promised myself. Because at some point in this week I sort of decided to try to write at least a little every single day this month. I did not go into the month with this plan. I have made this goal for a few NaNos, but it’s been a while. But since I’ve been on a roll, I decided WHY NOT??? I’m so close. (I also hate my sanity apparently.) Even if it’s just a couple of hundred words, it still counts. I really, really want to get this novel done, so this is a good drive to make that happen. If I can just write for the next four days, I’ll have succeeded! We’ll…see if I survive! *nervous laughter*

Words Written: 2,298 (Far more than I thought I’d get in since it was a holiday, so I was pleased. Again, the words have been coming surprisingly fast this week. NO COMPLAINTS HERE.)

 

FRIDAY, DAY #24

I thought Friday was going to be busier than it was. I even had the wild thought of joining the Black Friday crowd? Buuut I ended up not. It was a much, much quieter day than expected, thus I got way more words in than I thought I would.

I wrote over 4k this day, and was very ecstatic about it. I also added yet another layer of destruction to Karis’ hopes and dreams. Becaaause I’m nearing big climatic stuff! *SQUEAKS* And I have to make things about 1000x worse for my characters before the end. Naturally. So yes, lots of tears, much dream crushing.

Okay, but seriously, even I’m making myself super emotional with these last few chapters so…yeah. Fun stuff!

“Tears stung her eyes.

For the first time since she had been dropped on the Isle, she felt free. Up here, past the wall, with the ocean before her, she was reminded that there was a world beyond the confines of the Isle. If only she could reach it.

I also made it to chapter 20 this day, which made me super happy! Something about being in those 20s made me realize I truly am getting close to the ending! Annnnd I hit 90k words total on my novel this day! *flails*

Words Written: 4,405

 

SATURDAY, DAY #25

Saturday was the most surprising day of all.

As I said, I had made it to chapter 20. I was already a couple of thousands words into it, but not even close to the end. I knew this chapter was going to be one of those monster ones. Probably a 6k or 7k one. (Unfortunately, I’ve already made a couple of those.) I didn’t really have anything going on Saturday, so I decided to set a goal for myself to write all of chapter 20. I thought it might be a fairly long one, and I felt like this would be a good day to just focus and knock it out.

(Let us take a moment to remember that once I make a goal for myself, I have to complete it, whether it’s healthy or not.)

Well, I wrote that day…and wrote…and wrote. And chapter 20 just kept on going. Annnd going. So I wrote some more. I was so focused on the chapter that day, so determined to get it done, for once I barely even paid attention to my wordcount. I was vaguely aware I was wracking up those thousands faster than usual, but I simply wouldn’t stop. Chapter 20 would be done if it killed me. And it almost did I think???

By the end of the day, I had 7k words written, and realized in shock it was a 9k long chapter.

Um. So yes. That chapter will have to be split up in probably three chapters come editing time. *head desk*

BUT I HAD FINISHED IT. And not only that, I did my biggest writing day for this NaNo thus far. I was exhausted, my eyes were quite literally burning. But I had done it! I felt so accomplished.

I’ve done 7k days before. My record in a day is 9k. (I so admire those magical people who occasionally do those 10k days. I have yet to achieve that. ONE DAY.) But usually that’s with conscious effort. This just…happened.

Needless to say, I was a happy bean!

OH. But the happiness didn’t end there. To top off the fun, I went ahead and validated my novel on the NaNo site and received the happy purple winner’s bar and the winner’s badges!

(Not sure why I waited this long to do it? I kept putting it off for unknown reasons…? I’m so weird.)

Lastly, chapter 20 was sort of the “calm before the storm”. Chapter 21 officially starts up the CLIMAX. I’VE ACTUALLY MADE IT TO THE CLIMAX OF MY BOOK. *SHRIEEEEKS*

Saturday was just a happy day!

Words Written: 7,026 (*dances*)

 

SUNDAY, DAY #26

I definitely didn’t have a writing day like Saturday. Not only did I have some things going this day, but I also had to take time out to put together this blog post.

Buuut I did write 3k which made THIS happen:

I HIT 100K WORDS!!!!!!!

I HAVE OFFICIALLY DONE A DOUBLE NANO.

I AM ALL THE HAPPYYYY.

And writing was ultra fun because CLIMATIC THINGS ARE GOING DOWN. Also, I wrote all of chapter 21 yesterday because it turned out to be only 2k words which was lovely after the 9K BEAST chapter 20 was. (But yeah, my chapter lengths are gonna need help when I revise this monstrosity. XD)

BUT I AM ON CHAPTER 22 OF 25 AND THE CLIMAX IS HAPPENING AND THE ENDING IS IN SIGHT AND AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But I’m chill. I’m cool.

Words Written: 2,948

 

CONCLUSION

Conclusion? THIS WEEK WAS EPIC. During a lot of last week I was fearful, thinking this book would keep going ‘til the end of time. This week I’m all pumped realizing how close I am to the end!

I’m still not sure I’ll finish it up by the end of this month (SINCE THERE’S ONLY FOUR DAY LEFT?!?!?), but if not I totally think I can wrap it up within the first few days of December. I might be able to get it done in about a week??? Like…I’M SO CLOSE TO THE END, GUYS!

This week was also just amazing because every. single. day. the words flowed. Like I said, I tend to write faster during these final NaNo days. I’m also writing some high action, emotional stuff, which always gets my fingers moving. I can put on some super dramatic, epic, fast paced music and just throw the words out. (Because the more I’m destroying my characters’ lives, the easier I find it to write? Nothing’s wrong with me, noooo.)

From seeing The Nutcracker, to the words flying, to Thanksgiving happening, to hitting 100k, to making it to the climax of the story, I’d say this week was a SUCCESS.

And now we only have FOUR DAYS LEFT OF NANO. FOUR. 4!!!!! By Friday it’ll be DECEMBER. NANO WILL BE OVER. THE FINAL MONTH OF 2017 WILL BE UPON US. WUT WUT WUT.

And GUYS. This is my last post for November! Buuut once my novel is finished, I shall be doing a full NaNo wrapup post. So you’re not done with my NaNo nonsense yet. *CACKLES*

I hope these final days of NaNo will be absolutely magical for all of you! WE’RE ALMOST THERE!!!

 

If that’s not motivation than I don’t know what is.

 

SHRIEK WITH ME. Can you believe November only has 4 DAYS LEFT?! How was everyone’s Thanksgiving?? How has this past week gone for all your NaNo participants? Are you all surviving these final days? Let’s discuss all the things!