Day 18 – National Novel Writing Month

Posted on November 18, 2014 by rachelsparling

I have officially finished the rough draft of my manuscript for book 1!

I worked on the last chapter today and added a lot of things that I really wanted to get in there before it all ended. There is a lot I still want to work in but at this point in time, my brain can’t think of what else to add (more accurately, how to formulate it in properly and organically) so I’m leaving it for now. I will make a note of anything that comes to mind as I edit it.

Now for finishing the word count, I will need to start on Book 2. Which is perfectly fine with me the more I think about it. It will only be the first chapter, maybe the second one as well depending on how I want to divide it. I had an outline for book 2 but since I wrote it, I have come up with a new one which I haven’t arranged into chapters yet. I will need to do that once I actually get to writing it. In the meantime however, I plan to just write it all as one chapter (most likely) and then divide it up when I come back to it.

Hope everyone is doing well and getting those words in! We may be passed the half way point but there’s still lots of time, so don’t give up!

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Day 17 – National Novel Writing Month

Posted on November 17, 2014 by rachelsparling

I got some writing in this afternoon and I’m very happy with how much I got done and what the whole scene was about. It allowed for some perspective into the other characters and I think it revealed some things about them that you would otherwise not find out. I enjoy writing things like that. I think it helps make the characters seem fuller and less flat.

Anyway, I have been having a lot of difficulty with the word counts. I have been adding them in as I go along, keeping track of it both on the National Novel Writing Month site and in a notebook. I also decided to download the template for Scrivener and copy all that I wrote since the beginning of the month. All three totals are different for some reason and I’m not sure what I am actually at total wise. They aren’t far off from each other but they’re different enough that it’s making me feel confused and concerned. I need to figure out how to scramble my work so I can validate it through the National Novel Writing Month site and see what number it ends up giving me. I’m hoping for something remotely consistent here because I don’t want to find out I’m missing a number of words by the end of the month.

I certainly hope that none of you are running into this problem. My brother regaled me with horror stories the other day of how some people found out when they submitted it at the last possible moment, that they were down 1000 words. I don’t want to run into that problem. I don’t think I will but I still don’t want that to happen to anyone. That would feel awful.

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Day 16 – National Novel Writing Month

Posted on November 16, 2014 by rachelsparling

It’s late and I actually finished my writing earlier in the day, but I ran out of time to update my blog about it.

I wrote about half of a chapter and will likely finish the other half tomorrow. Yesterday I finished the other chapter I was working on as well but, like today, I didn’t have time to update. I am nearing the end of my manuscript, with only a chapter and a half left. It is both exciting and a little bit scary. I’m also, approximately, under 15,000 words before I hit 50,000. Also good news and a bit scary. I did also find out that how the word counter on National Novel Writing Month counts words and how Scrivener (the program I’m using for the novel) counts words is a bit different. Apparently you’re supposed to submit it a certain way but I just basically went chapter to chapter and copied and pasted it. I’m apparently around where I thought I was but that’s assuming I actually did it correctly. I’ll have to find out.

Anyway, it’s the first real snow fall of winter. It’s accumulating out there and hasn’t really stopped all day. It made for a nice night in of course, but not for driving when I did have to go out. My dogs are happy though.

Keep up the good work everyone!

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Day 14 – National Novel Writing Month

Posted on November 14, 2014 by rachelsparling

Don’t worry, none of you missed an update yesterday. I didn’t have the time after writing to post so I decided to leave it until today. Luckily I had time to do so!

I am officially over 30,000 words! I am also still writing the same chapter that I began yesterday. It is longer because there is a lot more going on in it and it’s also, in a way, laying the foundations for book 2. I still have probably another third of it to write which I will likely accomplish tomorrow.

I am quite happy with how this is turning out. I think I’m proving myself I can sometimes be a better writer than I think at times. Other times I fail horribly but that’s what editing is for!

Anyway, I must run. Lots to do today and there aren’t enough hours in the day.

Keep it up guys!

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Day 12 – National Novel Writing Month

Posted on November 12, 2014 by rachelsparling

I have officially crossed the half way mark for the word count! I have written over 25,000 words!

Today was a bit different for writing. Normally I would go to my room, in my comfort zone, and write, having everything flow (okay some days don’t go as smoothly but I get into the right mindset and that makes things go a bit better). Today I had to write downstairs in the kitchen. I was the only one home and I had to be on the main floor in order to watch the dogs (one of ours has decided to irritate bites and we have to stop him from licking). It put me out of my element at first and I was constantly interrupted, losing my train of thought, and having to take a quick look to find out what I was trying to do next. I managed to get it done, and I finished up back in my room, but it still felt odd and I didn’t like it.

Either way, another short chapter down, and I’m on my way to finishing the rough draft of my manuscript! I only have three chapters left to write and they will be longer given what needs to be done. All good news though.

Also, I got my National Novel Writing Month shirt in the mail today. It’s nice and fits me comfortably. It may become the shirt I wear when I write for the rest of the month, but I’m not sure since I did the first 11 days without it.

Hope everyone is making good progress and reaching those word count goals!

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Day 11 – National Novel Writing Month

Posted on November 11, 2014 by rachelsparling

I am nearly at 25,000 words!

I managed to write just over 3,000 words in the last hour and a half (at most). I feel good about that accomplishment. I actually wrote out less than that and I felt that I was lacking in some description, so I went back and added it in, which helped boost my word count. I am excited to be nearly at the 25,000 word mark. If I have the energy to write more tonight, I will, but otherwise I will definitely reach it tomorrow. This is all quite exciting for me and I’m not even half way through the goal word count.

Anyway, I have decided that once I finish Book 1, I will be starting on Book 2. I have some reservations about it but I think it will be for the best. Once I reach 50,000 words, I will upload it to National Novel Writing Month’s site, be confirmed as a winner, and then go back and start editing Book 1. Editing will take substantially longer but I am okay with that. I figure if I can get a chapter done a day (or half a chapter depending on how long it is and how much time I have available to me), I will make some good progress with it.

Book 2 needs a lot of re-working which is what I will likely be spending most of my remaining word counts doing. I had outlined it a specific way but I think it needs to be better and I need to add what I have come up with over the last week or two. It will change it quite a bit but it will be worth it. It will allow for tighter narrative, better writing, and a better experience for the reader. It will take up a lot of time however.

Hope everyone is working hard!

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Day 10 – National Novel Writing Month

Posted on November 10, 2014 by rachelsparling

I had some free time today and got my writing in nice and early. Well mid-afternoon is early for me.

I have officially crossed the 20,000 word mark! I still have a lot to write, but I’m getting there.

I finished one chapter that I had already started on, and wrote another. They’re short, I know, but there’s only so much you can do when the chapter is one isolated scene. It was more or less the end of the climax so there’s everything after that to write. I’m sure when I go through and edit it, I will find a lot more to add though. It’s usually the way it goes.

Anyway, I have a total of five chapters left to write. Some will be a bit short and others will be longer. I’m going to do what I can to make them longer. It won’t tie up any loose ends but it will bring together some things for the main character which is important.

I’ve also decided that I’ll start on the rough draft for Book 2 if necessary to meet the 50,000 word count. I will likely have to since I don’t think I can turn 5 chapters into approximately 35,000 words. It will just be the very start most likely of book 2 and I’ll add it to my submission. As soon as November is over, I’ll start editing Book 1 and leaving Book 2 until I have Book 1 done!

Keep on working everyone! You will all get there!

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Day 9 – National Novel Writing Month

Posted on November 9, 2014 by rachelsparling

I did get writing done yesterday, I just didn’t have time to post afterwards. The writing itself was divided up a bit through out the day so it made it hard to figure out when I was done and when I’d be posting. So I left it.

Today I did get some writing done. Yesterday and today however, I didn’t reach the minimum word count. I am still over where I’m supposed to be (I think) and I’m nearing 20,000 words. The way I have the last several chapters broken up is that a lot is happening but it’s all spanning over the course of several chapters. Due to this, it leaves me only small sections that I can write at one time, leaving me with lower word counts. I’ll probably start doubling up on the sections I write, but right now, I’m a bit low for daily average. I’ll catch up.

Hope everyone is doing well with the challenge!

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Day 7 – National Novel Writing Month

Posted on November 7, 2014 by rachelsparling

So if you thought maybe you missed a post about yesterday, you didn’t. There was so much running around that I didn’t end up with any time to get writing in. I thought about starting it later that night, but decided against it due to my mind not being able to focus on much. It will play against me in the end, but I think tomorrow I will try to make up for it and write as much as I can in one day. Well, as much as I have time to write anyway.

Today I added in over the daily minimum which is good. There is part of a scene that I wrote that I do plan to expand on more and make longer so it will add to the word count before I’m done. I will likely come back to it tomorrow before I start my necessary writing for the day and take note of the overall word count.

I did manage to get over the 15,000 word count today! I’m on my way and making progress still which is good. I just have to sit down and focus over the next few weeks to really pump this out. I’m hoping I’ll reach it without too much difficulty in the end. I just can’t take a day off unless I absolutely have to.

Hope everyone else is doing well!

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Day 5 – National Novel Writing Month

Posted on November 6, 2014 by rachelsparling

I’ve had such a busy two days that I’m glad I managed to get a lot more writing done tonight. I have nearly added another 3,000 words to my total, giving me a current total of 13,902 words! I just need to keep this up and I’ll be good to go.

As it stands, in my manuscript, I’m nearing the final climax of the first novel. Things are coming together very quickly. I can make it span and be quite long though. The final bits are quite lengthy and relatively huge in relation to the rest of the story. For example, I have only made it about a 1/3 of the way through the outline for the chapter I’m working on. This is a good thing as it means this will be a lengthy chapter and will trigger the big events to come. It will also bring about what ends up happening in the sequel. Despite the fact it appears I’m nearing the end, I still have a lot to write. And if I happen to reach the end without making 50,000 words, then I will go over the chapters I’ve written and expand them. Perhaps adding some more insight into certain things. Either way I’m sure I’ll make it.

Tomorrow should go back to my normal-ish routine and I should be able to get as much, or more writing done.

Hope everyone is doing well and making great progress!

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