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Monthly Status Report
Well, it was NaNoWriMo, and I have fantastic news! I finished typing up the 2/3 of the revision I had written by hand, then wrote the remaining 1/3. I won Nano with a complete second draft of Cipher at 95,729 words! This is a much better length, and a much better draft. There is still a lot of work to be done, but once again, Nano came through for me.
My winning total was about 111,111 words because I did include a lot of my brainstorming, which I do normally when writing, and also some other creative works, including this post and a short story. Overall, it was a good writing month, and I cannot wait to see this novel continue to improve!
And now on to the optional monthly question:
December 4 question – Let’s play a game. Imagine. Role-play. How would you describe your future writer self, your life and what it looks and feels like if you were living the dream? Or if you are already there, what does it look and feel like? Tell the rest of us. What would you change or improve?
The main internal thing I would change is that I would become better at consistency. Once again, this November, I proved that when I want to, I can get the words out. But they come out all at once in a gush. Most of my writing was done on my days off, when I turned off the internet and did long three or five hour marathons. I had 50k by Day 10 by getting 30k in the first three days. I had three more 10k days (all on Sundays), and an almost 10k day on Black Friday. Weekdays, I sometimes got above the NaNo daily par of 1,667 words, but mostly they were lower. I did write every day, which is a type of consistency, but I know a writing career can’t be supported by writing seven 10k days in November and then barely making it to 2,000 words any day the rest of the year.
Of course, the main external thing I would change would probably help with that. While I like my job, my dream is to lower my hours from 40 hours a week at my day job to 30 hours. That would allow me to keep my group insurance, but give me more time off. I have even daydreamed about how I would change my schedule. (Since we all have to work at least one Saturday a month and since I value regularity in my schedule, I would keep my Saturdays). I would work 8 hours on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, and 6 hours on Saturday. Then have Sunday through Tuesday off. If I could do 10k days even two of those four days, that would leave still two days for errands and other social/household work.
The biggest part of my dream, though, would be something I already have: the sheer joy of creation, of bringing my words, my lives, my soul to the page, to create the novels only I can create. I am doing that now, and the dream would be lifeless, if that part was no longer present.
INSECURE WRITER’S SUPPORT GROUP
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Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh
Writers supporting, encouraging and learning from each other. Post on your own blog about your struggles, your triumphs, and your successes. Talk about your works in progress: the good, the bad and the ugly or some other writing relating topic on your mind. Read others, interact, comment, and grow within this wonderful author community. Every month there is an optional question for those who may need help figuring out what to post about.
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And here are the awesome co-hosts for the November 6 posting of the IWSG!
Tonja Drecker
Beverly Stowe McClure
Nicki Elson
Fundy Blue
Tyrean Martinson
Hi, Raven! Congratulations on all that you have accomplished in November! I’m excited for you and I hope that your novel polishing goes well. I agree with you: The biggest past of writing period, is the “sheer joy of creation,” although sometimes it’s not an easy or pretty process! Happy writing in December!
Thank you! I hope it goes well, too!