NaNoWriMo Recap

So. I wasn't planning to participate in NaNoWriMo this year. "You can hardly keep up with life," I told myself. "That blog tour nearly did you in. You do not need to try to write 50,000 words in one month."

Ha.

I should take my own advice sometimes.

So, about two days before the whole shebang started, I decided to restart my July Camp NaNo project, from a different point of view.

So, the big question: Did I win NaNoWriMo?? The answer: a big, fat NO. Not even close, haha! I hadn't planned to go for the gold when I started, but when I wrote 3,000 words on day 1 and continued working ahead for the rest of that week, I thought it would be very doable.

And then we went on vacation.

Okay, I can't blame the trip on losing NaNo. Not completely, anyway. I'd already started falling behind and was rather frustrated with myself for not keeping up. So when my parents announced that we'd be taking a trip to Kentucky to see the creation museum and the Ark Enounter, I wasn't thrilled at the prospect of taking days off of NaNo, but I figured that hey, I could at least write a little bit.

But y'know what? I didn't take the laptop. And I didn't even open the notebook + pens that I brought along. So by the time we got home I was over 10,000 words behind schedule, and I was finally okay with that. Over the next couple of weeks, writing was only a half-hearted effort. Not because I lost interest in the story, but because I realized that other things take priority over writing—even in National Novel Writing Month. ;)

So my final word count for the month was 26,088 words. Not as many words as I got in April NaNo, and more than I got in July. And that's okay. This year has been one for trying new things—especially as a writer/author—and I really branched out. I got an author account on Instagram, I created this blog, I participated in three major writing events, and I published a book alongside my bestie.

The question you might be asking now is, will you attempt NaNo again next year? I can't exactly predict the future, but as of now, the answer is no. I'm grateful for the experience, but writing 50,000 words in 30 days is for people who can write crazy fast and don't need as much sleep as me. (Contrary to the stereotype, I hate staying up ridiculously late to write. I also hate coffee, but that's another topic.)

If I do decide to do it next year, I need to seriously question my sanity. Or get therapy. Or both.

Do you want to hear details about my WIP?

Little Boy Blue underwent a complete overhaul. I changed the setting a bit, finagled the timeline, and made it through the part that is so crucial to the sequel. *nervous laughter* I've never written anything like this before (other than my 391937 previous attempts at this first draft *cough*), and it definitely needs research.

However.

I've never reached this word count on my other tries, so I'm hopeful that this time I'll make it all the way through the story! And if I don't . . . well . . . y'all won't be seeing this baby for quite some time!

What major changes did I make in the book? The most prominent change I made would be a couple of name changes. Wyatt is now Micah, Jason is now Shane, and Jayne is now Claire. Another major change would be that instead of Judah's point of view (which, you might remember from my last post about this story, was super awkward to write because he's married), I switched to Micah's point of view. Other changes probably wouldn't make sense to you unless you know all about the story, which should only be my writing partner and I.

Or maybe just me, since I've changed my mind so much that poor Livi must be so confused right now!

Wanna read some snippets?

If you follow me on Instagram, you might've seen my stories throughout the month with all the tiny snippets I shared. But I'm kinda proud of my baby so maaaaaybe I'll share some more here. ;) I can't promise that they'll all stay in the story, but for now . . . here ya go.

Micah wanted to ask Judah how his family was, how they were doing. But what could he say? “Hey, I was just wondering if you knew what my criminal family was up to. Have they asked if they can see me yet? I know they killed your brother and all, but y’know, I was just kinda homesick.” Yeah, that’d go over real well.

Judah raised an eyebrow. “And this is less embarrassing than what you were wearing earlier?”

“Hey, I like it.” Jayden pulled at his own sweat pants. “We’ve got class.”

“See?” Emma smiled and planted a quick kiss on her husband’s lips. “Your brothers actually do have fashion sense, after all.”

Shane blinked, took in a deep breath as if to speak, paused, and held up a finger. “Okay—uh—none of that made sense.”

“Sorry.” Micah grinned sheepishly. “I tend to do that when I’m nervous.”

“I make you nervous?”

“No, of course not.” Again, Micah thought of how terrible a liar he was. “Okay, yes. You’re three times my size, with arms the size of tree trunks. Who wouldn’t be terrified of a dude who could benchpress a Buick?”

After five more minutes, Micah ventured the question again. “So, were you following me?”

“Huh?”

“Tonight. Like, did you have a tracker on me or something, or were you just passing by, or . . . ?”

Shane just stared at him for an uncomfortably long while. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re quite possibly the most annoying human on the face of the earth?”

“Are you sure you’ve never met my brothers?”

“Can’t say as I’ve had the pleasure.” The remark was hardly more than a growl.

“Too bad. I think you guys would get along great.”

“I doubt that.”

“Well, I mean, obviously you wouldn’t now, seeing as how you’re kinda mad at my family right now, but—”

“Shh!” 

Micah frowned. “No, wait, you can’t just—”

“No, I mean it—be quiet.” Shane stared at the console, index finger poised in the air.

After waiting for what seemed like forever, Micah finally broke the stillness. I hate silence. “If you hold that finger up any longer, Jesus is liable to grab it.”

“This isn’t a movie, EmmaLee,” Judah said gently. “We can’t play vigilante without either doing something illegal or getting someone killed.”

Killed. The word sent shivers down Micah’s spine, and he took a deep breath. “So that’s it, then? We just sit here and wait?”

Shane chewed his bottom lip. “I’ll see what I can do.” With that, he strode out of the house, started his truck, and left.

“Well, if that isn’t the kind of news that makes a fellow want to get up in the morning, I don’t know what is,” Judah quipped.

Micah didn’t laugh. There’s no good way that this is going to end.

Did you participate in NaNo? How did that go for you?