Friday

Why I Couldn't Complete NaNoWrimo

Hello everyone! Sad day, 5 days left in NaNo and I should have been done. Should have been done. I still have 20,000 words to go, and with only 5 days left, that's 4,000 words a day which is nearly impossible for me.

It's very sad for me to say that I will not be able to complete NaNoWrimo this year. Despite all the hype I had getting ready for it, I now realize that I wasn't ready for it.

However, that doesn't mean that I'm giving up on the novel. I plan to take it back up in January, after I finish my mourning and move on, not quite, but move on from the loss.

This loss has really helped me to see the bigger picture, how I can become more organized, how to manage my time, etcetera, etcetera. So I decided to share my findings with you all! Although I am somewhat ashamed that I only made it to 30,000, when last year, when I was a worse writer and younger I made it to 60,000, I think this will help me grow as a writer and as a person!

After all, mistakes are only part of the journey.



i didn’t prioritize or make time for writing

This was probably the major part that caused my doom. It wasn't that I didn't have time, I had a lot of it, I just didn't make time. I wouldn't set up a time for writing, I would just find a slot and fit some writing into there.

I also didn't make it a higher priority. Of course I put things like homework and violin first because I definitely needed to get those done, but for some reason, writing was pretty low on my list of priorities.



A nice thing I could do is possibly make myself a lil to-do list (because LISTS MAKE ME HAPPY and they make me want to actually DO THINGS) and order it based on importance (because ORDER MAKES ME HAPPY)

I should probably set up a time for writing, where I'd actually know when I'm going to write.. good plan.


i slacked and let myself do it

Error number two broskis. Slacking. My goal was 2k words a day, so I would write 600 and then come back and write another 400 and then just didn't write. And I knew I was supposed to be writing, but I didn't do anything?



you know what you gotta do, so do it. For me, 1000 words takes 20 minutes, 2000 would take 40, so why not? Actually by 2000 I'd probably be tired, so take a half an hour break in between.


i wasn't ready

I knew I was going to take on NaNo, and I started preparing in August, but then I slacked. I didn't truly prepare until the last weeks of October. I thought I was prepared for it, but I wasn't. 

I may have been physically prepared, my computer was ready, so was my outline, but I wasn't ready. My brain hadn't really processed that I had this dedication to write 2000 words a day. 

The funny part is, my novel was great. It wasn't a disaster. I was the disaster. I just couldn't GET myself together enough to write it more often. When I did write, it wasn't bad, I'll be honest. 


Start working in late September. Know what you have to do. Make your outline better. Just plan, even if it may not be for your novel. 


So I'm hoping to have this done by January, and then begin editing in March which means I'll maybe be having beta readers by end of March?? Look forward to that I suppose. 



how was your november? did you complete nanowrimo? do you have any tips for this loser? ahem. any tips about recovering from a loss?



Thanks for reading,
Noor

7 comments:

  1. I didn't participate in NaNo, but I did Camp in July and, like you, I didn't finish - primarily due to lack of preparedness and slacking off. I'm still glad I did it, though, because I got a huge amount of plotting and writing done I wouldn't have accomplished otherwise.

    Ellie | On the Other Side of Reality

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  2. I was planning on doing nano but I slacked and stopped writing on my blog. The thought of writing that amount gave me stress, so I put it aside to write later. Lovely post, Noor.

    - Edie
    Loveaudreyblair.blogspot.com

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  3. I'e never done nano, because for me, writing 50,000 + words in a month is just too much to handle. I mean, I have time for it, but I don't think I could actually do it.

    Even though you weren't able to complete it this time, I think that it is amazing that you attempted nano, and also that you're figuring out what to do to complete nano next year :-)

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  4. With homework and everything I didn't even have the time to think about NaNo. I think it is great that you participated in NaNO and you have 20,000 words which is still amazing! Great post! I am going to start using the advice you gave yourself.
    - Sarah ☽

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  5. HI NOOR. LOL. I remember you telling me about NaNo but I totally forgot -_-

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  6. I did decide to do Nano this year. I registered and everything but I've found out that I can't really work with deadlines. They become a distraction for me. I prefer writing at my leisure. Anyway, best of luck with your novel!

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