NaNoWrimo: Write-in and Word Count

Last Friday, I attended the Nano Write-in at La cordée in Paris. I met the most amazing people. I was blown away by the quality of the people I met!

I did manage to increase my word count even if I am lagging behind as per the average suggested by Nano. I don’t mind so much as it is my novel’s first draft. I still want to write something good versus crunching down the number of words. I am vaguely under pressure since I saw a rather threatening reply to my Facebook status from my publisher ‘I am watching you’! X-D

More seriously, I am really enjoying dedicating most of my free time to writing. I have always wanted to spend more time writing and somehow I can’t believe it has taken me so long to come to this realisation. Nano is being a good thing for me. It prevents me from falling into my usual writing downfall: the ‘glass head’.

The ‘glass head’ is this bad habit you have as a writer of omitting descriptions: in your head, it is crystal clear what is going on and what can be seen but it isn’t for the reader. Having to still get the word count, it forces to describe more than I would normally do. I am feeling more at ease with the descriptions now.

One of my other big realisations is the fact that being a writer entails a rather drastic discipline. Writing is like anything else: practice makes it perfect and you have to be disciplined and committed about writing.

I have discovered that I am very committed to my writing. As a result, despite being offered some good translation projects, I feel that I no longer want to dedicate myself to support other people’s projects. I want to build worlds, stories.

I will just follow the best advice I have ever read and those words came from Neil Gaiman:

Write

Write

Write

Write

Write

NaNoWriMo Update n°1: 5229 words so far

NaNoWrimo is being a life changing experience. I like the discipline that I have to impose on myself. I am usually not the Queen of Discipline. My inner rebel is far too strong 😀

The NaNo France community is being very supportive and I am enjoying diving every day in my first novel that my dear publisher has been waiting for far too long.

I made the decision to buy Scrivener for another purpose (ebook production) and I am discovering every day what a wonderful tool it is for writers. I am in love with this program! It totally works with my way of writing.

I am really serious about the 50K but down the line if the book ended up being shorter, it is fine by me.
Social interactions are being tenuous or limited during this period as I really want to make the most of it!

Life is evolving around word counts!