Um. NaNoWriMo ends THIS. WEEK. There’s literally less than a week left and I don’t know what to do with this information. But what a fun NaNo it’s been! And, being as how it’s Monday, it is time for another rambly writing update from moi. Hurray???

Like I said, it’s been such a fun NaNo. I don’t feel like I have much to complain about (other than the fact that my story keeps going and going and goooing and I feel like I’ll be writing it ‘til the end of time but IRREGARDLESS). I’m just feeling really happy about how this NaNo  has gone.

So let’s get to the updating, shall we?

NANO ‘19 WEEK THREE

THE WRITING

On the writing and life-y side of things, all is going quite well. Nothing has exploded yet or anything (er…in real life, can’t exactly say the same for in the story *cough, cough*). I did have extra work this past week which slowed me down a bit. But afterwards I had two absolutely frabjous 5k writing days in a row that made up for lost time. Those were some of the most fun days of writing I’ve had all month. The words were just flowing. Although I think part of it is because of how far I am in the book. The writing always gets easier the farther along I get, as I’ve gotten a full handle on the characters and world and maybe even the plot (eheheheh).

We also started decorating for Christmas yesterday!!! Which caused for another slow day of writing but GUYS. CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS.

At some moments I’m fairly happy with the writing, buuut most of the time I wonder if a four-year-old is actually writing my book. But I just keep going, as one does, madly vomiting words on the page and calling it a novel. We writers are very professional, you know.

How it so often feels.

I’ve also managed to write every single day this month so far! Which makes me happy because that doesn’t always happen. It’s always with NaNo, though, that I realize I can make time for writing, even on busy days. During non-NaNo months I’m not nearly as rigid with my writing, and am the Master at coming up with reasons why I can’t write. I also tend to prioritize everything else over my writing. But during NaNo, it all flips around. Writing comes first, and I always make time for it, no matter how busy or tired I am. I really love having a full month to just write guilt-free and set some other things aside. But, truthfully, I should make writing much more of a priority all the other months of the year too. I think this every single NaNo and here I am, ten NaNos in, and still lose my focus once the month is over. Maybe this will be the year…

ANYWAY. It’s just been nice finding time to write every single day. Tiring? Yes. Will I be happy when my book is done and I can, like, be an actual person again and not a zombified mad typist? Yes. But still totally worth it.

THE STORY

The actual story is going superbly. I mean, it’ll need a loooootta work come rewrites. Like I said, sometimes I question if a four-year-old is writing this. BUT. It’s also been so much fun and things keep unfolding that just make it all the more exciting and and and I LOVE DIS STORYYYY.

This week of writing has been a lot different than the first half of NaNo. At the end of last week I hit the big midpoint twist where errrrrything changes, making for some very interesting events. I think I mentioned the first half of the book was moving a bit slower than I’d like. WELL. This second half is almost moving too fast and, funnily enough, I’m sort of missing some of the cute, fluffy scenes the beginning produced. At the same time, it’s been nice having more action-y, exploding scenes. Gotta love the explosions. And yesterday I wrote one of my favorite chase scenes I have ever written and I was just sitting there giggling at the chaos while poor Everly was all “I’M GONNA DIE” and it was great.

Forever my philosophy while writing.

I’m slooowly inching toward big climatic things and I’M EXCITED. Despite hardly knowing my plot, I’ve had some scenes for the climax in my head from the very beginning that I cannot wait to get to. Just gotta…keep…going…

A lot of the writing this week has focused on Everly’s backstory, which has been fun. I do luuuurv me some backstories things. I also managed to squeeze in quite a few scenes from Luka’s point-of-view, something which hasn’t happened much yet, but I LOVE IT. He’s such an adorkable disaster and I adore him with all my heart. Him and Everly both. <333

Then there are the VILLAINS who are still throwing me surprises and I’m just like, “GUYS. Are you ever going to tell me the whole plan???” The twists have been SOMETHING. I’mlovingit.

OH. And then this new guy showed up that I didn’t plan for at all, ‘cause goodness knows I’ve got enough characters to juggle, but but but. I LOVE HIM. His name is Emric and he is the most chill person ever and it’s so hilarious as the world is basically ending and he’s just like, “Eh, watcha gonna do?” It’s always the unplanned characters that end up being my favorite.

L i t e r a l l y Emric.

I feel like now that I’m easing out of the middle and making my way to the climax, writing is getting easier and more exciting. AND pantsing is being less stressful as well for some reason. Figuring out climaxes and endings is always the easiest for me. In fact, I pretty much always know exactly how my books will end, even if I have next to no plot. No clue why, but I guess I’ll take it. It’s the middle parts that give me a headache (even though I actually tend to love the middles, they just take more effort than the endings for me). BUT I’M MAKING IT, GUYS.

I’m just really adoring this story, and am now writing some scenes I am SUPER pumped about and just yessss. Even though I’ve still got a ways to go, I feel like this last quarter won’t be too laborious because endings are my FAVE.

RANDOM MOMENTS

// Spending a ton of time writing outside with my sis because this week has produced the best weather.

// Celebrating with said sis ‘cause she FINISHED NANO!!!

// Decorating for Christmas!

// Still jotting down completely absurd plot notes as they come. (My favorite this week was: “Once they’ve returned, Everly asks about a library and Emric is all girrllll I can hook you up.”

// My sister and I consuming an entire cheesecake in three days. (DON’T JUDGE. It’s NaNo! We needed the sugarrrr.)

// Saturday coming home to a young stray dog who decided to adopt us. (Yeah, so that happened! She is SO friendly and we’re wondering if she’s just lost, so have been asking the neighbors if she’s theirs. We’re not sure if we’ll keep her, especially since she’s a bigger dog and we’re more a small dog family BUT SHE’S SO SWEET. So we’ll see! If no one claims her or we can’t find her a good home, she’ll probably stay ours. *^_^*)

// Throwing in a crazy cat lady in my story because EVERY story needs a crazy cat lady, riiiight?

SNIPPETS

(Man, it was hard finding anything I wrote this week that wasn’t spoilery. These snippets actually kinda ARE spoilery but you’re getting them anyway! >:D Though I did cut a few ultra spoilery lines from them. Bwahaha.)

They filed out of the room and he led them into a quick march up to their rooms. Once there, Brunswin pressed a hand against his chest and inclined his head. “Thank you, Governor Emerson. Your hospitality is most appreciated.”

“Oh, please just call me Emric.”

Now Destry’s smirk made a full entrance. “Emric Emerson?”

“Indeed. Charming, is it not? Though it could be worse. My father was Emeleckson Emerson.”

“Oooh.” Sarika grimaced. “Poor man.”

Sage got up and began poking around the cabinets. “Do you have something to eat? I’m starving.”

“Help yourself,” Luka murmured, taking out the pocket watch. It pulsed in a fast, sporadic beat. The Clock did not like what was going on.

“Wait, are you going somewhere?” Sage peered over his shoulder, frowning at the watch. “Does it supposed to be doing that?”

“No. And yes. I mean…” He scooted away from the man. “Yes, I’m going somewhere, and no, the watch should  not be doing this. The Clock is in a bit of a crisis right now because…well.”

Sage’s demeanor slumped. “Right.”

Luka stopped himself from saying “It’s not your fault” since it more or less was.

“Right. Well. Try not to break anything.”

“Wait! You’re just going to leave me here?”

“Uh, well.” He shifted his weight. “No offense, but you did bring about an apocalypse of sorts. I’d rather have you where I can keep an eye on you.”

“So you’re going to let me roam the very Clock that keeps all of time working?”

Hm. That was a point. “At least here I know where you are, and I can sense it if you mess with anything.” He raised an eyebrow. “Are you planning on messing with anything?”

“I didn’t mean to cause the apocalypse in the first place. So, no.”

“All right then.” He pulled up the watch.

Luka stumbled forward in the breakfast kitchen and gasped for air, only to cough it back out as smoke filled his lungs. Burnt food assaulted his nostrils.

“I might have done something wrong.”

He spun around to find Sage swatting an oven mitt desperately at a fiery, smoking pot on the stove.

“Bother!” He snatched a hand towel off the cabinet, soaked it in the sink, and threw it on the pot. The fire doused, but the smoke remained. Hacking and coughing, he ran to the window and threw it open. “I don’t think this files under not causing trouble.”

“Sorry, sorry.” Sage’s apology came muffled, as he had a hand over his mouth. He waved away the smoke with his other hand. “I never really learned to cook. But I’m starved.”

“You couldn’t have eaten something that didn’t need to be cooked?”

“Well, you had bacon,” he said, as if that explained everything. Which, Luka supposed, it did.

WEEKLY STATS

Day #18: 3,002 words

Day #19: 3,022 words

Day #20: 1,300 words (lowest daily wordcount thus far ‘cause I had a lot going that day)

Day #21: 5,601 words (but then I made up for it with one of the higher ones)

Day #22: 5,082 words (the words were just flowing so well those two days, if only writing could always be like that…)

Day #23: 3,875 words

Day #24: 2,016 words (slightly slower day as well but ya know CHRISTMAS DECORATING)

Total For 3rd Week – 23,898 words

Current Total Wordcount: 87,018

I would LOVE to make it to 100k by the end of the month buuuut this is gonna be a very full week with Thanksgiving and all. Not sure how much writing I’ll be able to squeeze in but WE’LL SEE. I am happy with the progress I’ve made though, I really am. Especially on some days when I had a lot going on. Again, this always helps me see making writing time during the craziness of life is possible. If only I’d apply this lesson to the other times of the year. I never learn. *sheepish grin*

CONCLUSION

Another week, another lack of disasters. Like…have I ever had such a smooth NaNo? I DON’T KNOW. I might just survive this thing yet! And it’s been such a fun week—between the nice weather, good writing days, Christmas decorating, finding a random dog, and all sorts of happy little moments. Things are definitely going well.

I am a little worried my book won’t be finished by the end of the month. In fact, at this point it’d be a MIRACLE. Though I am getting close to the climax, there is still a looooot to cover before “The End”, and being as how I probably won’t have an immense amount of time to write this final week, finishing is not looking good. Which is a bummer. I had really hoped to have all of December off. It’s been quite the year and my poor brain is pleading for a rest. But I’m determined to keep going until this thing is DONE.

The good news is, I am pretty sure I can at least finish by the end of the first week of December. And if so, I’ll probably just extend my break through some of January. So it’ll work out, it always does!

Besides that, THIS STORY IS SO FUN. I truly am having a fantastic time writing it. I just, ya know, wouldn’t mind having a smidgen of free time again. But we have survived 24 whole days, guys! We can absolutely push through to the very end.

Next you hear from me over here on the blog NaNo will be OVER! :O The final Know the Novel segment will be up next Monday (the 2nd), so get ready!

ALMOST THERE, GUYS! Less than a week now! Whether you end with 50k or 500 words, you should be proud knowing you WROTE. Because that is truly the goal of NaNo—to set out time in our c R a Z y lives to get the stories of our hearts onto the page. No matter how much you wrote, you made progress on your dreams, and that is absolutely something to take pride in.

Happy last week of NaNo!!! I’ll see you all at the finish line!

LET’S TALK!

Who is shocked we are on the final week of November? How has the month treated you? Are you excited about December? (I ammm!) To all my fellow Americans, I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! And a happy final week of November to everyone! <3