NaNoWriMo Update: Day 30 Recap

I DID IT! I can finally say that I have written a novel. It is a very rough draft. I already have a laundry list of things to edit, add, and subtract, but I’ve done it! This is a dream come true for me. This was the Number One item on my bucket list, and I can finally cross it off tonight.

Thank you so much to my family, friends, fellow writers, and random strangers who have supported me throughout this journey. Most of all, I have to thank my husband, Daniel, who has shown me that I can be the person I’ve always wanted to be. I love you.

Even though NaNoWriMo is now over, I hope that you all will stay with me on this ride. I have truly enjoyed hearing from you all and sharing in your writing journeys. And I promise you, mine has only just begun, and there are big changes coming in the near future! Stick with me, and let’s launch into the next steps of our writing lives.

Today’s Word Count: 8,195

Final Word Count: 80,060

Estimated Writing Time: 4.5-5 hours

Feeling: Elated, amazed, triumphant!

Motivation: Being able to truly say that I wrote a novel in 30 days.

Inspiration: Reminding myself of who I want to be and where I want my writing journey to take me.

Biggest Triumph: Finishing my novel!

Biggest Setback: I sat thinking about my last paragraph, especially the last line, for at least ten minutes. It took me forever to write it, but finally, I talked myself into settling on something with the promise that I can fix it later. I’m not sure that I’ll need to do much to it, though.

Helpful Insights: If you did not win NaNoWriMo or you did not finish your manuscript this month, that’s okay! Take it from me: sometimes it takes years, nearly 23 years even, to finally get that novel out. However, when you do, even in that rough, dirty first draft form, it is the most blissful, triumphant feeling. You will feel exhausted and happy and in disbelief. It will be a lot of hard work, but it will be worth it.

Do you want to know the secret to writing a novel? Here it is: make up your mind to do it. That is all it takes. If you decide that you will do it, sit down to write it, and visualize it as an inevitable addition to your life, it WILL happen. But if you do not take those three steps, you won’t get there.

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Share your NaNoWriMo experiences — good or bad — in the comments section and come back later for my National Now What Month guide and future writing plans!