When I started CampNaNoWriMo at the beginning of last month I
honestly thought I would smash my target. I only aimed low (less than 50% of
the standard NaNo target) because I had a lot on and didn’t want the writing to
get stressful. But stressful it got and the end took a while to come into sight.
In fact I wasn’t optimistic until the last few days.
What matters though is that I did it. I hit my 20,000 word target within two hours
of posting last week’s blog post.
CAMP UPDATE
As I finished my first draft of TATTOO: THE SYMBOL FOR STRENGTH, there were highs and lows. I was
exhausted but so, so happy that I’d managed to do it, thanks in part to the
support of my wife. I even called her in to ‘watch’ me cross the finish line
(sad, I know but I wanted to share it with someone).
I’m extremely happy with the ‘extra’ ending I discovered only
two days from the end. I really hope it does what it needs to and begs the
reader to return to the world. That’s right; there will be questions at the end
of this novella. But who doesn’t like questions. They lead to delicious
answers.
On the down side, a twist I really wanted to have in the
story got lost along the way. Sure I could fit it back in on the rewrite but it
doesn’t work as well with the new ending. Could always go into book 2 I guess.
We’ll see.
I’m going to take a break from the story for a couple of
weeks and then go straight back in and start editing before handing it out for
assistance (has anyone seen my pesky beta readers?).
DAY 30 – 1364 words
This was it. The end was in sight and I refused to get stuck
or distracted. I powered through almost missing the crucial moment I passed
20,000. It was all about finishing Chapter
15: Ink and the moment where everything goes even more wrong than it had so
far. And once I’d tied that all up there’s Chapter
16: *** ******. I would love to tell you about it and I know there have
been spoilers before today but this one is a big one and I would really like to
save it for my readers. The rest of the novella has room to change and some of
what I’ve divulged will fade away. But Chapter 16 is staying. Hope you all like
it.
DAY 31 – 303 words
Sometimes when I finish a NaNoWriMo month a couple of days
before the end I take a break. And to be fair I could have done with one but I just
felt like adding a little bit more. I went back to the barely started Chapter
1: History part 1 and found what I was looking for, a way to better tie things
up with Kirsty.
FLASH! FRIDAY UPDATE
Another week and another Flash! Friday has come and gone.
Good news for me this week as I got another Honourable Mention.
A big thank you to Craig Anderson for his kind words once
more. Its feedback like this that feeds us writers. We crave the knowledge of
another person reading, enjoying and responding to the output we produce. This
one paragraph alone was enough to keep me happy for the rest of the day.
Thank you to those who read my Flash Fiction either here on
the blog or over at the Flash! Friday website. I promise that, while all I’m
giving you right now is starter after starter after starter, a main course is
on the way.
Please feel free to leave comments on any of the posts;
positive or negative. One makes me smile and the other helps me learn.
SCRIVENER REVIEW
I can’t really explain why I feel like I need this program
but I do. I’ve now used the compile feature and, while it’s a little fiddly, it
gave me a nice copy of what TATTOO will look like as a book. It made me feel
all warm inside.
At some point in the next 24 hours I will be purchasing it.
You hear that Scrivener? I’m having you.
And with that the beginning of the second half of my first
writing year is over (did you keep up with that?).
So how does the rest of the year pan out?
Obviously continuing with Flash! Friday; loving that at the moment
and I can almost taste the win. That prompt, that picture that will give me
victory over my peers is out there and the second it shows up I’m going to
write my best Flash Fiction yet or die trying (death optional; added for
dramatic effect).
Apart from that I will be working on the cover for TATTOO
while I take a break from the story. I’m also going to get back into my short
stories.
I’m also hoping to get back to following my fellow writers
out there. I feel like I’ve been neglecting you.
And now, back to writing.
See you in seven.
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