And... it's over.
I spent the last couple hours of National Novel Writing Month doing my best to (legitimately) boost my word count. Here's where I ended up:



Not really near the objective... but more than one-fourth of the way there. I also learned a few things about myself and my writing over the course of the month.

First, my inner editor is very loud. One of the things you're supposed to do during NaNo is ignore the inner editor, and just get words on the page. November is for writing, December is for editing.

I'm just not there. I spend a lot of time composing things in my head, choosing the right words, going back and tweaking as I move forward. Part of that is just my style, but another part of it is the fact that I spent a good year or so editing the Earthdawn Player's Compendium -- while I'm not a bad writer, I'm (presently at least) a much better editor.

The other thing I learned is that if I push myself I can produce -- what I need to do is sit my butt in the chair and actually do it. Some days will be more productive than others, but it production is the point.

So... November is over... where do I go from here?

Well, the novel is going to be pushed off to a back burner for now. I've been kind of neglecting RedBrick, and I have some things I want to write for them. If I keep developing the mindset I've been working on for the past month, I'll actually get something done, and probably feel better about myself in regard to the whole Earthdawn thing.

Don't worry, the story isn't going away. I will keep plugging at it, posting sections as I finish them.

I also plan on posting here more often... this month has seen a lot of production from me blog-wise, and I like to think that's a good thing. It keeps my friends and family in the loop.

Anyhow... that's all for now. My bed calls, and I have a long weekend ahead of me. See you on the flip side!
- posted by Josh @ 12:33 AM (0) comments