What I Learned // NaNo Update No. 2

(Sorry you have to endure two posts from me in one day, but I'm going to be working all day tomorrow and I really wanted to get these updates published so that I can stop thinking about them.  The third and final post will be coming sometime this weekend, hopefully.  And no, you needn't worry, it's not going to be another long rant about how I can't write because that would be silly, especially as I shall be sharing story snippets in that post and there's no point in stating the obvious.  :P  (I'm sorry.  Do I enjoy insulting myself, or what?) 

Moving on to the subject of this post.  What I learned while participating in National Novel Writing Month...

~I am a very lazy writer.

If the words don't start flowing within the first five minutes or so, I give it up as a bad job and decide that perhaps after all today is not the day for genius to burn.

~Keeping track of how many words one writes can be very rewarding.

But mostly discouraging, especially when one's word count is rising at the rate of 9 1/2 words per hour.   (Yes, I did the math.  30 days.  720 hours.  6948 words. Average it out and it comes to just about 9 1/2 words per hour.  Yeah, I think it's pathetic, too.)

~With all the time in the world, writing a 50,000 word novel in a month is an absolute cinch!

But do I have all the time in the world?  No.  I don't think so.  (There was bound to be a catch somewhere.)

~Practically everyone believes in me!

Practically everyone, that is, except that one stick in the mud, me.  (Spoil-sport.  Look, I know you don't like to go with the crowd but on a matter such as this, couldn't you be a bit more obliging?)

~I have a talent for saying way too much in my writing, while at the same time saying very little. 

It's the art of overly-descriptive, semi-repetitive, jibber jabber.

~I'm horrible at transitioning from one scene to another. 

Okay.  Forget transitions.  I'm horrible at writing scenes, period.  I have such a hard time making my characters do things.  I can make them talk, but what do I make them do?  How do I move them from one room to another without describing every single step they take?  How do I make a scene come alive with just a few simple words? 

~It's commonly said that NaNo is a risk to one's sanity...and even perhaps to one's life.  Well, it had nothing on me.  I survived it quite easily.

It's called admitting when you're licked and knowing when to beat a retreat.  Like one week in, perhaps, before the stress really begins to do things to you.  Just fall back.  Chill.  Give up.  Quit.  Ruuuuuun!  (Hey, it worked for me.  It can work for you.  Just trying to preserve lives here.)

~I hate my writing with a vengeance.  It makes me SO mad.

Because it rarely does what I want it to do.  And it rarely sounds how I want it to sound.  It's just the orneriest thing ever!

~Making up stories is fun!

No.  Making up stories is tragic.  Especially when you're bursting to get your characters out onto the page so you can read about them...but they simply won't be got out.  They're stuck.  Oh! the pain!

~It's one thing to know what sounds good in a story, and quite another to actually go and write it.

Couldn't have said it better myself!  (Wait!  I did say that!)

~Some people simply don't know when to quit.

I am speaking specifically of Natalie.  Honestly, people, I tried all month long to set her a good example of how to quit, but she never caught onto it.  She just kept going, going, going.  Like she was in the middle of a writing challenge or something.  (Mwhahaha.)  Seriously, though, she did an awesome job!   I won't tell you what her final word count was because she may want to tell you that herself, but I assure you, it totally and completely put my word count to shame.  YAY FOR NATALIE!

And while I'm on the subject of congratulating those strange people who stuck with this thing through the whole month, I have to mention Kate Marie.  Because apparently she didn't get the "it's time to quit" memo either.  She went and wrote 50,000 words...plus some!  And did it all by hand, too, which ...*shivers*... let's not even talk about that, okay?  Congratulations, Kate, my friend!  Remind me never to try and race you in writing a story. 

~Failing to reach a desired word count is nothing compared to failing to express oneself properly. 

I'll be honest and say I'm still a little shaken about my ability to write.  I mean, I'm writing right now, so obviously I can write.  But what I mean is, my ability to write stories.  Because it's a completely different ballgame.  And actually I'm beginning to think I really don't know how to do it. 

In other words...

~I HATE WRITING!

But somehow I have a feeling I'm going to go right on doing it just the same.  Why is that?

For those of you who participated in NaNo this year, tell me, how did it go for you?  Are you glad November is over?
And for all of you, how was your November?  Did you have a good Thanksgiving?  Have you decorated for Christmas yet?

Talk to you soon! 

Sincerely, Miss March