I hit my 50K a few days ago, just as a bitch of a cold/flu bug was hitting. I barely remember those last words, but I got past the goal line and called it quits. It’s taken me since then to get to feeling well enough to post about the experience.

I went into NaNo pretty damned cocky this year and paid the price. I tried to tell a story that really should’ve had three strong plotlines, but I was trying to write it as one, and with no kind of plan or outline. And I decided I’d go for 60K, which is 2000 words/day instead of 1670ish words/day. That difference adds up.

I hope that next year around September I come back to read this post. My advice will be to find a simpler tale to tell. The book I was trying to write would’ve never fit in 50,000 words and it wasn’t nearly as satisfying to be writing half, or a third, of a story. My book from last year was a small tale, but I think an enjoyable one. I plan to dig it out and do some re-writing and edits on it in the months to come. This year’s NaNo is probably just going to be filed away forever…

My next big goal now, is to make writing a part of my life. Not sure a November kind of thing. That was my plan last year too, and I didn’t do so well. But, well, I guess I just have to keep trying.

A hearty congratulations to my fellow NaNoWriMo participants. Whether you did 50K or not, if you put your heart into and gave it your all, you are a winner! And I hope to see you all again next year!