NaNoWriMo – It’s over, I lost (but it was a success) – & What I’ve Learned

Since it’s December 4, obviously NaNo is now over. And…I lost.

By that, I simply mean that I didn’t write 50,000 words. I got close, closer than I ever have in the past. But, didn’t hit that final word count.

However, I really see this year’s NaNo as a success, and I wanted to share why:

• I wrote 45, 691 words this month. That’s less than 5,000 words short. In the previous two NaNos I participated in, I usually only made it between 3,000-10,000 words. This time, I did so much better.
• I made progress in 3 stories, and for one of those, made a final decision about how the publishing and releasing of the story will be. I was concerned it would be too short to release on its own, so I’m releasing a set, which I’ve already begun editing. Having made progress on my 2 main projects and a third project that literally just invaded my mind and begged to be written, I really see as a success.
• I built a writing habit. Prior to this, I only wrote when I felt like it or when I could. For the month of November, I made a secondary goal to write every day, even just a few words. And, that is something I did complete. I wrote every day. Every.single.day.

So, what did this NaNo teach me?

I learned that I really can develop a writing habit that can sustain writing as a career.

I learned that when I sit down to it, I can actually write more and faster than I realized. I do type quickly, but more than that, when I let myself get lost in the story, words come. This is also something that will sustain writing as part of my career.

I remembered how much I love writing, and how much it feeds my soul.

The final thing I learned is that there is an amazing community of indie and aspiring authors out there: on youtube, in the NaNo community, and on other social media. I wish I had writer friends where I live now, like I did in California, but for now, I love the community I’m finding online, even if I’m just experiencing it from the periphery for now.

So, with that, another NaNo is in the books, and the last month of the year has started. What a whirlwind 2019 has been. I look forward to sharing my 2019 wrap up with you soon, as well as a breakdown of my work from home jobs (and what might be best for you),

Blessings!