January 50k Writing Challenge Wrap-Up
All right folks. Here it is. The moment you have all been waiting for with, no-doubt, bated breath. Drum roll please. And Grace's final January word count is......
51,737 words
*collapses into an exhausted heap*
Projects worked on over the course of the month:
• claimed and wrote fic for hp-kinkfest (fic currently in final edits)
• claimed and wrote fic for hp-goldenage (fic currently with beta)
• claimed and wrote fic for dracotops-harry (fic currently in edits before being sent to alpha)
• started and finished gift!fic #1 (fic currently in final edits)
• started and finished gift!fic #2 (fic currently in edits before being sent to alpha)
• added some details to Next Gen fic outline (potential gift!fic. may or may not see the light of day)
• wrote 12.5 chapters of Auror Training Fic (only 21.5 more to go...)
So, 50k in one month. WOW, was that a challenge! For me, it was achievable (hence, the achievement) but only just. It's definitely not a sustainable writing pace for me. I found myself thinking of writing almost in terms of a business: Where could I get the most words for my time? It's why I ended up working on a gift!fic for somebody's birthday that is over 6 months away, because it was a two-scene fic that I had fleshed out in my head and that I could write relatively quickly to rack up those words. It's why half those fics up there are in an "edits" stage, because I didn't want to take valuable writing time combing through what I'd already written only to get a handful of words--or maybe even negative words. I don't really like writing like that. I see the appeal, but it was uncomfortable to the point of making me lose a bit of joy in the process.
I don't do a *ton* of editing as I write, but for the few longer fics I've written, I generally treat each chapter almost like its own fic. As I finish, I read through, edit, try to ensure that it's aligned with the earlier stuff, etc. I wasn't able to do this with my Auror Training Fic, which actually caused me a good bit of anxiety and has me still feeling like it's crap, which I don't usually feel this early in the process. I'm hoping to spend the next month primarily going over what I wrote in January, and starting to flesh out some of the dialogue scenes, and weave in some of the background info that I made a note of as a wrote, but didn't have time to go back and actually add in.
But I don't want it to sound all dreary and negative. This is the most words I've ever written in a single month by nearly 20k, which is no small thing. Additionally, I actually signed up for two fests that I was on the fence about, due to time, inspiration, and a few other factors. Knowing I had some serious words to write encourage me to sign-up, and the fact that I was not only able to sign up for three fests, but also start and finish those three fics is pretty great. I've never dropped from a fest, and I really hope to maintain that, so I'm always a little relieved when I finish a fest fic, like THANK GOD, I definitely won't have to drop this one.
Anyway, I'm really glad I pushed myself to try for 50k in one month, but I'm not sure it's something I feel the need to do again. I can definitely see how it might be different/more exciting with a ton of people doing it during the actual NaNoWriMo, but that is such a terribly busy month for me, both IRL and in fandom, that I can't imagine ever having the bandwidth to take part.
Thanks to everybody who wrote along with me, joined me for sprints in the srsbzns chatzy room, and generally encouraged me along the way. I definitely think my daily accountability posts, and knowing that y'all were out there to keep me honest, really helped me hit my target. HUGS FOR ALL!
51,737 words
*collapses into an exhausted heap*
Projects worked on over the course of the month:
• claimed and wrote fic for hp-kinkfest (fic currently in final edits)
• claimed and wrote fic for hp-goldenage (fic currently with beta)
• claimed and wrote fic for dracotops-harry (fic currently in edits before being sent to alpha)
• started and finished gift!fic #1 (fic currently in final edits)
• started and finished gift!fic #2 (fic currently in edits before being sent to alpha)
• added some details to Next Gen fic outline (potential gift!fic. may or may not see the light of day)
• wrote 12.5 chapters of Auror Training Fic (only 21.5 more to go...)
So, 50k in one month. WOW, was that a challenge! For me, it was achievable (hence, the achievement) but only just. It's definitely not a sustainable writing pace for me. I found myself thinking of writing almost in terms of a business: Where could I get the most words for my time? It's why I ended up working on a gift!fic for somebody's birthday that is over 6 months away, because it was a two-scene fic that I had fleshed out in my head and that I could write relatively quickly to rack up those words. It's why half those fics up there are in an "edits" stage, because I didn't want to take valuable writing time combing through what I'd already written only to get a handful of words--or maybe even negative words. I don't really like writing like that. I see the appeal, but it was uncomfortable to the point of making me lose a bit of joy in the process.
I don't do a *ton* of editing as I write, but for the few longer fics I've written, I generally treat each chapter almost like its own fic. As I finish, I read through, edit, try to ensure that it's aligned with the earlier stuff, etc. I wasn't able to do this with my Auror Training Fic, which actually caused me a good bit of anxiety and has me still feeling like it's crap, which I don't usually feel this early in the process. I'm hoping to spend the next month primarily going over what I wrote in January, and starting to flesh out some of the dialogue scenes, and weave in some of the background info that I made a note of as a wrote, but didn't have time to go back and actually add in.
But I don't want it to sound all dreary and negative. This is the most words I've ever written in a single month by nearly 20k, which is no small thing. Additionally, I actually signed up for two fests that I was on the fence about, due to time, inspiration, and a few other factors. Knowing I had some serious words to write encourage me to sign-up, and the fact that I was not only able to sign up for three fests, but also start and finish those three fics is pretty great. I've never dropped from a fest, and I really hope to maintain that, so I'm always a little relieved when I finish a fest fic, like THANK GOD, I definitely won't have to drop this one.
Anyway, I'm really glad I pushed myself to try for 50k in one month, but I'm not sure it's something I feel the need to do again. I can definitely see how it might be different/more exciting with a ton of people doing it during the actual NaNoWriMo, but that is such a terribly busy month for me, both IRL and in fandom, that I can't imagine ever having the bandwidth to take part.
Thanks to everybody who wrote along with me, joined me for sprints in the srsbzns chatzy room, and generally encouraged me along the way. I definitely think my daily accountability posts, and knowing that y'all were out there to keep me honest, really helped me hit my target. HUGS FOR ALL!