NaNoWriMo Highs

Well, NaNoWriMo has been over for 5 days now. I hit the 50,000 word goal on the 14th, and ended the story on the 26th with 71,118 words.

There's something of a high to writing during NaNoWriMo. The rush of hitting the daily goal - and surpassing it most days - leaves me almost breathless. Seeing the daily word count creep up - 100, 500, 1000, 1500, and then BOOM! 1667! - makes me feel like maybe, just maybe, I'm doing something worthwhile.

I have always loved writing. It's just something I've enjoyed for as long as I can remember. I wrote my first "book" when I was in the sixth grade. I came across that piece of work earlier this year when I was looking through boxes. It's got some good bones, and I'll probably give it a rewrite at some point. As it sits, however, it's pretty terrible, and I'm okay with that. It's pretty good for a twelve-year-old's story.

Writing is a release. It takes everything that's been bottled up inside my head and lets it out in a healthy manner. With writing, I can explore worlds of my own creation and not worry about people getting into trouble for the situations in which I've put them. I can explore things I have only researched, and hopefully do the topics justice.

NaNoWriMo is a bit of a cathartic month. I go through fits and starts of writing throughout the year, but when November hits, I buckle down and get to work and pound out a novel. Whether it's good or bad doesn't enter my mind at all during November. Just getting that first draft out is all that is on my mind.

Now that December is here, though, it's time to buckle down and get to editing. Whether I edit the latest novel or go back to work on a previously-written one still stands to be seen, but something will be edited and readied for release over the next month or two.

As always, thank you to everyone who has supported me by purchasing copies of Lullaby and Ray of Light. Your encouragement means the world to me. I hope you continue to enjoy my words and my worlds.