NaNoWriMo 2017

I did it! I completed NaNoWriMo  - National Novel Writing Month 2017. More correctly that should be International NaNoWriMo since thousands of writers take part from around the globe. This year I started the follow-up novel for Aquasapien Metamorphosis, Aquasapien Prodigy. It was tough going. The aim is to write 50,000 words in one month, with approx. 1,650 words a day to keep your head above water. Miss one day and its 3,300 the next day. Miss another day and its 4,950 words in one day - get the picture? Its important to stay on top of the game , or die trying.

The week leading up to it, I was away at the National Soroptimist Conference in Cardiff Bay. I was honoured to be asked to provide a blog on the modern slavery session for their national SIGBI website which is viewed worldwide and not least by our Headquarters Soroptimist International and our United Nations colleagues. See the link on  thanetsoroptimists.com

​As some of you know I work full-time in addition to writing and Day 1 saw me put in a full day then go out with a friend, on a last minute ticket to see Tom Allen the comedian in concert. He was very good, but my mind kept thinking, I've still got to write 1,650 words yet. Finished first night at 1.30am. Day 2 wasn't much better with a PPG meeting running until 6.30pm, but at least I saw midnight in bed. Day 3? Hip-hip Dancing Lesson at 7pm. Day 4 - Karate till 9pm and so on.  That weekend only had the Thanet Soroptimist meeting to run and Sunday was my writing day.

The following weekend, I was away at the Sci-Fi Novacon Conference in Nottingham driving there straight from work Friday evening and returning Sunday afternoon. Wrote a good amount in my room each night. That week wasn't too bad either with only Pilates,  dancing and karate after work though the weekend was heavy with clearing out a charity warehouse and attending a charity evening event, the afternoon writing whizzed by. Sunday saw me sitting all day in another book signing in Margate frantically writing as I signed autographs. It is the first time I wished people didn't stop quite so often, but I did fairly well, my best sales yet.

​The last four days were a god-send my husband was away in Dublin, I don't mean that like it sounds reading it back, but I wrote up a proverbial storm finishing the whole thing three days early.

​I don't think I'm going to do it again whilst working full-time. My two previous 'wins' were before I retired when I worked part-time and could fit it in. With full-time work it's a nightmare. This may be my last sojourn into NaNo for quite some time, so I will treasure my win with a small amount of pride.

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