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Dec. 7th, 2007
I want to finish the story
Dec. 7th, 2007 12:48 pmIn the second to the last email that Chris Baty (the founder of National Novel Writer's Month) said that "If you signed up for the challenge and wrote 5,000 words, you did great. ... Even 1,000 words is an achievement, and more fiction than most people write in their entire lifetimes." In that sense, I completed the challenge (50,896 words as of November 29th, when I validated my word count on the site), but I am not certain yet that I "won." I'm not certain that the mere number of words is enough for me.
The story I was working on isn't complete. I'll be spending time in December working on it, trying to complete it, not because I think the story is that good (I'm not that vain), or that marketable (although I am hopeful), but because the story itself wants to be completed, the characters want the resolution of their problems, and I admit, I want it too.
That may be what separates us out in November, the ones who start, manage to write the 1,000 words, manage to write the 5,000 words, manage to write the 50,000 words, or however many words the story demands. I will miss it. For a month, I was one of over a hundred thousand people world wide (and one of over 15,000 who "won"). Every Sunday I met with other writers at the local Starbucks, and we talked about life, plot problems or characters who wouldn't behave. Writing is essentially a solitary task, and I will miss the fellowship of the other writers I've met this past month, whether the meeting was in person, via the website, or a taunting "ha ha, my word count is higher than yours!" instant message (just a note though ... I was as likely to send that message as receive it).
I was asked to write something for the ending of National Novel Writer's Month for a (very) local paper. That's what I sent.
The story I was working on isn't complete. I'll be spending time in December working on it, trying to complete it, not because I think the story is that good (I'm not that vain), or that marketable (although I am hopeful), but because the story itself wants to be completed, the characters want the resolution of their problems, and I admit, I want it too.
That may be what separates us out in November, the ones who start, manage to write the 1,000 words, manage to write the 5,000 words, manage to write the 50,000 words, or however many words the story demands. I will miss it. For a month, I was one of over a hundred thousand people world wide (and one of over 15,000 who "won"). Every Sunday I met with other writers at the local Starbucks, and we talked about life, plot problems or characters who wouldn't behave. Writing is essentially a solitary task, and I will miss the fellowship of the other writers I've met this past month, whether the meeting was in person, via the website, or a taunting "ha ha, my word count is higher than yours!" instant message (just a note though ... I was as likely to send that message as receive it).
I was asked to write something for the ending of National Novel Writer's Month for a (very) local paper. That's what I sent.