NaNoWriMo Finissimo!

Or, to elaborate, National Novel Writing Month Fine!

Yeah, didn't know what Finissimo actually meant. But! I do know NaNoWriMo '09 is now officially over.

And I won! Huzzah! 50,000 words of a brand new novel - a novel never before seen by any living thing ever - in less than 30 days. Suffice it to say I'm a tad satisfied with myself.

But it wasn't all rose smelling and grass watching. Oh no. This year, for whatever reason, was much more difficult than previous years. At times, I just couldn't bring myself to write. I would sit at my desk, staring at my computer, not willing to do other things, but not willing to open up my story, either. If I had just opened that story, things would have gone just peachy. As is, things got a little hairy towards the end of the month. It was a little iffy there for a bit, whether or not I'd reach the goal in time; thanks to a 7000 word day and a 12,000 word day, I did it, and with two full days to spare, too!

What follows is a log of my November writing activities, for your viewing pleasure.

Week 1:
Day 1: 5k words written at all night write-in.
Day 2: 500 words written during class.
Day 3: 500 more words written.
Days 4-7: No words written.
Week 1 word count: 6000 words

At this point, I resolved to a 7 to 9 writing time every Tuesday to Thursday.

Week 2:
Day 8: No words written.
Day 9: 500 words written during class.
Day 10: 4k words written, during and after the 7 to 9 time.
Day 11: 1000 words written, 500 during class.
Day 12: 2000 written from 7 to 9.
Day 13-14: 500 words written at hotel
Total word count: 14000 words

That weekend was my brother's wedding, and I stayed with my family in a hotel away from my dorm room. Was a fun weekend, but not at all productive for writing. Starting to freak out a little.

Week 3:
Day 15: Still spent with family. Evening spent rehearsing dance for Woofest*. No words written.
Day 16: 4000 words written around and in classes.
Day 17: Performed in Woofest all evening. 1000 words written earlier in the day.
Day 18: 2000 words written, 500 in class.
Day 19: 4000 words written.
Days 20-21: No words written.
Total word count: 25000 words

*Woofest - an event in which each of the six floors of the male freshmen dorm put together and perform a dance/skit to "woo" the women of Vanguard. Also, something that took entirely too much time.

Also, notice that I haven't done any writing on the weekends. For the most part, there was absolutely no reason for this. Just me not getting around to writing. At this point, I'm halfway done with only one more week to go. My list of "Things To Do, Urgent" is very prominent. Also, all my rides up to Sacramento for Thanksgiving fell through, so I decided I'd just go over to my friend's or brother's house for Thanksgiving. No problem; more time to write.

Week 4:
Day 22: No words written
Day 23: No words written, even in the class I usually write in.
Day 24: I figure I'll just write 5000 words a day until I finish. No worries. 4000 words written, and I watch Twilight when I should be writing that last thousand (overall, I'd say a fair movie).
Day 25: Don't write all day, figuring I'll write in the evening. My brother says he'll pick me up at 5, and I can stay at his house until Friday. Great, shouldn't be too many distractions at his house, so I'll be able to do writing. 1000 words written at his house. Still on track for 5000 words a day within the deadline.
Day 26: Thanksgiving dinner at brother's inlaw's house. Get back to brother's house at about 6. Figure I'll get my 5000 written. We watch the new G.I. Joe movie. 1000 words written.
Total word count: 31,000 words

Guess what I'm going to be doing the last weekend?

Day 27: Get dropped back off at my dorm room at 7:30. Watch a movie. Take a nap. Dawdle until 7, and then write for six hours. My door doesn't open. I don't see a single person. 7000 words written.
Total word count: 38,000 words

Day 28: Wake up. Eat Thanksgiving leftovers. Write from 12:30 until 4. Take a break at 42k and giggle to myself at the number. Start writing again at 6. Reach 47k. Half-hour break to be social with two people, one of which has actually done NaNo in a previous year (the first Vanguard student I've met who hasn't heard about it from me). Back to writing at 10:45. Reach 49k at midnight. Head back to my room and get ready for bed. Write the last 1000 in 45 minutes.

Validate and win at 1:12 (one of my favorite numbers)! Extremely happy. 12k words in a single day! My eyes burn.
Final word count: 50,049 words

Day 29: Relax in hammock.
Day 30: Not touch my novel.