A Publishing Journey: NaNoWriMo- Write 'til You Bleed

30,336. That's how many words I have typed for my new novel since starting on November 3rd. With a goal set for 50,000 words to complete by the end of November for the National Novel Writing Month Challenge (NaNoWriMo), I am well on my way. My actual novel is set to come in around 60,000 words, so I am fully committed to not just reaching the 50,000 word goal, but to finishing my novel by December. I'm officially half way there. Getting those words down hasn't always been an easy task.

I've written at the dentist's office in the chair, in my hot tub, in my car, next to my sleeping husband, and even on the back of my horse. I've written when I didn't want to write, when my head hurt, when I should be cleaning my house, when everything other than writing was coaxing me away. I ignored the temptations and wrote anyways. I will continue to do so until this goal has been reached, this challenge conquered.

Part of how I have made so much progress is utilizing technology. I am an iPhone user and with that I have access to the Word app on my iPhone. My novel is saved to an online file saving database called OneDrive. Each time I write on my computer and hit save, it updates the file on my iPhone as well, and vice versa. That means that no matter where I am, I can access my novel and pick up right where I left off. I don't need to scribble notes on napkins or a journal and then race home hoping the idea is still there. I open my novel up and start typing no matter where I am.

Just yesterday I had to run my mom to an appointment and she worried I would be bored waiting. "Don't worry about me," I said. "I'll be writing my novel in the car." And I did. I got 600 words down before she got back. I typed away on my little iPhone, word after word, while my scene unfolded. When she returned I hit save and came home to my laptop where my new changes were flashing on my screen just waiting to be built on. Technology is amazing. It's a great asset for those trying to accomplish this monumental task.

This book, which wasn't even an idea in my mind two weeks ago, is practically writing itself. The characters have bloomed and the journey they are on has me anxious to see where they go next. While I started out with an outline for the structure of the book, I have been surprised by the characters that have emerged and introduced themselves to me. If I'm not mistaken, I've met the protagonist for my next novel. Knowing I have another novel to write, another story to get lost in, has spurred me on in completing this one.

I have one other motivational tool to crack at my fingers and force them on. Everyone I know is talking about Stranger Things and I'm desperate to watch it and join in on the fun. However, it will sit in my queue, taunting me, until this book is done. The day my novel is complete, I fully intend to binge-watch and entire first season from start to finish eating ice cream and pizza while celebrating my accomplishment. Now I'm off to write more of my novel so I can find out what all the Stranger Things fuss is about... hopefully in the next two weeks. Wish me luck!