What’s Up Wednesday is a weekly meme that helps readers and writers touch base with blog friends. If you’d like to join in, you can find the link widget on Jaime’s and Erin’s blog posts. I love this idea because it gives a structured, easy way for me to keep up with blogging. Also, the buttons are cute (especially this winter scene). Thanks for the idea, Jaime and Erin!
What I’m Reading
All the ARCs. Right now, I have copies of Open Road Summer, All Four Stars, What the Moon Said, and Ask Again Later on my desk or en route to me. It’s a smorgasbord of 2014 debuts!
What I’m Writing
So, November is over. The status of the project I was kinda sorta NaNoing? Done! I definitely limped to the finish line, but as of Friday, November 29 I have a completed first draft. I wound up writing about 42,000 words in November, which I’m really proud of. It was fun to try to write without a filter and kick out a fast first draft. This WIP is one I wanted to write just for my own enjoyment and creativity–it’s not something I’m going to work actively toward publishing anytime soon. For that reason, I didn’t want to take too much time to write the first draft. I started writing it in early October, making this the fastest I’ve ever completed a draft–70,000 words in a little less than 2 months. And I’m usually a fairly slow writer!
That said, I’ve realized that for me to be happy with my writing and the overall process, I should allow myself a little more time in the future, or at least do a better job of outlining before diving in. (This was also my first largely pantsed project.) I’m glad I did my pseudo NaNo, though, and I’m looking forward to sometime revisiting this WIP in between other projects. I also believe that it’s never a bad thing to try a new way of working–even if it ends up not being your thing, it can teach you a lot about your process and preferences.
What I’m writing now (and for the rest of the month): Nada. It’s time for a break and IRL holiday stuff.
What Inspires Me Right Now
Holiday stuff: I held off until the day after Thanksgiving to get out decorations and fire up my playlists, but from now until the 26th, it’s Christmastime.
I’m also inspired by all the people who shopped at their local indie bookstores on Small Business Saturday. Particularly these shoppers! http://whitehouse.tumblr.com/post/68607360338/president-obama-sasha-and-malia-shop-for-books
What Else I’ve Been Up To
Listening to my nephew coo and gurgle in the background when I call my sister. He’s pretty adorable; I’m a happy aunt.
And eating pie. Lots and lots of pie.
So what have you been up to lately?
Mmmmm, pie. That sounds delicious. And you deserve loads of it for having such a successful writing month 😀
Enjoy all the arcs and have a great week!
Congrats on finishing the WIP! I did mine in November- 61K and that’s the fastest I’ve ever finished a manuscript. Like you, I don’t have plans any time soon to go back to it. I will eventually, but right now it’s lower on my priority list. I’m just glad to know that I can actually write a first draft that fast. I never would have known if I didn’t try!
Congrats on finishing your first draft. And congrats on the nephew too. My niece just turned three months, so I understand the how great being an aunt can be.
Eating lots of pie — yes. That’s definitely what I’ve been up to. Our leftovers are finally gone, so maybe I’ll be able to locate my self control soon.
Um, I am so very envious that you have an ARC of OPEN ROAD SUMMER. I have heard a million good things about it and I can’t wait to read it! Let me know what you think!
Congrats on finishing your sort of NaNo project! I am with you though, I’m not sure I like writing at that pace no matter what. Sometimes, when the mood strikes and the inspiration is there, but not always. Doing NaNo forced me to write forward in a way I wasn’t always comfortable with. But, it was still more productive than had I not done it.
Enjoy your pie!
Yay for 42k words in November!
Hmm, send some pie over here!! 😀
I ate brownies. Lots and lots of brownies.
Congrats on your NaNo project!
Congrats on finishing your first draft! 42K in a month is AWESOME! (And now I’m craving pie …) 🙂 Have a great week!
Congratulations on finishing your recent project! Depending upon a project’s length, scope, and breadth, it may take a few weeks or a few months, or sometimes years. I’ve written 397K in three months and 406K in five months, so I can definitely draft rapidly if I’m inspired and have enough free time.
I’m hoping to finish my WIP within the next six months, and am still hoping it can be capped in without going over 600K. It’s going to be awhile before I write another single-volume book that’s so massive!
70k in less than two months is phenomenal! Congrats! Eat ALL THE PIE 🙂
70k is really impressive, great job! Love your layout, by the way 🙂
Congrats on finishing your draft draft! That’s awesome. I love that you wrote something just for you. Though who knows – you may end up selling it!
I’m envious you have Open Road Summer–I met the writer this summer at a writing conference, and it’s just my kind of book.