I WON!

Something amazing happened last night. I was writing on my NaNoWriMo project, and as I compulsively added up my word count (because I had it going in a couple of different Word documents) I realized that my number was coming closer, and closer, and closer to 50,000, and then… something amazing happened. I CROSSED the 50,000 word mark. I was shocked. I didn’t really know what to do. I squealed at my mom and then I rushed to someplace with a phone (because we still have dialup at home) and uploaded my word count, praying that the 20 word padding that I had was enough.

I waited, with bated breath until I saw this wonderful sight:

I DID IT!

I WON!

I started bouncing around the house and then, because it was 11:00 at night, I went to bed, or at least, attempted to go to bed, because I was to excited to stay awake.

Since approximately the second week of NaNoWriMo, I have been behind. I caught up after the second week in one 4,000 word marathon night, but really, other than that, I have been behind, and yet I was still able to finish early. It may have taken an almost 5,000 word day, but that’s okay, because I finished.

During this time I attended 2 Write-Ins, one of which I hosted:

And earned 5 of the 10 NaNoWriMo Merit Badges (NaNo Socializing, Word-Count Padding, Secret Noveling – though it wasn’t really that secret because everyone knew I was doing it, Creative Nonfiction, and 50,000-Word Victory; I kinda’ earned the one for Caffeine Abuse too, which would be number 6, but I had that problem before NaNoWriMo started).

But now I’m done, and it’s back to the real world of writing… editing.

*Sigh*

And earned 5 of the 10 NaNoWriMo Merit Badges (NaNo Socializing, Word-Count Padding, Secret Noveling – though it wasn’t really that secret because everyone knew I was doing it, Creative Nonfiction, and 50,000-Word Victory; I kinda’ earned the one for Caffeine Abuse too, which would be number 6, but I had that problem before NaNoWriMo started).

But now I’m done, and it’s back to the real world of writing… editing.

*Sigh*

Bird by Bird

One of my favorite books on writing is Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. This great book not only discusses the fundamentals of writing like plot, character, setting, etc. but also other helpful tips for the more advanced writer, such as ways to overcome the voice in your head that tells you you’re not good enough, ideas for writing groups and what to do during the publication (and pre-publication) process.

One of the important lessons Lamott teaches in Bird by Bird is to break up writing assignments into chunks that are easier deal with. She suggests that you keep a one inch picture frame by your writing desk.

It reminds me that all I have to do is write down as much as I can see through a one-inch picture frame. This is all I have to bit off for the time being. All I am going to do right now, for example, is write that one paragraph that sets the story in my hometown, in the late fifties, when the trains were still running. (18)

This lesson is also where the title of the book comes from. She tells the story of when her brother was writing a must-procrastinated paper on birds and he couldn’t figure out how he was going to complete the huge project. His father imparted upon him these words of wisdom that inspire us today. “Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird” (19).

Sometimes the immensity of 50,000 words in 30 days is overwhelming, so we should remind ourselves to just take it bird by bird, and keep plowing on.