With one minute to spare, I won the National Novel Writing Month for the third year running. I crossed the line one minute before the midnight deadline, with a first draft of Special Delivery, with a word count of 50,068.
Several things were different about this year’s novel. It was my shortest by 6,000+ words. This was the first year I started the first year I had a false start. I got 400 words into a novel I had planned on writing for a whole month before the contest, doing a good deal of research and outlining. I got those 400 words down very slowly, like pulling teeth, then realized I would never make it. I cared too much about getting it perfect. So, I bailed and blazed into a story I had been thinking about telling for the last two years. Everything just rolled on great, this story was the first of my efforts where I really feel like I might have a book worthy of a full re-write and filling out. The words flowed out, and the ideas came bursting out of their own accord.
Then, I typed “The End.” That was at 46,000 words. It was too short. I added an epilogue, which was a hoot to write, then a prologue, which was also fun. That brought me to about 48,200. An interview of the team (it’s a super hero story), an interview for the position of base receptionist, and a battle with one of the super villains I had passed over in the first pass finally got me over the line. Just as I typed in the last witty line I looked down at my computer clock, saw the time was 11:58pm and flipped out. I got the file onto the NaNoWriMo website’s validation widget with 60 seconds to spare.
Each year has been a different experience. I had a great time this year, but I hope that next year I remember to not go so last minute. Definitely not good for my stress levels.
