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You are here: Home / Archives for NaNoWriMo

NaNoWriMo

NaNoWriMo 2019

December 13, 2019 // Esther Filbrun Leave a Comment

I have a little picture filed away above a list of many other memory-inducing snapshots on my computer.

It’s from the first day of November, the day I was supposed to start NaNoWriMo*. Instead, my room got a thorough clean out and tidy up! I did end up writing to my word count that day, I think, but it still makes me laugh—that’s so typical of day one for me, the excitement and trepidation as one stands at the edge of a cliff, wings ready to glide, but unsure yet if the winds will be strong enough to keep you aloft.

After that initial day of procrastination with a little writing on the side, the rest of the month blurred into writing in every little tidbit of time I could snatch, sometimes staying up until 11:30 at night or later just so I could finish.

November 2019
Day 1: Cleaning day!

I didn’t intend to stay up late, on October 30th or 31st when I signed up for the challenge. “I’ll only do what I reasonably can,” I promised myself. “It’s okay if I don’t win. I’ll only write as much as I have the time for.”

Ha. And ha! again.

I tend to be the type to really appreciate a challenge, and try to win the game—no matter what it is.

And despite taking nine days off throughout the month due to one reason or another, the Lord was gracious and gave me enough words to make it through.

Otherwise, through the month, we held a fun birthday party/cookout for one of my brothers, I was away for seven days (one a three-day trip to the North Island—I must share some pictures from that!), and some friends of ours moved down into our area.

NaNo 2019 Progress Tracker
Day 20: When things really started to get serious on the writing front.

It was a lovely month, overall. I’m so grateful to have been able to write again. I write a little each day, a habit I’ve tried to develop just to keep my writing “muscles” toned somewhat and hopefully grow as a writer, but I feel like you can grow a lot more as a writer by doing more all at once.

I’ve had a hard time even explaining to myself why I wanted to do NaNo so much. Part of it, I know, is the camaraderie—the knowing that thousands of other people around the world are trying to reach the same goal you’re aiming for, many succeeding, but others falling back. Part of it is the sense of accomplishment—the feeling that you actually got somewhere in that short amount of time. And part is the creative challenge, although that’s the hardest. Sitting down each day and pouring your heart and soul into the story takes far more energy than I’d ever expect.

But it’s so worthwhile. I don’t feel myself growing as a writer from one scene to the next, or chapter to the next, or really even one story to the next—but I know I am. Little by little, I’m getting better. Info-dumping scenes are occuring a little less often and I’m experimenting with adding a bit more description, bringing a bit more color with words and characters and dialogue.

NaNo Winner's Certificate

It’s not easy.

But it’s worth it.

And I hope the experience can continue far beyond NaNo this year! I haven’t been writing as much in December, but I am still averaging higher daily wordcounts than normal, which is nice. Even so, I’m looking forward to (maybe next month? or February?) when I can do something like this again. 1,667 words per day aren’t that difficult—a couple of hours, max—and the way the story comes together so much better when you invest that daily time really makes it worthwhile.

What have you been working on lately? If you’re a writer, have you ever done a writing challenge before? If not, what was your favorite part of your November?

 

*NaNoWriMo = National Novel Writing Month; a writing challenge that runs through the month of November with the goal of ending the month with 50,000 words or more written in a new book.

Filed Under: Writing Tagged With: NaNoWriMo, Writing, Writing Musings

Little Things and NaNo Update

November 14, 2017 // Esther Filbrun Leave a Comment

Early this morning, I remembered that today marked a year exactly since the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that disrupted our lives and the lives of thousands of people here in New Zealand. Wow. Amazing how many changes can be made in a year, and how two minutes at midnight has created challenges for people to this day. One main road still hasn’t been opened yet as a result (although the current hope is that they will be able to open it within a month).

So much in such a little time.

Little Things and NaNo Update

I was listening to a podcast earlier today as I cleaned a few windows in my bedroom that have been bugging me for weeks. Michael Hyatt, a well-known leader in the business world, was talking, and he said something about how our words and actions can influence people either positively or negatively, depending on how we use them. He went on to say that our attitudes and perceptions of life can, in some cases anyway, be huge determining factors in how others relate to us—or even if we end up keeping our jobs or not! Again, another case where little things can influence huge changes, either good or bad.

Lots to ponder there.

The main project for me these last two weeks has been writing. Since I signed up for NaNoWriMo, I’ve been writing at least a little each day. It’s been so, so fun. And while I know that we shouldn’t just do life for the fun aspect, I do think it’s okay in the creative sphere to really challenge yourself to turn up each day and get something done. The challenge is good, but it’s also fun to do.

Last week, I finished the first children’s story I was writing, and began a second that I’ve been pondering off and on for a little while. I’m almost to the end of the second now, and I’m not sure where I’ll be going from here, as I’ll still need nearly 23,000 words of something to write in the next fifteen days in order to win NaNo.

One thing that I have found fascinating over the course of this challenge is the fact that my creativity levels can be depleted. Some days are better, some are worse, but overall I’ve witnessed a general slide in the creativity to a not-so-full state. That’s fine, as I know I’ll be able to tank up over the next few months again, but it has been an interesting trend to follow.

I also have been amusing myself greatly by how much I forget to include one particular character in my more recent story. It’s a dragon, who is supposed to be a little bit on the arrogant slash snarky side, but he keeps forgetting to act his character or I forget he’s even there…this is when I’m looking forward to doing some editing so I can put him back in later. 🙂

In all, NaNo has gone a lot better than I expected so far, I’ve loved (almost) every minute—except for the few times when I realize I’m writing an extremely boring scene!—and I’m looking forward to the final sixteen-or-so days.

Now, I’d better go see if I can figure out another story to write, or else make some good progress on planning out the story I’ve been wanting to write for years!

What projects have you been working on lately? Have you ever listened to podcasts by business leaders? What is one useful tip you have picked up or been given recently?

Filed Under: Thinking, Writing Tagged With: NaNoWriMo, Thoughts, Writing, Writing Musings

November’s NaNoWriMo and a Thankfulness Challenge

November 3, 2017 // Esther Filbrun 2 Comments

Last Wednesday, I did something crazy that I’m hoping I won’t end up regretting (I don’t think I will): I signed up for NaNoWriMo this month. (NaNo, as in National Novel Writing Month, or the crazy challenge writers take to write 50,000 words in 30 days.) I’ve participated other years—and even managed to get to 50k in 2013!—but since then, I’ve gained a lot of other responsibilities, so this is proving to be an even bigger challenge than it was back then.

But it’s been so, so fun as well. It’s thrilling to watch a story develop under your fingertips; to “live” in another place and try to put all five senses that you’re discovering there in word form so that someone else can experience it as well.

November's NaNoWriMo and a Thankfulness Challenge 01
Pre-food near-starvation mode

As an aside: One thing I’ve discovered about myself (to my surprise!) is that I tend to write a lot more clearly than I speak. That’s become a continual annoyance to me, because words flow so well through my fingertips, but not necessarily through my lips. But that’s okay. It’s always good to have at least one thing to hone in life, right?

Back in 2013, and again in 2014 and 2015, I believe, I participated in another month-long challenge in November: GiveThanks x7. It was hosted by a girl’s magazine, The King’s Blooming Rose, with the goal being to write down seven things I’m grateful for every day of the month of November. It proved to be a lovely time of creating a habit of thankfulness, a frame of mind I’d love to be in constantly.

This year, although the magazine isn’t hosting the challenge, they do encourage us to do it ourselves. So I thought I’d share my “thankful” lists from the last three days.

November's NaNoWriMo and a Thankfulness Challenge 02
Post-food relaxation mode (at this point, I’m thinking there are probably some interesting and useful parallels between sheep and humans, as the Bible often points out).

November 1:

  1. Haunt Fox by Jim Kjielgaard—a fascinating nature book!
  2. Peacocks—they’re so pretty!
  3. Beautiful mornings
  4. November
  5. A new dresser for my little sister
  6. NaNoWriMo
  7. Work away from home!

November 2:

  1. Summery days
  2. Motel-quality sheets (what luxury!)
  3. Stories to write
  4. Roses
  5. Bible memory verses
  6. Pitcher plants—fascinating things, especially when wasps get stuck in them!
  7. Dear friends who are willing to help when it’s difficult to get something done ourselves (oh, that I might be a friend like that to other people!)

November 3:

  1. The quails I heard early this morning
  2. Brothers that I can delight with stories
  3. My happy little sister
  4. God’s faithfulness
  5. The color of fresh spring green
  6. Taking walks with my little sister
  7. Her delight in nature

Have you ever written fictional stories and/or participated in a writing challenge? What are some things you are thankful for today?

Filed Under: Writing Tagged With: NaNoWriMo, Thankful, Writing, Writing Musings

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Hi! I’m Esther, lover of the Lord Jesus Christ and brainstormer behind helping families find good books (read more about that here). My goal is to live a purposeful, fulfilling life—whether that is in what I read, write, cook, design, or do with my wonderful siblings. My life is full and often messy. But God is good. Welcome to the adventure!

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