A Quick NaNo Update

So we’re coming down to the wire, we’re in the last week, and November 30th looms like the grim reaper, or the New Year–depending on your perspective (and, perhaps, how close you are to the 50k goal!). As for me, well, you can see for yourself on the little widget on the sidebar. Yes, the one that proclaims me a “Winner” in nice big red letters. But I’m not getting out the champagne yet. It’s true, I have quite adequately completed the challenge (i.e., to write 50k words in a month), and I have done so without breaking much of a sweat–something I didn’t anticipate. I’ve not really had any moments of “what shall I write next?” anxiety. Even without a detailed plot–really not much more than some bullet points for most of the novel–I’ve managed to keep the story going. So, why am I not celebrating and putting my NaNo project to rest for a while? Quite simply, the novel is unfinished. The 57k words I have written so far have not got me to “the end.” And that’s my goal now.

This story has been my WIP for over a year. And for most of that year, it has languished in the inspirational waiting room, hoping that someday soon I will find enough of a story, and enough energy, to pick it up and do something with it beyond the few chapters I had written. This month, my WIP’s time has come, and it is closer to being written than it has ever been in it’s year-long existence. I am determined to use the energy of NaNoWriMo to complete what I have started. I have one-line notes for every plot point that needs to happen between where I am and the end. I have in my head what I need to write. The only thing that needs to happen now is for those words to make it to the page. There may be another 10,000 of them, perhaps more. But I really want to finish this novel so I can step back and decide if it’s worth editing and polishing for querying, or if I need to set it aside and start something new.

Also, there’s a ton of neglected reading to get to, there’s Christmas coming up, and so many other things to divert my attention, that I’m afraid if I don’t finish this draft this week, it may be months before I do.

So, while the widget says “WINNER,” you won’t be seeing a “NaNo 2012 Winner” banner on the sidebar until I’ve written “THE END.” That’s my goal for NaNoWriMo 2012. And I really appreciate your cheers (and your patience–sorry for neglecting blogs and comments!) as I see the end on the horizon.