Saturday 1 December 2012

A Winning Situation


Well, I’ve done it – I completed the NaNoWriMo Challenge for the first time! It was a close thing in the end as I was out most of yesterday at a wonderful lunch in Glasgow with lots of writer friends. But I’ve mentioned before how much I like writing on trains and I managed to write nearly 1000 words between the half hour journey there and back!

Nearly didn’t get to register my total last night, as the Internet connection chose that moment to stop working. After a few minutes panic, I remembered dear husband had a different connection upstairs and it worked. Total word count validated and exhaustion setting in. But I’m glad I persevered as I now have ¾ of a contemporary novel and 80% of the Victorian novella written. I might have finished one of them if I hadn’t (madly) decided to write the first part of another type of novel for our annual SAW competition – and the deadline for that was also yesterday (didn't count that for NaNo total)!

But I must thrive on challenge and deadlines and the whole month has proved to me what I can actually achieve if I knuckle down and write first, before playing on social networks. It has also shown me that I thrive on having two projects at once – if I write them at different times of the day. So NaNo worked on lots of levels for me. Main problem now will be finishing each of these projects. But since the novella is set around Twelfth Night, that’s the priority!

Meanwhile, I was delighted and proud to hear that my daughter Vikki has won third prize in the latest Multi-story competition. This was a Flash Fiction comp and I’ve just read her beautiful story on the Multi-story website - just scroll down their page.

And if you would like an enchanting weekend read, then Jenny Twist’s great little story, Away with the Fairies, is free to download from Amazon UK and Amazon US over the weekend.

I’m away now to enjoy a coffee and walk with husband this morning before tackling the rest of this novella!

Rosemary

14 comments:

Janice said...

What a nano-mathathon, Rosemary - I'm in awe and admiration for your verve and determination in writing not one but two novels and a competition entry! You are an inspiration - and it was so great to meet up with you yesterday in Glasgow.

love, Janice xx

Vikki said...

Well done on the massive work of writing you've produced this month! I understand what you mean about thriving when set challenges- it's good to have goals to focus on. Thanks for the link to my story!
(and now away to download Jenny's interesting looking story)

Rosemary Gemmell said...

Aw, that's so kind Janice, thank you! It was great to meet up with you and Sara and everyone yesterday. I do love Glasgow at this time of year.

Thanks, Vikki - and you're welcome!

Mary Smith said...

Congratulations on completing the NaNoWriMo challenge, especially as you were juggling two very different novels. Don't know how you managed it. Well done.
Looking forward to reading Vikki's story, thanks for the link.

Patsy said...

Well done to you and your daughter!

Thanks for the link.

Anita Chapman said...

Congratulations on completing NaNoWriMo Rosemary! It's amazing what can be achieved when going for it with writing. I had a phase in July and August this year for the RNA New Writers' Scheme when I wrote/edited at every available opportunity. When doing it for a month or so, it's OK because everything else can be left (such as housework etc...!)x

Linda D said...

Well done on getting your NaNoWriMo winners badge!
I always have at least 2 writing projects on the go so if I get stuck with one I can switch to something else rather than just staring at a blank screen/ sheet of paper, but I haven't yet managed to achieve the magic 50,000 words a month. Perhaps next year ...!

Wendy's Writing said...

What a brilliant achievement - I mmay try next year.

Rosemary Gemmell said...

Thanks a lot, Mary!

Thank you, Patsy!

Absolutely, Anita - I remember doing the same with NWS submissions!

Thank you, Linda - and for following the blog! I'm glad you, too, can see the advantage of working on different projects at once!

Thanks, Wendy! Hope you manage to try next year - I'm amazed at the way it's got me into better writing habits and I'll try hard to keep a few of them.

Joan Fleming said...

Well done, Rosemary. I am seriously impressed. The daily word count could become a habit!

Joanna said...

That's such fantastic news, Rosemary! I was thinking about you yesterday and felt sure you would do it. It was useful to have the train journey for those last thousand words. Many congratulations for a great achievement.
I have had builders in for two weeks and can't believe how much it's disrupted the writing routine. I've managed nowhere near the amount of words I'd usually write. I could have done with a nice long train-ride to get some peace! They were lovely , but very chatty and drank a lot of tea! One good thing is that some of the conversations have given me ideas for stories.

Hugely well done to Vikki for her success too. That's another lovely piece of news. I shall have a look now at her story. x

Anonymous said...

Well done in completing NaNo! What brilliant sucess for you.

Rosemary Gemmell said...

Thanks, Joan - strangely enough I think some of the habits are definitely sticking (so far)!

Many thanks for your lovely encouragement, Joanna! What a time you've been having. I don't like having workmen, but our oven died and someone we know is fortunately going to fit the new one. I'm sure Vikki will be pleased you're reading her story.

Hello Anne - thank you, and thanks for following! All I need to do now is get them completely finished!

Anonymous said...

Well done to both you & Victoria! Looking forward to reading all your work. TangoQueen