Given up

You're ahead. You can afford to slack off slightly (from NaNo, not the other stuff in your life) and you can still make it.

R + L =/= J, alright?

First of all, not getting to 50,000 isn't failure. It may not be an official "win," but if you have more words than you would have if you hadn't tried, that's like making it to the Olympics. Okay, you don't get a gold medal, but you get kudos for being there--and for not giving up.

Second, you only have to do approximately 1100 words a day to get to 50,000 by November 30. You''ve been averaging approximately 2800. That means you can write approximately 1700 fewer words than usual and still get to 50,000. You can do that--if you want to.

A couple of tips to balance writing with school.
1) The average brain can only withhold 40 minutes worth of studying material at one time without a break. This why cram sessions are strongly discouraged. Study for 40 minutes, and then hop on for a 20 minute word word. By the end of two word wars, you will probably be at the minimum balance necessary.
2) Write between the changing of classes. The five minutes here and there work well and do add up.
3) Tie your classes into your story. This really helped me when studying tests personally. My story was something I cared about and the subject matter not so much.

As for the plot falling flat . . . it might be worth looking at the why . . . . a couple of possibilities/guesses from limited information.
1) Could be your internal editor trying to sabotage you. You want it to be perfect. It can't be because this is a first draft so essentially you are trying to pysch yourself out. Don't. Use a white font and try to muscle through with it.
2) Could be there is an element that is missing and your conscious mind doesn't know it but your subconscious does. Does it feel off balanced or not moving at all? Try throwing random stuff in to see if it begins moving. Write the first scene that comes to mind.

Something attracted you to that story or else you won't have reached as far as you have. You are over the halfway mark. I agree with the others who say this isn't failure. Besides, if it gets down to the wire, a story is defined as having a beginning a middle and end with some problem that is overcome. No one says it can be a writer's summary of what you need to flesh up on later drafts.

Good luck!

2005: Phoenix's Equilibrium (Fin! Won!)- historical fiction
2006: Thorns of a Child's Rose (Fin! Won!)- crime drama
2007: Slipping Through the Cracks (Fin!-Barely Won!)- fantasy
2008: Magic's Shadow (Fin! Won!) - fantasy
2009: Enemy of My Enemy (F

As someone who's just started, I'm still naively idealistic about this project. You can't give up now! Alright, here's the pass, now run with it for the touchdown (forgive me, Dan Simmons):

"What would you do with three minutes left to live? I didn’t pray. I didn’t do anything else either, other than look at Aglaé for a minute with more regret than I thought it possible for a person to hold. I was sorry that she and I would never make love. More than that, I was sorry that I’d never told her I loved her.

. . . It was the first time I’d ever understood the depth and youthful shallowness and hope in those lines I’d heard too many times before."

Use it as a kind catapult for your story. Run with it, see what you do with it.

(not mine; it's an act of plagiarism from Dan Simmons' "Muse of Fire." I was reading that first line when your post loaded on my screen, and thought it'll help you in your dilemma, and I'm babbling hoping Mr. Simmons will understand---because we're not stealing, we're paying him due homage---and won't sue me . . . Hey! Make that your story, about me being sued for plagiarizing . . .)

Honestly though, go back to class. Save this for December. We'll make an exception, just for you. Besides, we can always annoy them until they domake an exception; we'll start our own, in December, and gobble up market-share. Besides, this is supposed to fun ... Wait? You can win? Like, cash prizes! Get out of my way, luzer!

; )

"It is the mystery that lingers, not the explanation . . ." That's my for being weird. What's yours?

****

But soul_less_human's John Hancock takes the cake:

"Dear Author,
You don't have a choice.
Love,
Muse."

If you continue.... I will give you all the cookies you want!

Now, write write write. ;)

Cookies! ^_^

Thanks everyone, that's some good advice! I went back over where the plot died, and realised it was more that i was unconsciously trying to make it last longer - being at the climax and only 28K in. So I looked in all the dares threads etc, and now I have aliens appearing at an opportune moment (eh, details, details, I'll make them plot-relevant). Pushing past that brought my flow back. Actually, that makes me feel rather better about my work now for some reason...

Thanks again everyone! Perhaps my panic was a bit premature...