A decision to make

False harpist-48 — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 10:34:00 -0500

I passed 50K yesterday but my novel is not done. (I realize this is my decision to make, but I'm curious as to other writers' perspectives.) Do I finish my novel anyway, even tho I no longer need to in order to get to 50K, or do I just let it go? I don't have any expectations that it would ever be published or anything like that. The story was a personal journey & an opportunity to experience NaNoWriMo for the 1st time. What do people think? Thanks in advance for your input!

Re: A decision to make

RutaBaker — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 10:41:09 -0500

I imagine each of us does it in his/her own way. I reached 75000+ yesterday but haven't yet validated although I plan to do so later today to avoid the rush on the 30th. The novel isn't quite finished and I will keep working on it. That said, this is my 7th NaNo, my 6th win, so I set a somewhat higher personal goal for myself than the 50,000 I've already managed several times. Congratulations on acing NaNo on your first go. Bravo!

Re: A decision to make

banditsrubyangel — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 12:04:56 -0500

Congratulations! If I were you, I'd finish it anyway. You've probably written more words in November than most folks ever write in a lifetime. This is my second NaNo, and my second win.

Re: A decision to make

Catana — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:52:21 -0500

If you have any aspirations to be a writer, then keep going. Becoming a writer worth reading requires a lot of learning and practice. But if that isn't a goal, and you don't even think you'll read your book again, then stop where you are. But take some time to think about it. And keep it. Even if you're not interested in continuing it right now, you might be some day.

Re: A decision to make

Kat Gentian — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:57:20 -0500

Congratulations, Harpist, on your win. Only you can decide about finishing. How strongly do you feel about this story? Do you know what the ending is, and is it just a matter of writing it? (Not making light of the writing part.) They say a difference between amateur and professional writers is that the pros finish what they start. Even though you don't intend to publish, having a complete work could be quite satisfying. Best of luck with whatever you decide, and hope to see you back again next year.

Re: A decision to make

Carolf — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:30:40 -0500

Another first year gal, here. For me, it's important that I finish, because I have yet to finish anything I've started. Getting all the way to the end is a promise I've made to myself. So, I think it really is personal, and only you can decide. I'd like for you to finish, because I know how pleased I would be to finish, but that's projecting me onto you. Congrats, whichever you choose.

Re: A decision to make

Dacron — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:35:35 -0500

Only you can know the answer to this one. Did you enter Nano to complete 50K words or were you challenging yourself to write a novel?

Re: A decision to make

writerwoman — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:43:39 -0500

Congratulations, Harpist! I agree with most everyone above. I just finished my book, typed The End and everything, which was my personal goal for NaNo this year. I've never actually gotten to the end of a book before, just reached 50,000 words. So, yes, I'd ask yourself what your goal was going in, and if that goal still holds true. Then go from there. In the meantime, Celebrate! You just won NaNo 2011!

Re: A decision to make

Auld Soul — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 20:21:45 -0500

Mine still isn't finished, but I'll continue working on it as there's a lot of personal satisfaction in seeing it through to the end, as I have my other two NaNo novels. In doing this challenge, it has never been my intention to get to only the minimum number of words required.

Re: A decision to make

Cynthus — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 20:53:16 -0500

My story isn't finished either. I'll be working on it for awhile. :-)

Re: A decision to make

Zookeeper — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 01:01:23 -0500

I'm in a similar spot. I just won and validated tonight, but I've still got a ways to go to get to the end of the novel. And I'm going to do it. I know how it ends, so why not go ahead and finish it off?

Re: A decision to make

False harpist-48 — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 13:06:43 -0500

Thanks everyone! I don't know how my novel ends. In fact, when I started I bearly knew how it began. I only recently heard of NaNoWriMo from a nurse at the hospital where I was a patient for a while. I thought it sounded interesting & decided to jump in. I had only the most nebulous idea of what I was going to write about; a true seat-of-the-pantzer. I just started typing. I ran out of story about half way through &, from there on, I just wrote whatever I could think of in order to keep the novel going. Truth be told, I would love to publish it, but at least at this point, it doesn't seem worthwhile & I wouldn't have any idea of how to go about it anyway. I think my plan at this point is to let it rest for a while & then go back & read it. Then I'll decide whether of not I think it's worth continuing with. Either way, from this vantage point, I hope to be back again next year. (if I can come up with another story!)

Re: A decision to make

unicawn — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 18:37:19 -0500

You could finish it, edit it and edit it, probably again and then think about publishing. When you're ready to publish the method will become apparent... or so one of my characters would say!

Re: A decision to make

Kopiluwak — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 20:31:25 -0500

I'd go ahead and write the ending (or an ending, anyway) and validate, then proceed with finishing the novel. The point of NaNo is to write at least 50,000 words of a novel, with a beginning, an end, and a muddle in between. If, in the continued writing of it the ending changes, that happens. That's what I do most years, and my novels finish out around 100,000 to 130,000 words, sometimes months later. And we won't talk about the NESSie.

Re: A decision to make

Kopiluwak — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 20:34:48 -0500

It's very rare for a first draft to be publishable, and writing a publishable novel isn't the goal of NaNo. Just writing a novel however rough and sparse is the goal. There's always NaNoEdMo, where you work on editing your novel. It may take severl rewrites and edits before it's publishable. If you think your idea could evolve into a publishable novel, go for it!

Re: A decision to make

Carolf — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:14:01 -0500

[quote=Kopiluwak] It's very rare for a first draft to be publishable, and writing a publishable novel isn't the goal of NaNo. Just writing a novel however rough and sparse is the goal. There's always NaNoEdMo, where you work on editing your novel. It may take severl rewrites and edits before it's publishable. If you think your idea could evolve into a publishable novel, go for it! [/quote] NaNoEdMo? Could you elaborate for us newbies?

Re: A decision to make

Catana — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:00:59 -0500

A first draft is *never* publishable. A first novel--rarely.

Re: A decision to make

banditsrubyangel — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:27:38 -0500

Carolf, here's the link for NaNoEdMo: http://www.nanoedmo.net/xoops2/

Re: A decision to make

Generalist — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 18:02:40 -0500

I'll hopefully be hitting 75K today, with the Phase Outline only half way done. Since there is more story to tell, I'm going to continue to tell it. I knew when I started that the story wouldn't be done. When it is done, I'll start the editing process by transcribing the hand written pages into yWriter, while updating notes about the characters, locations and artifacts. Notes that I make along the way will help the editing process. There will be a period when I set the story aside, to let it rest. I have plans to study self editing and review grammar at that time. I'll be using Robert A. Heinlein's five rules of writing. [quote]1. You must write. 2. You must finish what you write. 3. You must refrain from rewriting, except to editorial order. 4. You must put the work on the market. 5. You must keep the work on the market until it is sold.[/quote]

Re: A decision to make

Carolf — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:40:49 -0500

[quote=banditsrubyangel] Carolf, here's the link for NaNoEdMo: http://www.nanoedmo.net/xoops2/ [/quote] Thanks! Looks interesting.

Re: A decision to make

Idahocat — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:48:21 -0500

This was so much fun, but oh, so hard! Last year I signed up but wrote so few words it wasn't worth logging. Even though I was way behind in the last week, I managed to write like a fiend and catch up. My story isn't finished, and I skipped around a bit so in a few days I'll pick it back up, try to put it in order and write the ending. I was always a procrastinator in school too, as I recall, and spent many late evenings trying to finish a major paper by the morning. I guess for better or worse, that's how I roll . . . I was surprised this afternoon as I was coming in to the home stretch, to create a new scene which I really enjoyed writing and will probably expand on to help finish the book. Crazy fun!

Re: A decision to make

banditsrubyangel — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:54:29 -0500

You're welcome!

Re: A decision to make

kyahpearl — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 04:34:26 -0500

Ah yes, you got to love Robert Heinlein! I take exception with #3, I do it all the time. If something doesn't flow right because you rushed through it like an express train on a local track, you have to fix it. Finishing anything you've spent hours, days and weeks working on feels good. There's nothing like that feeling of accomplishment!