40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

Dani Marchand — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 21:01:16 -0800

I'm at 80k. This is great. This is more than I have ever written on a single project, or in a single month. I'm proud. But for this story, it's not enough. Starting at midnight 11/28 and going straight through until the end of NaNo, I'm pulling out all the stops and locking myself in my room until I get to the end of this story, if at all possible. I estimate that to be around the 120k mark. Join me? It doesn't matter if you're starting later, or if you have a higher or lower goal. If you're trying to pull off something that feels impossible to you in the last days or hours as NaNo draws to a close, this is where you belong. It's 11/28 12:01 am EST right now. I'm at 80,162 words. Here goes nothing!

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

deppfreako — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:26:58 -0800

Cheers for you! I'm planning on getting out the last 22k words in the next three days. Tomorrow when I get home, I'm planning on just busting out as much as I can. I don't have school or work on Tuesday (well, I do have a half hour work meeting and a short doctor's appointment) so I'm planning on doing probably 10k then... and Wednesday I'm a bit crunched for time, so I estimate maaaybe 3k at most. :/ I'M GOING TO WIN THIS!

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

Intricatelysweet — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 01:04:50 -0800

As you already know I am way behind but I am in!! How I am going to pull it off who knows. I have already started the obsessive word count updating. Good luck to everyone and to me as well lol Let's do this!!

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

bibliophilicboo — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 05:19:31 -0800

I have about 18K to go and two more days to get it done. I strategized so I am off on Wednesday. Going to do 12 hours at work tomorrow and then try to knock the rest out on Wed. Good luck everyone!

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

marielaurent_2223 — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 06:18:31 -0800

Count me in i am hoping to reach 110k or 118k soon throughout these three days.

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

Dani Marchand — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 07:07:53 -0800

Great to see you all here! How is everyone doing? I'm just really starting to get into writing for the day, did a little last night but not enough that I want to update my count yet.

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

CarlieD — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 07:52:03 -0800

I'll join in. I have to write approximately 11k more to get it past the validator - and my classes (and 7 weeks' late midterms) start up again on Tuesday. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! BUT I WANT THAT WINNERS' CERTIFICATE!

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

morgo7kc — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 08:01:24 -0800

Unfortunetly, I cannot. I have school. It's ashame November ends this year on a Wednesday :p

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

WritingLolli — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 08:06:19 -0800

I'll join! I need a little less than 7,000 per day if I want any hope of winning this!

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

Dani Marchand — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 09:37:58 -0800

2k down. Feels great. The words came slowly at first, but the pace is starting to pick up. Then I realize I've taken twelve hours to write that much and have 38k to go. Oh well, such is the spirit of NaNo.

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

Joselyn — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 10:56:30 -0800

Well, I can't stay up tonight, I have to work at 8 tomorrow, ugh. But once I get home, I will be going nonstop, probably will pull an all-nighter Tuesday. I estimate I've got about 25K left to finish this story, so if I knock some of that out today, and then go onstop starting tomorrow afternoon, I can finish!

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

Dani Marchand — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:29:09 -0800

5k, almost 6k done with, and seven and a half good writing hours left in the day. This is going to be a challenge for sure. I actually, surprisingly might have my plot end before I hit 120k, which is fine with me too. I was wondering if it was going to stretch out way past that but an incredible amount happened during today's word count.

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

Joselyn — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 16:09:16 -0800

I actually like when that happens. I have the rare problem of writing things that I feel are too long. I already feel like I have an awful lot left to cram into the remaining four chapters I have to write; it feels sort of rushed, but I really don't want the story to go past 110K. I just don't think it needs to. I'm too wordy lol.

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

Joselyn — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 16:10:55 -0800

In an update, I have somewhere I have to be right now, but I'm hoping when I get back that I can kick out another 5K this evening. I just loved the last scene I wrote, so I'm super motivated right now :D

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

ZoraSkywalker — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 16:18:22 -0800

I'm trying for about 35k in the next three days -- as long as I hit 100k tonight. I told myself that if I hit my goal of 100k today, then I would up my goal for the 30th to 120k -- really challenging, but not quite impossible. I already have 8k done today, so I have 7k left to go for today's goal.

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

Phoenix-Rayne44 — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 17:01:56 -0800

Have to get 40k in the next three days. All-nighter, anyone?

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

wingch — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 17:36:05 -0800

Already technically "won". But I'm forcing myself to get to 100K. I have a slim chance - but I'm extremely determined. 30K in two days. Fun. To quote Foxtrot: "My mind has snapped, and I'm only fourteen..."

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

-Katlyn- — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:11:32 -0800

Taking out school and 8 hours of sleep, I have 10 hours for 10k and homework. Sleep? I'll miss you.

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

cheydancer — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:22:09 -0800

50k....3 days. Umm....here I go.

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

Dani Marchand — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 20:46:16 -0800

I just hit 90k and feel like I might die but...there's coffee and soda! I'm good for another few hours. I hope. 10k down, 30k to go, 48 hours remaining.

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

Joselyn — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 20:48:08 -0800

I've got to hit the sheets, I'm exhausted and have to be up early (too early blech) for work tomorrow. But I'm taking my laptop so I can write during my breaks. I'll probably take a short nap when I get home, then get to writing, and try not to stop til I'm done! I think I've got about 15K left.

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

Dani Marchand — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 22:51:03 -0800

Have a good night, Joselyn! Looks like our novels will be ending at around the same point at this rate. Now let's see who can get there first... I admit I have an unfair advantage, being lucky enough not to have work for these final three days of November! In other news I managed to get 2k in the first two hours of the 29th thanks to a powerful scene I've been awaiting for the whole book. On to less lovable, but hopefully still wordy, material...

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

Eilorae — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 23:02:14 -0800

I want to hit the 60k mark by tomorrow or wensday! 65k if I'm being insane.

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

Dani Marchand — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 01:23:12 -0800

Somehow I managed to spit out a reasonably coherent 5k in the first four hours of the 29th. This may be what saves me. I'm at 95,430 words. That's 15,430 words written in 28 hours. 24,570 words to go. 43 hours and 40 minutes remaining. And I am going to cry out of frustration and exhaustion if I don't get some rest. Naptime! Good luck to all those making progress while I'm asleep.

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

cheydancer — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 08:49:46 -0800

Okay looks like it's going to be 40,000 in 48 hours...yikes.

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

xemmawhyx — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 13:06:40 -0800

I wanted 120k but I didn't write for a week. I wanted 110k but my charters won't obey me. I need 100k and the story is growing out of control... might need a bit of an allnighter for this story to end!

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

Dani Marchand — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:02:44 -0800

Well everyone, after way too long spent sleeping and idly browsing the forums, I really need to get down to business. This one needs to be a real all nighter, with as few breaks as possible. I've never written more than I did yesterday, 10k in 24 hours, so I guess it's time to smash some records.

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

Joselyn — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 19:11:39 -0800

Yeah, I'm gonna have to pull a real all-nighter too. Did some writing during work, but didn't get started as soon as I got home. So now I'm here, I've got a cup of coffee (and I don't ever drink coffee lol), and I'm ready to go.

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

Dani Marchand — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:02:18 -0800

Good luck, anyone who's still going! I only came in at 98k just before midnight on the 29th. That means in the 24 hours of the 30th, I have 22k to squeeze out. Maybe less, if my story is polite enough to end before then. Or maybe more if it's not, perish the thought.

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

Dani Marchand — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 22:09:56 -0800

1am EST, 11/30/11, and I have hit the 100k mark. This is pretty impressive, for me. 100k was my original goal at the beginning of the month, but this story is far from done. 20k, 23 hours. It can be done, right?

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

Joselyn — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 22:15:49 -0800

Totally. That's like, not even 1K an hour. You can do it :D I think I've got about 10K left. I'm torn between going to bed soon and finishing the rest tomorrow, or maybe just trying to surge ahead and do it all now.

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

Dani Marchand — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 01:19:04 -0800

Considering that you're at 99k, Joselyn...my vote is to hit at least 100 before sleeping! It's a great feeling, trust me. 4:15 am right now and I've just passed 105k, 15k to go. I have the rest of my novel plotted out. I stumbled through some rough scenes around the 100k mark, but it's all going smoothly now, and I hope it keeps up that way. The king's death scene comes next, I'm excited!

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

Dani Marchand — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 04:32:36 -0800

Somehow, miraculously, with aching wrists and much help from cooperative characters and energy drinks, I hit 110k at 7:30 this morning. That's 12k down in seven and a half hours. I had no idea I was capable of such a thing. I'm actually hoping my progress will slow a bit, having no desire to stage a repeat performance in such a short amount of time. I'll be heading out to a coffee shop in a while for the final 10k stretch, in hopes that being out of the house will keep me from accidentally sleeping through the rest of the 30th.

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

Joselyn — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 08:35:32 -0800

Well, I ended up going to bed lol. I'm glad I did, because I sort of wasn't feeling well, and now that I'm rested I feel a lot more like doing some writing. And I've got the whole day!

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

Dani Marchand — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 09:47:47 -0800

Oh, good! I took a little nap too. I'm still really impressed that I managed to only sleep a couple hours instead of the whole day. Last 8,889 words, here I come!

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

Dani Marchand — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 13:36:27 -0800

4:30 pm, 3,663 words remaining, more if OpenOffice eats some when I validate. I've just hit the start of the final battle scene. I've backed up my novel five times today. This is actually going to work out!

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

Joselyn — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 13:54:00 -0800

I just finished! Luckily in a little less than I'd predicted, which I'm happy about. Going to validate now.

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

Dani Marchand — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:32:22 -0800

Congratulations! I can't wait to get there too.

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

Dani Marchand — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:51:34 -0800

1,200 words to go as of just before 9pm and, horror of horrors, the story will not possibly be finished by that point. Soon enough.

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

Dani Marchand — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:12:12 -0800

And just after 10, I hit my goal! The epic battle scene is finally about to end. Then the epilogue, and then we can finally get some sleep. I say "we" like my characters are going to sleep too. And I suppose they will. Goodness.

Re: 40k, 72 hours. And other impossible goals.

Dani Marchand — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 20:45:54 -0800

11:43pm EST, 11/30/11, and...the story is over. The plot has ended. The validated version, complete with the word difference between OpenOffice and the NaNo validator, came to a perfect 120,045. I did it, I wrote 40k in 72 hours. 22k of that today. I can still hardly believe it. First sleep, then party.