I declare defeat today at 17,000 words. My original plot wasn't (it turns out) ambitious enough, and I ended up finishing it all with 66% of my novel left to go.
It's a shame because until I hit this point a couple of days ago, I was enjoying it and really making progress.
Now I just struggle for hours and end up writing barely any words in a vain attempt to stretch it out, and it's just not fun anymore.
Better luck next year for me, I'll be writing an epic saga of a plot first, so there will be no chance of struggling with 50,000 words;)
Anyone else in a similar boat?
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19,400 / 50,000
nov. 14, 2009 - 10 38
I'm getting close - I meant to write a chunk today, but ended up procrastinating all day. Work has got on top of me again, and I can't seem to break free long enough to actually write anything. I last wrote 4 days ago, and have no enthusiasm - I'll think about it tonight and see where I stand....
50,001 / 50,000
nov. 14, 2009 - 12 52
Not bad though at 19,400. I realise Sunday marks the half way point though. I figured unless i hit 25k on Sunday there was no point in continuing.
I have to confess at the risk of sounding like a whiner that after I gave up I immediately felt so much better, like a burden was lifed. It let me step back and think about what went wrong and how I would fix it next year.
I realised that the problem was exactly that I had ran out of plot, and without any direction I couldn't write anything.
The more I thought about how much of a silly thing to fail nanowrimo on it was, the more I thought I should continue. My housemate was disappointed, and I don't want to let the other people down who have been grinning in disbelief at my venture.
So I have now given up on 18,400 words and plan on giving up on 21,000 by tonight. Then with any luck I can give up on nanowrimo by 25k tomorrow and then keep giving up all the way to 50k.
3,071 / 50,000
nov. 14, 2009 - 15 47
i think i may have to. i'm swamped with work and going away next saturday and i'm only at 3k. :( this will be the first time in six years i've not finished nanowrimo!
19,400 / 50,000
nov. 15, 2009 - 06 12
Ok it's definite - I am out now.
It seems the problem with being a knight in shining armour is that dragons choose the worst time to attack. Given the choice between writing a novel and talking down two good friends from the point of suicide, I have to go with the friends.
As soon as I can get the chance I'll revisit my story and start writing it up properly, but with everything that's going on that won't happen this month. Thank you all for everything, and I hope you are all more successful than I am.
Pooka
50,113 / 50,000
nov. 15, 2009 - 13 12
No! I was seriously considering it. On Friday, I had about 12,000 and needed like 23,000. Yesterday I wrote 3000 and today I've written about 7000. I'm not stopping until I get 25k, which is today's target. 12,000 word weekend? Not impossible! I'm sorry if this looks like I'm rubbing my triumph in your face (and I promise I'm not)- I'm posting here to try and encourage those thinking of giving up on their novel to continue. It doesn't matter how you keep going- by killing off MCs, by changing the plot, no matter how, try your best!
----------75,149 / 50,000
nov. 17, 2009 - 13 12
Guys,
Big hugs to everyone who's feeling like they can't make it. It's my first nano and I'm really pleased with how it's going but I know I've been lucky and I'm honestly not trying to brag.
If you really can't make it then don't worry, just take it on the chin, but if you still want to write and you're just stuck on plot, then I really really recommend you give it another go. However much you write, whether it's 20,000 or 50,000, it's still a massive acheivement, and the thing is it doesn't matter whether it's any good or logical, it's just the achievement of setting yourself a challenge and going for it. A lot of the forums give advice on what to do if your plot dries up - kill off your characters and start again, or take them down a whole new path, but KEEP GOING! Honestly, you can write off the beginning part or throw it all out or edit to the point of destruction in December, but for now KEEP GOING!
And then you'll feel so good when you've done it, you won't care that it's a load of rubbish!
Big up the Bristol area!
Jen
40,630 / 50,000
nov. 29, 2009 - 15 04
I'm making a valiant effort but I don't have enough time left to win this year.
I'm sad. I've never failed before. Life has just been too busy this month and I haven't been rash enough to forgo sleep this year. I think I'm getting old.
----------"It's not easy having a good time. Even smiling makes my face ache."
50,001 / 50,000
nov. 29, 2009 - 15 31
Well, as you can probably see from my original post, I was on the verge of quitting.... and somehow I turned it around.
I hope that other people who are close to giving up, even at this stage, try to stick it out as best they can.
I finally hit the 50k mark, although the end of it was just filler really since the novel ended about 49k words in....
Good luck everyone else!