Tag: nanowrimo

Well, that was unexpected.

I don’t just mean my word count for the day, or the fact that I finished Chapter 17 and started on 18. No, I’m talking about the direction the story took. I certainly didn’t expect the story to go that way, but it did. Once the words start coming, I can’t really stop them, despite my best efforts. So Shade had his big confrontation, and it went nothing like how I’d imagined it. That’s how it goes sometimes. Best laid plans, you know?

Previous word count: 75,193
This session’s word count: 4,837
Total word count: 80,020
Daily average: 3,637

You know, it’s hard to write a book without power. See, I write on a computer. Specifically, it’s a desktop, which means it doesn’t have a battery backup. If the power goes out, so does my capability for writing. (And today’s outage lasted an hour and a half, so a UPS wouldn’t be much use.)

Anyway, despite all that, I wrote about half of Chapter 17. I’ve set up the central conflict already, but this brings it almost to a head. And then there’s still the matter of that last quest Shade has to do, the one that will shape his entire future. Mysterious, isn’t it?

Sadly, this will be the end of my “chapter a day” streak. It was fun while it lasted, and I never thought I’d be able to run it to 8. The daily average also drops back below 3600, endangering my “stretch goal” of 100,000 words in a month. Blame EPB.

Previous word count: 72,541
This session’s word count: 2,652
Total word count: 75,193
Daily average: 3,581

Sunday is a day of rest, so I’m only writing about 3000 words.

Don’t think I cut Chapter 16 short just so I could continue this little “chapter a day” streak a little longer. The story really seemed to be at a natural stopping point. The Nocturne is in what will become his home base. He’ll be staying there for a few chapters, learning about himself, getting into mischief, and being conscripted for his final labor. Chapter 17 will start that tomorrow.

(An interesting note: this is the first day since the 12th that will have the average go down.)

Previous word count: 69,583
This session’s word count: 2,958
Total word count: 72,541
Daily average: 3,627

Look, it’s a travelogue chapter! Yep, that’s what Chapter 15 turned into. Strangely, that made it harder to write.

Anyway, Shade is in the place where so many of his questions will be answered, and he’s about to receive the quest that will take him to the end of the story. Kellis can catch up in her own time. For Chapter 16, we’ll start with a lot more scenery, I think, but that should go away at about the halfway mark, when the plot comes barging in. And speaking of halfway, I think I’ve crossed that mark now.

Previous word count: 65,073
This session’s word count: 4,510
Total word count: 69,583
Daily average: 3,662

So there’s your proof. One day, 5000 words.

Chapter 14 done, and we’ll be heading back to Shade tomorrow. Kellis is still a step or two behind him, but that’ll eventually change. Honestly, I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up. I don’t even know if I want to. But I’ll keep riding the wave as long as I can.

Previous word count: 60,072
This session’s word count: 5,001 (New record!)
Total word count: 65,073
Daily average: 3,615

Now it’s just getting ridiculous. Another day down, another chapter done, and I’ve broken 60K on the 17th. It doesn’t get any more believable, folks, trust me.

Chapter 13 is in the bag, and the Nocturne is now moving to his penultimate destination. (Yes, I used that word correctly.) I haven’t yet decided what’s next. Maybe I’ll keep following his journey, but I might instead switch back to Kellis. Her story is about to get very interesting.

Previous word count: 55,228
This session’s word count: 4,854
Total word count: 60,072
Daily average: 3,534

Now begins the endurance section. We’re past 50K now, so the goal is pushing that number as high as it’ll go.

Chapter 12 is now done. We’re back to Shade’s story, and he’s just now coming into his own, finally reaching his true potential. Yay. Next up, he’ll be butting heads with his rival, and then we might get the big reveal. At a chapter a day, that might come long before Thanksgiving. Amazing, isn’t it? I’m still finding it hard to believe.

On a technical note, I think I’ve finally figured out why I’m able to write so fast on this one. I’m not using scene breaks! Usually, I’ve got those things everywhere. They work great for, well, breaking up scenes, and my scenes typically run about 1000 words or so. They’re natural stopping points, but I’ve made a conscious effort to take them out of Nocturne. They don’t fit with the 1st-person style. They also don’t fit with me finding a place to stop for the day, so I’m finding myself wanting to write more and more to finish the chapter. Something to keep in mind, I guess.

Previous word count: 50,499
This session’s word count: 4,729
Total word count: 55,228 (50K complete!!!)
Daily average: 3,452

This update is brought to you by the letters F, T, and W. Put them in whatever order you wish.

Today is the 15th. Look at that. Just look at that. 15. Fifteen. As in the halfway point. I can’t even explain it anymore. I’m just going with it.

Previous word count: 45,892
This session’s word count: 4,607
Total word count: 50,499 🎉 🎊🎊🎊 🎉
Daily average: 3,367

I’m not even tired this time.

Chapter 10 is now complete. Call it the end of Act II, as it concludes the arc started around Chapter 6. Shade’s back on the move again, heading for the major plotline. He’ll have to wait a while to find it, however, as Chapter 11 will cut back to Kellis. That’ll be a nice change of pace, especially considering what kind of pace I’ve been on the past couple days.

Previous word count: 41,238
This session’s word count: 4,654
Total word count: 45,892
Daily average: 3,278

Wow. Just…wow.

Sometimes you get in a groove. That’s really all I can say. Chapter 9 is done. The Nocturne did his good deed for the day, and we’ll start to see the fallout of that next time. Other things to note about this day: this might be the longest chapter I’ve ever written, at 7,715 words; that may top all the Otherworld chapters in length. And I now know I can write 5K in a day. Technically, it’s only 4,991 this time around, but what’s nine words between friends? Anyway, I think I have truly reached my ultimate limit.

One final note: since I wrote all this after midnight, I’ve switched the daily average back to whole numbers of days. That’d be 13 today.

Previous word count: 36,249
This session’s word count: 4,991 (new record!)
Total word count: 41,238
Daily average: 3,172