So, we’re four days in to (Inter)National Novel Writing Month (at least in my time zone) and as another two thousand words sits smugly in a word document creatively titled ‘Day 4’ I though I would take some time to reflect on the NaNo journey so far.
I will admit, even going into the event, I was nervous. I’m usually terrible at keeping to a daily word count let alone one so high (I’m aware this is relative as some people can churn out three thousand words in a single setting and well done to them but at this stage, I cannot) however, being able so see how many words by writing buddies have spurs me on. The first day I looked at some of the words counts which had already reached a lofty 3 or 4 thousand words and thought ‘my 1800 isn’t good enough, tomorrow I’ll write 2000’ which is good, to an extent. The problem lies in the fact that I can feel that I’m close to letting it drop and my mad dash over the past few days to stay ahead of the word count will soon amount to nothing and then I’ll look at the word counts and think myself a failure. Which I’m not and you’re not either, even if you cannot keep up with the crazy goals others are setting themselves.
NaNo also happens to fall right in the middle of my end of year exams which is problematic to say the least. While I am making my word counts thus far, the amount of study I’ve done is laughable. However, in the knowledge that I’ll take any excuse not to study, I set out my own daily word goals which still total 50k but mean that on days that I have exams and in the lead up to those exams, I can take the pace a bit slower because at the end of the day, university results are more important than NaNo. Blasphemy, I know.
All in all though, the whole experience has gone a lot better than I expected. Starting out, I doubted I’d make the word counts but I have so far and even made my own higher one’s which means tomorrow I can focus on that pesky thing called an essay that’s worth 40% of my overall mark. No biggie. I look forward to the rest of NaNo and on Wednesday for WIPpet Wednesday, I’ll be posting an excerpt from the landfill of words that is my NaNo work. I’m not even willing to think about how much editing this beast is going to need!
Best of luck to all you other NaNo-ers and those of you watching from the sidelines. You can also add me as a writing buddy under Amelia Browne
R.E. Navan 
I commend you on doing NaNo while having papers for school! And you are doing better than I am in terms of word count! I am hoping to FINALLY get on today’s quota so that I can stop playing catch up and start playing. I think we are on a similar time zone! Where are you located?
I think it is easy to get caught up in word goals, and it is easy to look at other people and tell yourself that they are doing better than you because they are already halfway done already (those jerks!) but we need to remind ourselves that it is better to set goals that make us feel accomplished and forget about everyone else! We should also be happy with our progress, and even just our gaul to undertake this challenge in the first place! Keep going!!
Haha thanks for the inspiring response! 🙂 Right now, I’m just taking it a day at a time and I am more confident now that I can complete the 50k than I was at the start of NaNo but even if I only make it 30 or 40k I’ll be content in the knowledge that I can write everyday and I can write heaps every day and I no longer have an excuse to put off writing. And as for time zones, I’m in eastern Australia which is similar(?) to Japan’s time zone. 🙂
Nice! Yeah I read your Writing Goals page and I think by the end of NaNo, you will have finished most of those! Cool! I am glad someone else is near my time zone haha… I always feel bad when my friends in America are ahead of me in word count while I am a day ahead of them XD