NaNoWriMo 2020: Days 23-30 (Final Week!)

We’ve officially reached the final week of NaNoWriMo.

For once in my life, I’m actually… kind of on track to reaching my word count goal? 🤔 But let’s see what happens this week.

~Day 23~

For the first time in 3 days, I sat down to do some writing. I was tired, and the words didn’t come very fast to me. But I finally go my butt back in the chair and showed up for my writing, and I think that was what really mattered.

Snippet of the day:

“Good food,” I comment – the first thing I’ve said in nearly an hour.

Written today: 1,297

Total word count: 47,335

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~Day 24~

So… today was different.

I got up.

I showed up.

And I wrote…

…an essay.

So I had to write an essay this week, and my teacher encouraged that we try to do it like a diploma essay – which meant writing for 2 hours straight. I needed a good chunk of time, and the only point in the day other than early in the morning was later in the afternoon. I figured that I would be tired if I tried to do it in the afternoon, which meant taking the time I usually designate to writing my story and giving it to the essay. (I did finish it… after 3 hours. 😂)

However, this does free me up for the rest of the week! This essay was basically all we had to do this week, which means that I could potentially find some time hidden away during the day that I could donate to my WIP. 😛

No snippet today.

Written today: 0

Total word count: 47,335

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~Day 25~

I was up late the night before, I knew I had to do a driving lesson today…

Yet it felt like I hadn’t written in forever. (I actually didn’t realize till writing this part of the post and checking above that it had only been 1 day. It seriously feels like it’s been longer. 😂) (though, to be fair, I hadn’t written for 3 days before that last writing session) I was kind of desperate to be able to sit down and just get into my character’s heads again.

So, I got up anyway, and ended up getting through 2 cups of coffee this morning. Yes, this is totally healthy, why are you looking at me like that?

As I was writing, I noticed how close my word-count tracker was getting to the fully complete goal.

I finished my scene, noticed I had 800 words till I hit 50k, and decided to just push through a *tiny* bit. Just this once.

And then…

I did it! I finished NaNoWriMo at 6:32 a.m. 😃

Snippet of the day:

“I’ll be fine,” she waves it off, strong as ever. But as she turns away, I notice her swiping away a tear. “Why don’t you make you and Tobias a warm drink? You’re freezing! What were you doing, lying on ice?”

Written today: 2,836

Total word count: 50,171

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~Day 26~

I had a typo here that said it was day 126 – though, honestly, it kind of feels like that by this point. 😂

Even though I’ve hit my NaNoWriMo goal, the month isn’t over yet! So I’ll still continue updating each day until November is over. 😉

I had a random typo where I tried to type ‘Thanks’ but instead wrote ‘Granks’. 🧐

I used the expression of my characters thoughts being a million miles away, and then instantly started snickering. My dad, two of my sisters, and I have an inside joke about 8 miles away, and my mind instantly jumped there. 😆

Also, I made up another overnight oats recipe last night! It’s actually pretty good 😃 Some people did request I post the one I mentioned last week, so I’m working on getting a good recipe down for you. 😉

Snippet of the day:

“We sell coffee,” I offer. “If you head around to the front, you could grab a cup to go.”

He snorts. “I just may have to.”

Rude. It’s not like it’s my fault that the oven came in today.

Written today: 1,497

Total word count: 51,668

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~Day 27~

There are parent-teacher interviews with my school today, so I technically have the day off. (I don’t; I have an assignment I need to do still 😛 ) I let myself sleep in till 6:00, which was heavenly, put on a yellow shirt that I love, and went upstairs.

I then proceeded to write 24 words before I shut the computer. 😂 I just wasn’t feeling it.

Instead, I chatted a bit with my mom over breakfast, played some of her game on her phone (Emoji Blitz – anyone else have this one? It’s a fun Disney game where you get to win emojis for your keyboard for when you text 😉) and went hunting for Christmas gift ideas for like the third time this week. (I’m bad with finding something I want, okay? 😅 And my grandparents needed a list.)

But nope, still didn’t write after that! 😆 Instead, I went and wrapped up my Kris Kringle’s gift! I don’t know if you do this, but in my family, we draw names from a hat, and we get that person a gift that costs up to $20. I think this thing also goes by the name Secret Santa? It’s basically a secret gift exchange, so you don’t have to get everyone something, and it’s really fun. 😃 I won’t say which sister I got, seeing as some of my family reads my blog, but I had a blast wrapping the gift. If you didn’t know, I have a deep love of wrapping gifts. 🤣

I’ve been on such a strict schedule for the past 2 months or so, that it just felt really good to be a little spontaneous about what I was doing; I am a very goal-driven person, but once and while, it’s nice to just let myself drift through a day in a relaxed way like this.

Of course, after that I had to go do schoolwork. 😆 Not *quite* as fun 😜 

For the snippet of the day, I present to you: literally everything I wrote today.

We dig in – tacos tonight. Mother got her recipe for our salsa from a friend, and I’m not even exaggerating when I say that it’s the best.

Written today: 27

Total word count: 51,695

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~Day 28~

Last day of driver’s ed! I had to take a test afterwards, and was just mentally exhausted by the time I got home. I cleaned, helped out, and did not write. I actually had been planning since summer to go out today and do some writing at a coffee shop; ending NaNoWriMo by doing that is kind of a tradition. But where I live, things got shut down literally today, and I couldn’t go out to do that. Boo.

No snippet.

Written today: 0

Total word count: 51,695

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~Day 29~

We set up and decorated our tree, and I still didn’t write. 😛

No snippet.

Written today: 0

Total word count: 51,695

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~Day 30~

Last day of November! I’m posting this in the morning, so I’m only counting the morning writing session.

I usually listen to music while I’m working, but today I left my headphones off. We’ve started listening to Christmas music, and that just doesn’t fit my current scene. (Or, you know… the next 13. 😅 😂)

It felt pretty good to finally get to sit down again and play around with my characters. Now that I’m past both the Midpoints, I get to enter the fun zone of the book. Well, I mean, the whole thing has been fun But even more so. Internal conflict is really starting to brew, and it will all blow up in my character’s faces at the 3rd Plot Point. *rubs hands eagerly*

Snippet of the day:

I cheerfully eat the rest of my dinner – though I can’t help but feel like my family is sort of side-eyeing me, as if expecting me to do something else unexpected, like burst into flames or something.

Written today: 1,572

Total word count: 53,267

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Sooooooo that was the least amount of writing I did during a single week of all NaNoWriMo. 😅 Oops.

But we made it to the end of the challenge!! (funny story: I prepared drafts of all these NaNoWriMo posts so I could easily fill it out now back at the beginning of August. So… that line felt weird for me to write then. 😂)

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Days -1-5: 14,011

Days 2-8: 10,511

Days 9-15: 9,712

Days 16-22: 11,936

Days 23-30: 7,229

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Best Week: Days -1-5 with 14,011 words

Best Day: Day 17 with 5,693 words

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I’m going to have a super epic post next week to celebrate NaNoWriMo where I’ll share information about my own story (something I don’t usually do), so make sure you’re subscribed! You’ll get a free 7-day course on how to defeat writer’s block butt, emails with exclusive insider info, and the monthly password to my Resources page! 😃 Can’t wait to see you on the inside!

How did your NaNoWriMo go?

Did you hit the 50k?

Are you excited for next week’s post? 😉

-Julia

Photo by Timo Wielinkon Unsplash