My Writing Ramblings: Reflections on National Novel Writing Month 2015

Wow. We’ve reached December. My countdown to Christmas has begun. My Christmas Card list has been made (and they sit on the side waiting to be done.) I have my beautiful Christmas tree up (nothing like a real one) and I can legitimately sing Christmas songs without getting funny looks from people (well, kind of. My singing is terrible.)

This time of the year also means that National Novel Writing Month is once again over for another year. I always have a mixture of emotion when I finish NaNoWriMo. On the one hand, I am relived and pleased that it is done. 1,667 words a day is a lot to commit to and it is easier said than done to reach on a daily basis when all you want to do is curl up and sleep or have family commitments or in my case, a holiday. On the other hand though, I am sad it is over. By now, I am in the bubble of the NaNoWriMo thing. I have got into the swing of my story. It is around now that I am past the moments where I have found it hard going and the threat of my laptop meeting my wall have been temporarily suspended.

It is now that I realise how much I do enjoy doing it and I remember why I put myself through the ups and downs of National Novel Writing Month every year. I love the process of being drawn into the story and the lives of my characters. It is also so satisfying to reach that 50,000 goal and knowing that I’ve managed to complete what is an enormous undertaking.

It can be so easy to get caught up in just getting to that word goal that it can be so easily forgotten that it’s an amazing achievement to reach it or start in the first place. It should be celebrated in a big way. Your way of celebrating could be a glass of wine, a lovely bar of your favourite chocolate or a big well deserved soak in a bubble bath but it is important that we do mark it with something.

If anyone has even tried taking part in this huge writing challenge (even if you didn’t finish,) then we should all be proud of ourselves. Many people talk about starting a book. We did. That is amazing. Now, the next challenge is finishing.

by

Laura

I'm Laura. I started Novel Kicks back in 2009 as I wanted a place to discuss books and writing - two loves of my life. As someone who has anxiety, these two things give me, and I am sure countless others, a much needed escape.
There is a monthly book club, writing exercises, prompts, reviews, author interviews, competitions and guest posts. I cover many genres and I hope there is something for everyone.
I grew up by the sea in Dorset and currently live in Poole with my husband, Chris and three cats. I love writing and have a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing from Falmouth University. I am writing my first book. If only I could stop pressing delete. Chris has threatened to stop it from working. Haha.
I have always loved creative writing since I was in first school and would very much like to meet my teacher, Miss Sayers, to say thank you for all the encouragement she gave me then.
When not writing, I love reading, cats, Disney, singing (I can't sing but this doesn't stop me,) and falling into a good TV show or film. If I could step into any fictional world, it would be amongst the characters in ABC's Once Upon a Time.
I love reading many genres and discovering new authors.