I have been a member of Nanowrimo since 2007. (http://www.nanowrimo.org) I have participated in the November event every year since and have even been successful in the monstrous goal of 50,000 words in 30 days,five of the eight years.
I am a HUGE fan of Nanowrimo!
Every October I start thinking about what project I could work on during the Nano-riffic event. I put whatever current project I’m working on aside and come up with a new and improved writing project. Characters, plots catastrophes start floating through my head. I feel like an evil mastermind, rubbing my hands together…this will be the best book idea ever.
November comes and I take off running! The thrill of the speed and the goals push me forward. Quantity has never been an issue for me. I can throw up 1,667 words a day and not even break a sweat.
First week is great and it feels easy to keep up. Then second week hits and life begins to interrupt my stride. I start to miss a day here and a day there. But I know I can catch up on the weekend.
It’s around November 15th, I slam smack into the wall. My plot completely falls through and I am overwhelmed with the feeling of this is by far the dumbest idea I have ever had.
This is the point of failure for me on the years I was not Nano successful. The inner critic beat me down and then did a jig on my head while I lay there moaning about how my writing sucks.
But then there are the years I am successful and I punch the inner critic in the face and trudge through the mud to the finish line. YES…I’m a winner! The winner of 50,000+ words of pure writer throw up.
This is where the real work begins. Where I have to rummage through all the puke and decide whether to flush it all down the toilet or dig out a few good chunks.
This is where I am now, rummaging around with a few good chunks attempting to create a novel that is a step above colorful vomit.
The Failing Novelist 