NaNoWriMo

Jump to: NaNoWriMo | Preptober

December 2022

Overall Totals

Prose words written: 2386 words
Writing time: 2.75 hours

Outline words written: 3980 words
Planning / prep / outlining time: 18.5 hours

Thurs. Dec. 22

  • 3 hours plotting
    10:30-1:30pm (Cave)
    extremely fruitful plot adjustments

Weds. Dec. 21

  • 1 hour planning (character arc)
    11:30-12:30pm (Cave)
    extremely slow progress, painful

Week two overview

Prose words written: 2386 words
Writing time: 2.75 hours

Outline words written: 0 words
Planning / prep / outlining time: 5.5 hours

Fri. Dec. 16

  • 15 minutes planning (brainstorming)
    7-7:15pm
  • 1 hour planning (plotting)
    12:30-1:30pm (Cave)

Thurs. Dec. 15

  • 2.5 hours planning (brainstorming, plotting)
    3:30-4, 4-5, 5-6 (Caves)

Weds. Dec. 14

  • 2 hours 45 minutes writing (502 / 909 /975 words)
    10:30-1:30pm (Cave)

Tues. Dec. 13

  • 1 hour planning (worksheet)
    6:20-6:50pm, 7:30-8pm (pomodoros)
    slow going but not hard

Mon. Dec. 12

  • 45 minutes planning (worksheet)
    2-2:45pm (Cave)
    got a headache, thinking slow

Week one overview

Prose words written: 0 words
Writing time: 0 hours

Outline words written: 3980 words
Planning / prep / outlining time: 9 hours

Thurs. Dec. 8

  • 2.5 hours planning (chapter worksheet) and outlining (1341 words)
    10:30-1:30pm (Cave)

Wed. Dec. 7

  • 3 hours planning (chapter worksheet) and outlining (806 / 929 / 479)
    10:30-1:30pm (Cave)

Tues. Dec. 6

  • 45 minutes outlining (192 words) and planning (chapter worksheet + notes on future and recent chapters)
    8:45-9:20pm (pomodoro+)
  • 45 minutes planning (chapter worksheet) and outlining (233 words)
    7:30-8:15pm (pomodoro+)

Mon. Dec. 5

  • 1 hour prepping (chapter worksheet + outline update)
    3-4pm (Cave)
    lots of good thinking happening
  • 1 hour prepping (file setup, big picture planning)
    2-3pm (Cave)
    feeling a little tired

NaNoWriMo 2022

Overall Totals

Prose words written: 44075 words
Writing time: 55.25 hours

Outline words written: 13273 words
Planning / prep / outlining time: 24.75 hours

Week Five Overview

Prose words written: 4932 words
Writing time: 6.75 hours

Outline words written: 1283 words
Planning / prep / outlining time: 1.25 hours

Weds. Nov. 30

  • 30 minutes cleanup / planning + 30 minutes outlining (789 words)
    7:40-8:40pm
  • 30 minutes writing (313 words) + 1 hour writing (508 words) + 30 minutes writing (326 words) + 15 minutes outlining (494 words)
    10:45-11:15am, 11:30-12:30, 12:30-1:30 (Cave)
    dealing with a headache, a case of the mehs, and a shitty outline

Tues. Nov. 29

  • 1 hour writing (787 words)
    3-4pm (Cave)
    decent going
  • 1 hour writing (1005 words)
    2-3pm (Cave)
    got in the flow
  • 2 hours 45 minutes writing (427 / 686 / 880 words)
    10:30-1:30pm (Cave)
    slow start but got rolling

Week Four Overview

Prose words written: 5876 words
Writing time: 6.75 hours

Outline words written: 6350 words
Planning / prep / outlining time: 10.25 hours

Mon. Nov. 28

  • 30 minutes writing (417 words), 45 minutes (660 words), 45 minutes (532 words)
    10:45-11:30am, 11:40-12:30pm, 12:40-1:30pm (Cave)
    slogging through the first sprint, better in the second and third

Sun. Nov. 27

  • 1 hour 30 minutes writing (448 / 579 words)
    7:50-8:20pm (pomodoro)
    moving slow

Sat. Nov. 26

  • 1.5 hours writing (386 / 520 / 668 words)
    6:45-7:15pm, 7:20-7:50pm, 8-8:30pm (3 pomodoros+)
  • 1 hour 45 minutes writing (890 / 776 words)
    11:30-12:30pm, 12:30-1:30pm (Cave)

Fri. Nov. 25

Day 25 reflection

  • 1 hour 15 minutes outlining (2370 words)
    8:40-9:35
    on a fucking roll
  • 30 minutes outlining (629 words)
    6:45-7:15pm
  • 1 hour outlining (1337 words)
    3-4pm (Cave)
    finishing out with decent energy but ready for a break
  • 30 minutes outlining (623 words) + 30 minutes planning (chapter sheet)
    2-3pm (Cave)
    got in a groove
  • 2.5 hours outlining (615 / 416 words) + planning (chapter worksheets)
    10:40-11:30, 11:35-12:30, 12:35-1:30pm (Cave)
    Planned the next four chapters, feels good to figure out what the plot is in more detail

Thurs. Nov. 24

  • 1 hour brainstorming
    3:30-4:30pm
    hard going, lots of resistance, not feeling it

Weds. Nov. 23

  • 1 hour outlining (chapter worksheet + outline (360 words))
    4-5pm (Cave)
    felt decent

Tues. Nov. 22

  • 2 hours planning (timeline + file cleanup)
    10:30-12:30pm (Cave)

Week Three Overview

Prose words written: 8699 words
Writing time: 10.75 hours

Outline words written: 1697 words
Planning / prep / outlining time: 6.5 hours

Mon. Nov. 21

Day 21 reflection

  • 1.25 hours planning (timeline)
    6:45-8:00pm
    decent energy
  • 1 hour writing (727 words)
    5-6pm (Cave)
    feeling good, finished chapter
  • 1.75 hours planning (plotting + character arc) + 1 hour writing (702 words)
    10:30-1:30pm (Cave)
    resistance and fatigue

Sun. Nov. 20

  • 30 minutes writing (496 words)
    8:30-9:00pm (1 pomodoro)
    wrapped one scene and started the next
  • 30 minutes writing (667 words)
    7:30-8:00pm (1 pomodoro)
    good flow — detailed outline a big help
  • 30 minutes writing (609 words)
    5:30-6:00pm (1 pomodoro)

Sat. Nov. 19

  • 1 hour writing (465 / 420 words)
    6:45-7:15pm, 7:25-7:50pm (2 pomodoros+)
    resistance to starting but ok energy

Fri. Nov. 18

  • 2 hour 15 minutes writing (643 / 545 / 446 words) + 45 minutes organizing / file cleanup
    10:45-11:30, 11:30-12:30, 12:30-1pm (Cave) 1-1:45pm
    moving a little slow

Thurs. Nov. 17

Day 17 reflection

  • 1 hour outlining (843 / 854 words)
    10-10:30pm, 11-11:30pm (Discord with friend, 2 pomodoros+)
    tricky section but outlining worked it through
  • 1 hour planning (chapter worksheets)
    2-3pm (Cave)
    quick progress

Weds. Nov. 16

  • 30 minutes planning + 2.5 hours writing (303 / 665 / 698 words)
    10:30-1:30pm (Cave)
    easier going

Tues. Nov. 15

  • 1.5 hours writing (528 / 410 / 375 words)
    10:10-10:40pm, 10:45-11:15pm, 11:20-11:45pm (Discord call with friend)
    jumped ahead in the same scene to get to the point
  • 15 minutes planning (chapter worksheet)
    1:15-1:30pm (Cave)

Week Two Overview

Prose words written: 10409 words
Writing time: 14.25 hours

Outline words written: 1680 words
Planning / prep / outlining time: 1.5 hours

Mon. Nov. 14

  • 30 minutes writing (290 words)
    10-10:30pm
    tired and slow going
  • 3 hours writing (616 / 523 / 525 words)
    10:30-12:30pm (Cave)
    a little tired

Sun. Nov. 13

  • 30 minutes writing (517 words)
    10:30-11:00pm (pomodoro)
    begrudging start, and my cat got mad I wasn’t cuddling him halfway through 😂

Sat. Nov. 12

Day 11 & 12 reflection

  • 30 minutes outlining (942 words) + 45 minutes updating outline and planning future scenes (563 words)
    9:40-10:05pm, 10:40-11:20 (Discord call with friend)
    outline flowing smoothly

Fri. Nov. 11

  • 2.75 hours writing (682 / 599 / 457 words) and 15 minutes outlining (175 words)
    10:30-1:30pm (Cave)

Thurs. Nov. 10

Days 8, 9 & 10 reflection

  • 1 hour 45 minutes writing (568 / 552 / 522 / 383 words)
    9-9:30pm, 9:40-10:10, 10:20-10:50, 10:55-11:10 (on Discord call with friend, 3 pomodoros)
    a little stuck at first, then decent

Weds. Nov. 9

  • 1 hour writing (698 words)
    2-3pm (Cave)
    having fun
  • 2 hours writing (387 / 661 / 440 words)
    11:00-12:30pm, 1-1:30pm (Cave)
    slow going — couldn’t decide whose POV to use next — but starting to have fun tormenting the heroine 😆

Tues. Nov. 8

  • 2 hours 40 minutes writing (602 / 811 / 576 words)
    10:45-11:30am, 11:30-12:30pm, 12:30-1:30pm (Cave)
    lots of resistance to starting, slogging a bit — second and third work blocks better, realized I needed to insert another scene

Week One Overview

Prose words written: 14159 words
Writing time: 16.75 hours

Outline words written: 2438 words
Planning / prep / outlining time: 6 hours

Mon. Nov. 7

Day seven reflection

  • 1.5 hours writing (442 / 565 / 449 words)
    9:30-11:00pm (3 pomodoros) – with a friend on Discord
    pretty steady going though I’m dragging this scene longer than it needs to be
  • 2.5 hours writing (803 / 777 / 474) and 30 minutes outlining (793 words)
    10:30-1:30pm (Cave)
    felt decent after a bit of a tough start finding the voice

Sun. Nov. 6

Day six reflection

  • 30 minutes outlining the (first third of the) first scene (662 words)
    7:25-7:50pm (pomodoro)
    getting excited blocking out this first scene
  • 30 minutes filling in chapter worksheets and planning settings
    6:45-7:15pm (pomodoro)
  • 1 hour filling in chapter worksheets and planning settings
    12:30-1:30pm (Cave)
  • 1 hour updating worksheets
    11:30-12:30pm (Cave)
  • 45 minutes writing (977+90 words)
    10:30-11:30am (Cave)
    smooth going

Sat. Nov. 5

Days four and five reflection

  • 1.5 hour writing (581 / 608 / 615 words)
    10-11:30pm (3 pomodoros)
    took a lot of effort to get to the computer but smooth writing

Fri. Nov. 4

  • 45 minutes writing (636 words) + brief outline (220 words)
    2-2:45pm (Cave)
    tired but decent speed

Thurs. Nov. 3

Day three reflection

  • 1 hour 15 minutes writing (1062 words)
    7-8:15pm (Cave)
    didn’t want to start, but getting in a groove by the end
  • 1 hour writing (642 words) + short outline (130 words)
    2-3pm (Cave)
    high resistance, some fatigue

Weds. Nov 2

Day two reflection

  • 1 hour 30 minutes writing (331 / 807 words) + 30 minutes outlining two scenes (454+83 words)
    7-8pm, 8-9pm
    first block felt long, got into a rhythm in the second sprint
  • 2 hours writing (749 / 922 words)
    10:30-11:30am, 11:30-12:30pm (Cave)
    slow going first hour, picked up the second hour

Tues. Nov 1

Day one reflection

  • 3 hours writing a brief outline (337 words) and prose (434 / 721 / 767 words)
    6-7pm, 7-8pm, 8-9pm (Caves)
    second sprint the toughest but pushed through a bit of fatigue
  • 1 hour writing a brief outline (109 words) and prose (707 words)
    12:30-1:30pm (Cave)
    prose came smoothly
  • 30 minutes polishing blurb and 1 hour completing character sheet
    10:30-11:30am, 11:30-12:30pm (Cave)
    high energy
  • 30 minutes filling out story overview worksheet
    10-10:30am

Preptober 2022

Total monthly preparation hours: 56 hours

  • 2 hours prepping outline
    2-4pm (Caves)
    decent energy, distracted and ready to be done by the end

  • 2 hours brainstorming scenes and applying to story framework
    11-12, 12-1pm
    feeling tired, feeling bad about the plot

  • 1.5 hours brainstorming scenes to counter misbelief
    8-9pm (Cave), 9-9:30pm
    good energy and focus, feeling a little tired at finish
  • 2 hours working on misbelief and plot
    2-3, 3-4pm (Cave)
    feeling tired during the 2-3 block, more focus and energy for 3-4 but tired by the end, finally had a breakthrough on what I’ve been stuck on for days
  • 3 hours identifying character enneagrams and working on misbelief and theme
    10:30-1:30 (Cave)
    stayed focused

  • 2 hours exploring concept, pairing themes and misbeliefs
    2-4pm
    went quickly but tired by the end
  • 3 hours writing out character backstory, brainstorming misbeliefs, brainstorming theme
    10:30-1:30
    went quickly, third sprint a little restless

  • 1.5 hours refining Excel outline
    7:15-9:00pm with 15 minute break
    some resistance to getting started, got tired after an hour, took a break but still antsy and lost focus quickly
  • 2 hours updating index card outline and Excel outline
    12:30-2:30pm
    starting to fade by the end

  • 2 hours doing index card planning for book 1
    8-10pm
    hard time getting going, but got into the swing after a bit

  • 1 hour revising blurbs
    11-12 noon (Cave)
    super groggy, slow thinking

  • 45 minutes creating series bible
    6:45-7:30pm
    decent energy
  • 3 hours evaluating series arc options and writing out arc elements for first three books
    10:30-1:30 (Cave)
    energy fading towards the end

  • 4 hours writing blurb for alternate new book premise
    2-6pm – four 1-hour Caves
    good energy throughout
  • 1.75 hours refining Black Moment and writing series arc
    10:30-1:30 (Cave) with two 20 minute distractions and 30 minutes of research
    very unfocused and distractable

  • 3 hours writing a blurb for the new book
    10:30-1:30 (Cave)
    decent energy given I didn’t sleep great last night, but calling it quits with three hours of work today

  • 2 hours writing out series arc and plot considerations for the first two books
    2-4pm (1-hour Caves)
    decent energy until 3:30ish then faded fast
  • 3 hours exploring possible hooks and Story Grid exercise
    10:30-1:30 (Cave)
    went pretty quickly

  • 1 hour working on character sheets
    2-3pm (Cave)
  • 3 hours filling in character sheets, brainstorming scenes, and index card outlining
    10:30-1:30 (Cave)

  • 1.25 hour index card outlining
    8-9pm (Cave), 9-9:15pm
    high energy
  • 45 minutes index card outlining
    2-2:45pm
    super low energy after lunch
  • 1.5 hours in Story Grid exercise and 1.5 hours index card outlining
    10:30-1:30 (Cave)
    went fast!

  • 3 hours outlining in Excel and completing Story Grid exercise
    10:30-1:30 (Cave)
    Pretty strong resistance in the second sprint but shifting tactics let me push through a third sprint

  • 1 hour outlining on paper
    2:00-3:00 (Cave)
    Figured out the problem that’s messing everything else up
  • 1 hour reading a revision book and brainstorming
    3:00-4:00 (Cave)
    Identified a possible solution to my plot problem

  • 2 hours outlining in Excel
    10:30-1:00 (Cave)
    High resistance, decent progress
  • 1 hour outlining in Excel with more detailed beat sheet
    4-5pm
    Somehow feeling more muddled