I admit my first experience with NaNoWriMo was probably not the typical experience. I stumbled into it purely by accident. I think that maybe should be the tagline for Slow Motion Whirlwind. “I stumbled into it by accident.” It works for me and it works for Emmeline. But that’s literally a whole separate story so onward!
My first NaNoWriMo was not planned and it was not purposeful. By that I mean, I didn’t plan to do NaNoWriMo and I didn’t really have a goal to finish a certain amount of words in a certain amount of days, I just wrote my story. So I finished NaNoWriMo (rebel edition), finished a novel, and did none of it with a plan.
I don’t say this to imply that my methodology is the best and I’m superior to people who plan stuff; in fact, I am trying to say the opposite. Since I did not plan any of this, I have no way of repeating it. There is no formula in my brain for how to finish a novel except “sit down and write some stuff and see what comes out.” I think that is part of what’s making the idea of a second novel so intimidating: I don’t know what I did to succeed.
How do you set goals for yourself? Are you purposeful and methodical, or do you sit down and throw stuff at the walls until something god sticks? Do you think it is possible to be successful in both methods, or do specific people work best one way or the other?
Check out more posts about Slow Motion Whirlwind or click for details on my works in progress.
Eliza Solares 