I did it!


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Very happy and excited to have gone beyond my 50K already:)) It’s a great feeling to finish a book. Never gets old. And to finish a first draft in less than a month? I could not do it without NaNa inspiring me!

This morning before I started writing I had a vague idea of how I wanted my story to end. I knew I wanted to celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with my characters. I knew I wanted to provide the “sting in the tale” of my murder plot. I knew I wanted to advance the arcs of the main characters. I wanted a happy ending for everyone.

What I didn’t know was exactly how I’d do it. But I had faith. It’s a first draft. It doesn’t have to be the perfect final form the novel will take. So I gave myself permission to write as clumsily as necessary in order to affix my ideas to the page. And then the magic happened.

Structure effortlessly came together for me and I was able to lay my plot out and finish the third act. I didn’t think it would happen today but when you are this close to the end it’s very difficult to stop. I’d given myself permission to stop if I needed to. Take a night to dream it over. But then found to my happiness that I didn’t need more time. The perfect ending (well, perfect for now) wrote itself.

Thanks in no small part to the energy of writers around the world who participated with me in this annual event and for Chris Baty and his NaNo team for the incredible work they do to help us come together this way.

 

12 responses to “I did it!”

  1. junekearns Avatar

    That’s pretty inspirational, Cynthia!

  2. annemitchuk Avatar

    Well done! A great achievement. 🙂

    1. Cynthia Harrison Avatar

      I’m waiting for your next book, Anne:)

      1. annemitchuk Avatar

        Ahem… The Phd has been taking priority for the last few weeks, but thank you – I do need to get on with it. Inspired by your 50k in less than a month!

  3. jenanita01 Avatar

    Why am I not surprised, and nearly a week left…

    1. Cynthia Harrison Avatar

      :)))) This is my third time with NaNo. First time I finished barely by end of month. Second time I didn’t finish. This time, done early. Must be retirement, haha!

      1. jenanita01 Avatar

        I have only done it once, but the sense of achievement is staggering…

  4. jenanita01 Avatar

    Reblogged this on Anita Dawes & Jaye Marie and commented:
    congratulations!

  5. Terry Tyler Avatar
    Terry Tyler

    Well done, my dear! xx

  6. Rebecca Lovell Avatar

    Congrats! I finished mine on Friday and you’re right – no feeling quite like it!

    1. Cynthia Harrison Avatar

      Rebecca, congratulations to you too!! Yay:))

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