My Post-NaNoWriMo Plans

I cannot believe December is almost halfway over and I am only now just thinking about my post-NaNoWriMo plans.

Well, at least we’re here now!

For the last NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month: an international, online writing event that takes place every year during November and encourages writers to write 50k words in 30 days), I wrote around 25,000 words for my Aztec fantasy novel. However, clearly, I did not finish in the 30 days which means I need to keep working on it.

I hope that many of you, like me, took a little bit of a break from writing after NaNoWriMo ended. Even if you did not hit that 50k word goal, you deserve a break! While I only wrote 25k, I did write a little bit (almost) every day and that is a lot of energy. I didn’t anticipate taking a break from writing, but I have only sat down to work on my project a few times since November 30 and then decided that nope, I need to take a few days off. And that’s okay! My body and mind needed a break, but now, I feel the creativity seeping back in.

It’s time to talk about my post-NaNoWriMo plans.

Since the holidays are approaching and surprise, surprise, I’m not really doing much for my 11 days off both work and school, I do want to write a decent amount by the end of December. It would be really nice to hit 40k before 2021 and because I am at 30k, I think that is manageable.

When I think about the new year, CHAOS flashes across my mind. For the first few weeks of January, I will be in five classes until I figure out which one I want to drop. One of the classes is a one-month continuing education editing class (structural editing) that has a “work at your own pace” structure, so that won’t be too stressful at least. I am also working part-time at my current job (I’m a Communications Development Lead for Focal) and focusing a lot of time on building up my freelance business. My freelance business is actually doing pretty good right now, so I anticipate having projects at the beginning of the new year as well. If you didn’t know, I am a freelance editor, digital marketing blogger, and social media manager. Click HERE to check out my freelance website!

Anyways, back to the beginning of 2021: it’s going to be busy! But, I am determined to finish my first draft of this novel idea because I have been working on it for four years! That is crazy to me because in those four years, I haven’t even finished a first draft; I am constantly changing the story around and while I do think it was all for the best, I just want to right the damn thing. You know? So, I have been thinking about a word count goal for January and I think I want to do another 40k. This is a fantasy book which means it won’t be some short book –I’m anticipating around 100k. for a final word count.

That means, I want to finish the first draft completely by the end of February. Preferably, before the end of February, but I don’t think I will officially bring down the hammer until then. I do believe in being lenient with yourself, but sometimes, it’s time to just get it done. And this is that time. I am super passionate and excited about this project, even after four years, and it deserves to be finished!

I am a big believer in letting your story sit for a bit too, so I don’t plan on jumping into the second draft until April. Just in time for Camp NaNoWriMo! Fingers crossed I can stick to these deadlines without getting overwhelmed, but I am hopeful.

Sorry for the rambly post, but I really wanted to share my post-NaNoWriMo plans in the hope of inspiring any of you who are unsure what to do next. Especially if you didn’t hit 50k, like me!

Make sure you check out recent blog post and follow me on social media; the links are all down below. Also, don’t forget to let me know what your post-NaNoWriMo plans are! Thanks for reading 🙂

Last Blog Post: My FINAL TBR of 2020

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Biannual Bibliothon Day 5 – Winter Trips

alejtr5u

Happy day 5 of the Biannual Bibliothon!

I’m slowly getting back on track with reading and am having SO much fun trying to read as much as I can. Sometimes with all the hectic things going on, I forget to sit down and read. Obviously, sometimes I’m so busy with school and life that I don’t have the time to read, but most days I do and this readathon is reminding me to find time every day to do something I love; and that’s reading.

Anyways, today’s blog challenge host is Danielle from PoetryBooksYA (check her out!), and she wants us to tell her the five book characters (I chose Lara Jean Song Covey, Peter Kavinsky, Etienne St. Clair, Ronan Lynch, and Leo Valdez) we would take on a winter trip. I decided to yet another story for this blog challenge just because I had a lot of fun writing the last one. I hope you enjoy it and let me know if you’re participating in the Biannual Bibliothon down below in the comments!

 

“Are you sure you want to drive, Lara Jean?” I ask hesitantly, eyeing her as she slides into the driver’s seat. She gathers her dark hair up into a high ponytail, tying it off with a pale pink scrunchie.

“Yep,” she says with a nod. “I have to practice if I want to get better.”

“True.” I grab the seatbelt and buckle up, admiring the white trees around us as we pull out of the driveway; the branches drooping with piles of heavy snow and icicles gripping onto them like the crystal leaves of winter.

We ease into the snow-caked driveway of a familiar grey house with white shutters.

“Hey!” Lara Jean’s phone is pressed to her ear. “We’re here.”

“Be right out,” says the phone, words crackling before she pads the off button.

“I’m sooo excited,” Lara Jean exclaims, twisting around in her seatbelt to grab her purse from the back seat. She rips the zipper open and retrieves a Tubberware container full of varied cookies. “Okay, so I made snickerdoodles, chocolate chip, and shortbread.” My mouth waters and I can’t help but reach out for them. She slaps my hand lightly away, shoving the container back into her purse. “These cookies are for the trip to the cottage. I should probably hide them anyways before the boys get here.”

“Probably a good idea.” I laugh. “Teenage boys are animals.”

“Animals for food,” she corrects but she’s laughing too just as the two back doors fly open.

“Yo, yo, yo!” Peter Kavinsky slides into the seat behind Lara Jean, a wild grin bright on his face. He pinches her shoulder teasingly before yanking off a black beanie and ruffling his curly brown hair.

“It’s too early for yo, yo, yo, Kavinsky,” says Etienne St. Clair from behind me. “I need a cup of coffee…actually, make that two cups of coffee, first.”

“Yeah, yeah, we’ll get your coffee, St. Clair.” Lara Jean says, but I notice her eyes meeting Peter’s in the rearview mirror. Her cheeks are flushed like earlier, but a light pink colour instead. I smile.

“Hey, where’s Ronan?” I ask, noticing no other doors opening and no other bodies filing into the very back seats of the van.

“Being his usual brooding self, my friend,” St. Clair explains, stretching his scuffy boots so they pop out beside me. I slap them away and we both laugh.

“Oh, there’s Mr. Sexy Brooder,” says Peter.

Lara Jean and I glance at each other before bursting out into laughter. Sure enough, Ronan Lynch storms out of the house with his dark brows knitted together and bag dangling from his tight grip. When he reaches the van he opens up St. Clair’s side and grumbles something inaudible.

“Sorry, Ronan, could you repeat that? I couldn’t understand you through all your grumbling.”

“Shut up, St. Clair.” Ronan pushes past him and squeezes into the back seat despite being one of the taller ones of us all. His eyebrows are still stuck together as if they can’t bear to part from each other. I want to laugh but I want this trip to be fun, not tense. Not that Ronan is ever in a good mood, but still.

“Where’s the Latino elf?” Ronan grumbled, his arms crossing tightly over his chest.

“Leo’s still not out yet,” Lara Jean says, glancing at him over her shoulder. Her lips purse tightly in concern. I know how well she wants this trip to go; just three simple days of friends up at a cottage, drinking hot chocolate, playing board games and having snowballs fight. Not fights between the five of us minus the snowballs. “I just texted him and he said he’s almost ready to go. Do you want a cookie while we wait?”

Silence.

“Sure,” he says, sounding bored but we all hear his stomach grumble. I can’t help but laugh into my hand as Lara Jean whips out the cookies.

“Woah, woah, woah! I want one! Covey, come on, give me one first. I’m starving.” Peter is a puppy begging on his hind legs as his girlfriend bops his nose with a finger and shakes her head.

“Ronan first. Don’t worry I made lots.” She reaches over to hand the container to Ronan and he gleefully takes it, cracking it open and slowly biting into a gooey chocolate chip cookie. He closes his eyes with pleasure just to spite Peter who groans in pain.

“I’m here!” The door opens and Leo Valdez stands there, eyes wild and hair in inky tangles. “The party can start now. You’re welcome.” He bows.

“You’re late,” says St. Clair, but not unkindly as Leo shimmies past him.

“Time doesn’t wait for those who are great.”

“By great, do you mean yourself by any chance?” I ask and Leo smiles mischievously.

“Obviously. Now, let’s get a move on. I really need to pee.”

“Leo!” We all exclaim, groaning as Lara Jean shakes her head, cranking the ignition and slowly crawling out of the driveway. The world around is like a snow globe, whimsical and magical and white, snow sprinkling down from the thick, grey clouds as we drive off to our winter wonderland with a van full of voices, laughter, and the beginning of memories.

Sorry, this was SUPER long…but I had a lot of fun writing it so I hope you enjoyed it! Don’t forget to check out my last blog post, as well as my social media accounts which will all be linked down below. Thanks for reading 🙂

Last Blog Post: 

Biannual Bibliothon Day 1 – Winter Snow Storm Fun

Biannual Bibliothon Day 2 – Christmas Party

Reading + Writing Update – Biannual Bibliothon 2019 Day 1 & 2

Biannual Bibliothon Day 3 – Bookish Mad Libs

Biannual Bibliothon Day 4 – Clickbait Challenge

 

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Reading + Writing Update – Summer Biannual Bibliothon 2018 + Camp NaNoWriMo Week 2

Happy Sunday!

Since I usually doing reading + writing updates on Sunday, I thought I would wrap up day 2 of the Biannual Bibliothon and the second week of Camp NaNoWriMo all in one post! Before I get into this update, I did want to say that I will not have any Biannual Bibliothon challenge blog posts going up for the next two or three days (not 100% sure which ones I already wrote). I just lost track of time! However, the days I don’t post a challenge post I will still post a regular blog post in its place because I always have a few ready to go. Anyways, let’s get into this most likely lengthy update!

 

BIANNUAL BIBLIOTHON DAY 2 UPDATE:

Image result for the darkest minds

I am very happy to report that I am still on track with finishing seven books by the end of the Biannual Bibliothon because I finished my second book for the readathon today! Today I picked up The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken, and to be honest, it was a struggle getting this one done. Lately, I have not really been in the “old school” dystopian mood, which is the genre of this book, so it took a little extra willpower to finish it. Also, it was on the longer(ish) side of being about 488 pages which is really long if I am not loving the story. But I did finish it, and I am very happy to have this book done and read before the movie comes out which hits theaters August 3rd. I am disappointed that I didn’t enjoy it as much as I hoped, but I didn’t dislike…I am just okay with it. The concept was very similar to all the other dystopians I read, but I do not blame the author at ALL because this book came out in 2012 and dystopian was very “in” back then. Overall, I would give The Darkest Minds a 3/5 stars, and while I don’t have any plans to pick up the rest of the trilogy…series? Whatever it is, who knows?

CAMP NANOWRIMO WEEK 2 UPDATE:

Image result for camp nanowrimo

This is a very successful update because I also managed to write about 15,600 words this past week! This brings me up to a total of about 32,000/50,000 words for the second draft of my WIP, which I am calling Project Mystic, and I am ECSTATIC about my progress. Everyday I have been getting about one and a half hours of writing done, meaning I’ve been writing about 2,000-3,000 words written everyday. This is awesome because not only am I writing this a lot faster than I thought, but because it means I get to FULLY take Sundays off which is really nice for my brain. I do love writing of course, but we all need a break every once and a while. If I continue blasting out the words I will most likely reach my Camp NaNo goal by the end of next week…however I am nowhere near done draft 2. I am hoping it will only take until the middle of August to finish, but who knows?

Anyways, to quickly wrap this up, I started and finished ONE book today and wrote over 15,000 words for this second week of Camp NaNo which I am SO happy about. That is all for today though, I hope your reading/writing is going well, and I will see you tomorrow with some more content!

Last Blog Post: Summer Biannual Bibliothon Day 2 – Favourite Summer Books!

 

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