For you stat-heads, here’s a look at my day-by-day chain-moving in NaNoWriMo 2008, when I wrote the entire first draft of 600 Hours of Edward. The first number is cumulative word count. The number in parentheses is the change from the previous day:
- Nov. 1, 2008: 5,763 (5,763)
- Nov. 2, 2008: Off
- Nov. 3, 2008: Off
- Nov. 4, 2008: 11,183 (5,420)
- Nov. 5, 2008: Off
- Nov. 6, 2008: 13,721 (2,538)
- Nov. 7, 2008: 16,963 (3,242)
- Nov. 8, 2008: 20,439 (3,476)
- Nov. 9, 2008: Off
- Nov. 10, 2008: 23,085 (2,646)
- Nov. 11, 2008: 27,293 (4,208)
- Nov. 12, 2008: 30,744 (3,451)
- Nov. 13, 2008: 34,558 (3,814)
- Nov. 14, 2008: 39,886 (5,328)
- Nov. 15, 2008: Off
- Nov. 16, 2008: Off
- Nov. 17, 2008: Off
- Nov. 18, 2008: 43,846 (3,960)
- Nov. 19, 2008: 51,811 (7,965)
- Nov. 20, 2008: 54,816 (3,005)
- Nov. 21, 2008: 60,837 (6,021)
- Nov. 22, 2008: 63,957 (3,120)
- Nov. 23, 2008: Off
- Nov. 24, 2008: 73,208 (9,251)
- Nov. 25, 2008: 79,175 (5,967)
About the highlighted dates:
Nov. 2-3: When I tell people now that I wrote nearly 80,000 words in less than a month, there’s an assumption that I did nothing but write. Not true. I took ample time off — eight full days, in fact. But when I was at the computer, I was punching the story down the field. To write 50,000 words in 30 days, you need to average 1,667 a day. That first day’s work bought me some time off immediately.
Nov. 15-17: I remember these days well. Angie and I went to her folks’ house in Fairview, and I remember feeling great relief about two things. First, I would make the 50,000-word mark. I had half the competition left and was nearly 80 percent of the way there. Second, and more important, I knew I would finish the story. By then, I was living inside it.
Nov. 19-22: I didn’t get the idea that I would finish the entire first draft inside the month until this stretch of days. That nearly 8,000-word effort on the 19th allowed me to clear the 50,000-word mark and succeed at the competition. But it was the next three days — bringing a collective 12,000-plus words — that moved the finish line into view.
Nov. 24-25: I don’t care who you are, writing 15,000 words in two days borders on insanity. I’m amazed that what I put down was semi-cogent. In any event, I hit the two best words of all during that stretch: “THE END.”
Here are a few more stats:
Over the 25 days, I averaged 3,167 words per day, whether I wrote or not.
The 17 days of actual writing up the average to 4,657/day.
In the first 10 writing days, I averaged 3,989 words.
In the final seven writing days, I averaged 5,613 words.
Now, about word counts: They’re only one way of assessing a story, and a pretty superficial one at that. Of far, far, far greater import is what the words are and what kinds of sentences, paragraphs and chapters they build. But if you’re giving NaNoWriMo a whirl, your word count should be your focus. The whole point is to get on down the road. Rewriting is for the second draft.
12 comments
Comments feed for this article
October 12, 2009 at 3:29 pm
Eveline
With the exception of last year’s Nanowrimo, I always start as the clock strikes midnight on Nov. 1st to get that first daily count (and more) over and done with. And then I’ll write again either during the day or in the evening to add some more, getting me even further ahead. I agree that getting as much as you can done in the first day will pay off later on, whether it is the very next day or couple or days, or further along during the month.
Roll on November!
October 12, 2009 at 3:32 pm
craiglancaster
Thanks for dropping by, Eveline. Good luck this year.
October 12, 2009 at 3:45 pm
kristentsetsi
Good luck to all of you! I’ll be somewhere on the sidelines with a sentence stuffed in my pocket.
I’m not sure what that means, though.
October 12, 2009 at 3:46 pm
craiglancaster
Wasn’t that an Alanis song?
October 12, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Kim
GULP! Thanks for the reality check. : )
October 12, 2009 at 8:02 pm
R.J. Keller
Very cool.
I’m actually outlining AND scheduling this year, something I never do.
I don’t know what’s happening to me, and I’m not sure i like it.
October 13, 2009 at 9:02 am
kristentsetsi
No. In the Alanis song, she just has a hand stuffed in her pocket. ANYONE can do THAT.
October 13, 2009 at 9:09 am
craiglancaster
The natural question, then, is “what kind of sentence?”
If it’s a Faulkner sentence, then you’re wearing clown pants.
October 14, 2009 at 5:58 am
kristentsetsi
It’s a Parker sentence. So, I’m probably wearing the Hat of Cynicism.
October 20, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Liz C
Just found your blog from the Kitsap NaNo FB group. I’m so happy you’re doing another project this year so I can follow along. Congrats on your upcoming release! You are every NaNo-er’s hero.
October 20, 2009 at 4:12 pm
Lancaster
Thanks, Liz. I’m doing NaNoWriMo this year in a touch-of-madness sort of way. Were I the least bit sane, I wouldn’t. I have enough on my plate.
October 20, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Liz C
I think that’s the only proper way to go about it, myself. After all, I’m getting married in Vegas on the 10th. Sane? Ha!