I can’t believe I did it, but I won the NaNoWriMo Challenge! Last night I completed just over 50 000 words of the Novelette that I had wanted to write.
I decided to set myself the challenge after being inspired by so many of my blogging friends. I have never written anything other than poems really, but there was a story that I wanted to tell, and have done for some time. I have been quietly picking up hints and tips from the established authors we have among us here on WordPress.
The one piece of advice that I had from a few different people was just to write, get it all down and the editing process can come later, so that is what I did. Every night I set aside two hours after work where I would write, and at weekends, I would do as much as I could at any opportunity I got. It paid off because I have got there a little earlier than expected!
So I have got the bare bones of my story, a little jumbled up perhaps; character names have changed over the course of it, but that is down to me getting carried away and not checking my notebook properly I have got a hell of a lot of work to do if I do want to try and make something of it, but that is for later on.
I thought this challenge was particularly relevant to me now as it is coming up to my 50th birthday (Sssh, yes I know I don’t look a day over 65), and it is something that I can be proud of achieving before reaching that terrifying (to me) milestone!
Anyway, I did it and I beyond thrilled! Now that is enough of the trumpet blowing, I shall be back in the land of blog soon. It is funny how much I missed you all despite managing to get a couple of posts in. Thanks again, for all of your encouragement and support. it really helped to spur me on!
Congratulations Judy, well done! I think at least a little trumpet blowing is perfectly justified 🙂
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Thank you so much Al. 😊
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I am SOOOOO proud of you big sis!!! Well done, I knew you would and could do it!!!!!!!!! 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽
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Thank you so much Ritu! You had more faith in me than I did in myself!!! I am a bit knackered now though! 🙂
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Wow! Wow! and thrice WOW!!!!!
Congratulations! Fantastic!
(I empathise with the whole 50 thing! I was a basket case and refused to have anyone say happy birthday to me – but now I’m loving my 60s!)
Anyway – what an achievement!! WELL DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Thank you so much Daffy, I am beyond thrilled! 🙂
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Well done. I’m impressed by your dedication of two hours a day to the task.
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Thank you April, it worked out well 🙂
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Well done, that’s very impressive.
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You’re a marvel. Many congratulations for finishing so far ahead of the game. Plenty of tie to edit now.
xxx Huge Hugs xxxx
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Thank you so much David, Yes it certainly needs a heck of a lot of editing, that’s for sure!
Hugs back xxxxx
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Congratulations! I am reading this and it is an “inspired gratitude” moment as I use your joy of completion to move forward to complete my book of journaling and devotionals.
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Thank you for your kins thoughts, I wish you well with your book too 🙂
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Well done 🙂 as we say over here, keep er lit!
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Thank you, I appreciate that 🙂
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Hey that’s fabulous. Glass of something inappropriate I think. Well done. I really do understand how exciting this is. You are both a writer and a novelist even if you don’t yet think so. Biggest congrats!
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Thanks Geoff, I am still buzzing from the excitement of finishing it. You were one of those who gave me the good advice about keeping going and edit later, it worked! I wont have to cheek to call myself a novelist yet, but I might try in winter to see how that fits. Ii like the sound of it. 🙂
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It took me ages and I still mumble it. But you have a story it is of the length that counts as a novel. You wrote it so you are a novelist. There is one caveat. As this is a first draft it will be shit. But hey that’s what makes editing fun!
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Oh yes, you are right about the first draft!! I think I might be able to do something with it though so will give it a damn good try 🙂
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It’ll be brilliant, really. Just keep nibbling at it.
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Thanks for the confidence in me, yes I have started nibbling away already 🙂
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Congratulations ! I’m still on it but I have good hope I’ll finish on time 🙂 D’ont forget to validate you story before the end of the month !
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I have noticed that you are still going strong, and are on course to finish, Thank you for your kind wishes, Yes I validated it this morning 🙂
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Yeah you ! Do you plan on editing your draft ?
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Oh yes, it is desperately in need of it!
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It’s a wonderful thing that you like your text so much you are willing to edit it. Go go go you!
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Well I put so much into it I shall at least have a go at editing. 😊
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yeah ! go you !
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YAY!!!! You did it!!!! Concratulations, Judy!!!! Woohooo!!!! So happy for you. Your excitement feels like thousand 🎆🎆🎆 Celebrate! I appreciate it so much that you stopped at my blog so often next to all that work! Big hugs and kisses, Judy 😘😘😘
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Huge hugs and kisses to you too Erika. You have been one of my biggest supporters and I have really appreciated your encouragement. Thank you ♥xxx
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Awh….. many, many more hugs and kisses back! You are such a dear friend, Judy. So this all happens naturally! 😘
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Yes! Yes! Good girl. Congratulations. A fist bump. Big hugs. I am glad you did it 🙂
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Thank you so much Jacqui, I am still bouncing around! 🙂
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🙂
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I am beyond impressed. I began the challenge also, due to some (friendly) pressure from other blogging friends. I’m not even half way!! I’m doing it the slow way, and editing as I go along. When I take the challenge again next year (and I will – and I hope YOU will too), I’ll let down all my defenses and throw away my ‘editor-in-my-head’ and go full out as you did. HUGE Congratulations.
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Thank you so very much, I appreciate your comments.The great thing about the way you have done it though is that there will be less editing to do later, I have got all of that to look forward to! I suppose there is something to be said for both ways of writing, but being a newbie at writing let along NanoWriMo, I thought I would just go flat out to get the word count sorted out first!
I am not sure about having a go next year yet, I expect I;ll still be editing this year’s! 🙂
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Hey, it’s like having a baby. In six months you’ll forget how painful pulling out 50,000 words was, and you’ll go for it again. 🙂
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Ha Ha! Looks like I will be signing up again next year then 🙂
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CONGRATULATIONS EDWINA 😀
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Thank you so much Chris 🙂
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What a fantastic achievement, Judy!! Your dedication is remarkable. Congratulations! 🙂
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Thanks Tonya I am nothing if not determined! 🙂
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Congratulations, Judy! An incredible achievement!!!
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Thank you Rob 🙂
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That’s wonderful! Congrats!
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Thanks so much 🙂
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Wowsers!!! Judy, that is an incredible accomplishment! Congratulations- that must bring such a feeling of satisfaction in reaching a lofty goal!
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Yes, it has brought me a huge sense of satisfaction. I never thougt that I would be able to write anything like that, I know it needs a lot of work, but at least I have a draft which is more than I ever have before Thank you for your lovely kind comments Karen, They are so very appreciated. 🙂
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Well done!
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Thank you Mags 🙂
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Ahh good woman yerself. I’ve written nothing but shopping lists this week. Delighted for you. xxxx
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Thank you 🙂 Thank God for Mr Grump or we’d have no shopping in at all! 🙂
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Hooray for you! Awesome accomplishment! Don’t worry about the b-day….it seems you’re just improving with age!
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Thank you, I am so thrilled and still excited to have written so many words – the most I have ever written 🙂
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Way to go! You’re done, before it’s done. Congratulations!!! I think about it for a while then I just whimp out….Gotta have a plan for it to work right. Again, Congratulations.
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Thanks so much. If I can do it, then I am damn sure you can! 🙂
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I don’t know about that but thanks for the vote of confidence:)
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Yay! And with so much time to spare! Amazing! You must be so proud! Congrats 😀
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Thanks Joey, yes I am really proud 🙂
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Congrats to you Judy. That’s quite an accomplishment. Now….please come back to your blog. ☺☺☺
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Ha Ha! Thanks Van, yes I am on my way back to my blog now 🙂
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☺
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Congratulations!! That is so exciting, I’m so happy for you!! Just writing and doing the editing later is some of the best advice I’ve read as well, and have been trying hard to apply! It’s difficult to do sometimes though. You’re doing great, and no, you don’t look a day over 30! 😀
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Thank you so much Lydia, yes I am really excited, to have got the most difficult part out of the way, Of course I still have lots of work left with the editing.
Thank you also for you the lovely compliment regarding my age, Ha, I would love to be 30 again. 🙂
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Congratulation, Judy. I’ve heard that everyone should take at least a week’s break before starting the editing process. Please save me some Birthday Cake. Life begins at 50. Well, it did for me 🙂 🎂
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Thanks so much Hugh. I was just debating whether or not to start editing today, not sure I should now! Just under 3 months to go before the big 5-0 and a whole new adventure!
🙂
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Well I would go with you gut feeling about the editing, Judy. You may well get a lot done. I think you are going to feed us with some snippets of the story. I’ve seen an email from WordPress about a new post you have published. Not looked at it yet but I did read that first line.
Age is all in the mind. What really matters is that it should not stop you from enjoying life. When I reached 50 I was determined to carry on enjoying life. It never stopped me from doing that and nor has 51 or 52 🙂
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Thank for the tip Hugh. As for the snippets. Yes you have got one from today, but that will be it, as some of the content is a bit too much in one way or another to post!
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Ooo, looking forward to reading it all. Of course I’ll read it after the watershed. 🙂
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Ha Ha! It is not just because of swearing, it is a bit racy in parts too!
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I’d better read it after midnight then. Then I’ll probably not get to sleep because my blood pressure will be racing. Ah, horlicks! That will help. That’s what we do after 50…I think not. Sounds like a great read, Judy.
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Ha ha. Ovaltine is good too!!! Don’t worry there is no raciness in that snippet so you are safe! 😆
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Congrat Judy. What a feeling it must be for you. I can feel it here! 🙂
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Thank you Debby, Yes it is a wonderful feeling, one that I am still savouring! 🙂
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I’m late. I’m late, because I had a date…
Holy moly. This is outstanding. Congratulations! 🙂 😀 ❤
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Thank you so much Tess! I am thrilled to have done it! 🙂
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You have every right to be and MORE!
😀 Go. Make news.Set the world on fire.
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I Knowing me I would end up setting myself on fire! 🙂
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Here. I found this lighter! 😀 😀 😀
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Ha Ha! Thanks!!!!
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Just don’t explode anything.
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Oh Tess, you have no sense of adventure!!! 🙂
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Are you kidding. Don’t blow up Edwina is all I’m about. 💡
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Ha! 🙂
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Excellent! I knew you would! And, you’ll polish it and edit it later, and it will be fabulous!
Melinda
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Thank you Melinda. I am certainly going to try my best! 🙂
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Welcome, Judy. I know it will be great!
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I am humbled by your faith in me Melinda. I hope it will be good 🙂
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It will be, I’m quite sure!!
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With TEN DAYS to spare! I loved your snippet. Have fun with the editing. Apparently it is best if you print it out. Something about how the brain works better on a tactile level with pen and paper during editing than on the PC. Editing now, while it is fresh and you’re keen is probably best. After the first rewrite, then set it aside for a week or two.
Well done, Edwina!
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Hi Christine and thank you so much for your advice. I can understand that printing it out out might make it easier to edit. I have only done a little so far, but will keep going, Thanks again for your support 🙂
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It uses a lot of ink and paper, but is worth it. I still can’t get over how quickly you wrote that in only two hours a day – that story was surely wanting out of your head! Impressed.
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I did spend more time on it at weekends, but yes, the story was in my head, bursting to get out!! 🙂
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Fantastic, looking forward to reading the story xx
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Thank you 🙂
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Congratulations not you can concentrate onthe editing. Good Luck
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Thank you Betty, Yes there is loads of that to do 🙂
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This is me!
Judy E Martin
Hello, and thanks for stopping by. I am Judy, in my (very) early fifties and decided that life definitely gets more interesting as it goes on! I am a wife and a mum and have just finished University as a Registered Nurse, after having worked as an Associate Practitioner in the NHS. I am also a poet and the author of my debut book, 'Rhymes of the Times.' I love to laugh, and I love rhyming words too, so I joined the two together, and my book was born. I am currently working on another book in the series also. I am a prolific blogger and enjoy writing funny stories, anecdotes, and anything really that takes my fancy.
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