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Victory at Any Hour is Sweeeet

Posted on December 1, 2009 by lwidmer

Somewhere around 9:20 pm EST yesterday, I hit the final key. I checked the word count – 50,030. And with that, I’d finished – and won – the National Novel Writing Month contest. For the first time. Ever. Can I get a holla?

Today I’m stiff and exhausted because yesterday I had to find 10K words. I found them, but I don’t recall what the last 3K even look like. Worse, my story ended itself around the 46K mark, but I needed that extra 4K to reach the minimum required. So I went to the middle and typed in some more description. And some more. And even more. My goal was to get that first draft down. It’s down. I can rest a few days, then back to work editing and revising.

This is all you’ll get from me today, peeps. I’m a little too tired to be much more coherent. But thanks first to Lisa Gates, coach extraordinaire, who egged me on and convinced me to set a deadline and for letting me tag her as my accountability partner. The minute I owed her an explanation either way, I got busy. Mucho love and gratitude, Lisa.

And to Devon for her “the universe is sending you a message” prompts when my workload dropped off and I needed the kick in the pants to get back to the manuscript. Hugs and eternal blessings. 🙂

So what goal have you reached lately? Who helped you get there?

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12 thoughts on “Victory at Any Hour is Sweeeet”

  1. Devon Ellington says:
    December 1, 2009 at 1:35 pm

    Good. For. You.

    I am proud of you.

    Put up your feet with a good book and a glass of wine today.

    The last few months have been about frustration rather than achievement for me. But I got another royalty check from the play (which was extended) and the contract for the one opening in April, and I figured out the next one I'm writing for them.

    Reply
  2. Kimberly Ben says:
    December 1, 2009 at 1:53 pm

    You definitely deserve a big congrats (and a holla too!).;)

    Reply
  3. Diane says:
    December 1, 2009 at 2:39 pm

    Congratulations! You must be sooo chuffed (um … "delighted"?).

    😀

    Reply
  4. Lori says:
    December 1, 2009 at 3:49 pm

    Chuffed I am, Diane! :))

    Devon, thanks. You're an inspiration.

    Kimberly, thanks for that holla! Woo!

    Reply
  5. Wendy says:
    December 1, 2009 at 6:49 pm

    Very busy today, but I wanted to stop and say Congrats on meeting your goal with Nano. Sit back, relax for the rest of the day and reflect on a job well done; you derserve it.

    Reply
  6. hugh.c.mcbride says:
    December 1, 2009 at 6:54 pm

    Congrats, Lori!

    Not sure which is more impressive — 50K in a month, or 10K in an afternoon — but both are more than worthy of a cyber-holla or two.

    I got tired just reading about your effort (not, of course, because your writing is tiresome, but because I'm lazy 🙂

    Once your eyes, brain & fingers recover, I hope you get to enjoy a few moments of "accomplishment basking" before the editing process begins!

    Reply
  7. Meryl K. Evans says:
    December 1, 2009 at 7:42 pm

    Holla! Holla! Mazel tov! Be very proud. Many writers (me included) haven't attempted it.

    Reply
  8. Gabriella F. says:
    December 1, 2009 at 8:10 pm

    Bravo, Lori! Would that I could write 100 fiction words, let alone 50,000!

    Reply
  9. Lillie Ammann says:
    December 2, 2009 at 8:47 am

    Congratulations, Lori. That is a wonderful accomplishment, and you should be proud of yourself.

    Reply
  10. Sid Prince says:
    December 2, 2009 at 2:47 pm

    I bask in the light of your awesomeness Lori!

    Reply
  11. Georganna Hancock M.S. says:
    December 8, 2009 at 5:50 pm

    What Sid said. I'm with Meryl, having never attempted NaNo, nor been tempted to.

    You showed you have what it takes!

    Reply
  12. Lisa Gates says:
    December 9, 2009 at 7:03 pm

    I must have had my head in the sand to miss this post til now. Doesn't it just make you want to scream and dance and wiggle? I really do think accomplishment=joy. XOOO my friend, and thanks for the appreciation.

    Reply

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  1. Devon Ellington Avatar
    Devon Ellington
    December 1, 2009

    Good. For. You.

    I am proud of you.

    Put up your feet with a good book and a glass of wine today.

    The last few months have been about frustration rather than achievement for me. But I got another royalty check from the play (which was extended) and the contract for the one opening in April, and I figured out the next one I'm writing for them.

    Reply
  2. Kimberly Ben Avatar
    Kimberly Ben
    December 1, 2009

    You definitely deserve a big congrats (and a holla too!).;)

    Reply
  3. Diane Avatar
    Diane
    December 1, 2009

    Congratulations! You must be sooo chuffed (um … "delighted"?).

    😀

    Reply
  4. Lori Avatar
    Lori
    December 1, 2009

    Chuffed I am, Diane! :))

    Devon, thanks. You're an inspiration.

    Kimberly, thanks for that holla! Woo!

    Reply
  5. Wendy Avatar
    Wendy
    December 1, 2009

    Very busy today, but I wanted to stop and say Congrats on meeting your goal with Nano. Sit back, relax for the rest of the day and reflect on a job well done; you derserve it.

    Reply
  6. hugh.c.mcbride Avatar
    hugh.c.mcbride
    December 1, 2009

    Congrats, Lori!

    Not sure which is more impressive — 50K in a month, or 10K in an afternoon — but both are more than worthy of a cyber-holla or two.

    I got tired just reading about your effort (not, of course, because your writing is tiresome, but because I'm lazy 🙂

    Once your eyes, brain & fingers recover, I hope you get to enjoy a few moments of "accomplishment basking" before the editing process begins!

    Reply
  7. Meryl K. Evans Avatar
    Meryl K. Evans
    December 1, 2009

    Holla! Holla! Mazel tov! Be very proud. Many writers (me included) haven't attempted it.

    Reply
  8. Gabriella F. Avatar
    Gabriella F.
    December 1, 2009

    Bravo, Lori! Would that I could write 100 fiction words, let alone 50,000!

    Reply
  9. Lillie Ammann Avatar
    Lillie Ammann
    December 2, 2009

    Congratulations, Lori. That is a wonderful accomplishment, and you should be proud of yourself.

    Reply
  10. Sid Prince Avatar
    Sid Prince
    December 2, 2009

    I bask in the light of your awesomeness Lori!

    Reply
  11. Georganna Hancock M.S. Avatar
    Georganna Hancock M.S.
    December 8, 2009

    What Sid said. I'm with Meryl, having never attempted NaNo, nor been tempted to.

    You showed you have what it takes!

    Reply
  12. Lisa Gates Avatar
    Lisa Gates
    December 9, 2009

    I must have had my head in the sand to miss this post til now. Doesn't it just make you want to scream and dance and wiggle? I really do think accomplishment=joy. XOOO my friend, and thanks for the appreciation.

    Reply
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