I meant to write this post the day I finished NaNoWriMo, but didn’t get the chance. I crossed the 50,000 word mark on November 28 and on November 30, I officially finished “In a Different Life” with 53,346 words.
The last ten thousand words were written during Thanksgiving break. I had more time on my hands so it was easier to find time to write.
This is what my daily word counts looked like at the end of the month. The most words I wrote in a day was 3,027 words on November 27. The least words I wrote in a day was 1,667.
This project was so much fun to write. I was suprised by how invested and inspired I was heading into the last week. At that point, the ending was clear so I had more of an idea of what to write each day.
One thing that helped me stay inspired was listening to music that corresponded with the scene I was writing. When the character almost died, I played No Time to Die by Billie Eilish on repeat. I played Hey, Ma by Bon Iver on repeat when the characters reunited with their mothers.
I am taking a break from the book for now and plan to start the editing process in January.
It’s felt weird the last few days, not having to get up every morning to write. I enjoyed the structure that NaNoWriMo gave me and having something to work on every day. Still, it feels nice to be finished.
I’m grateful for everyone who has supported me this month. Thank you to my friends, family, and my boyfriend for always being so encouraging. I couldn’t have done it without you!