NANO 2012 - DAY 3

NANO 2012  - DAY 3

Well it is 07:40 on a Saturday morning and I have not contributed anything towards my daily target and word count today, but thought I should at least do what I promised to do almost a week ago now and that is to keep you posted on my progress.

With the most horrendous flu underway and nurturing seriously congested sinuses, looking at the Autumn Rugby Internationals and what we had already planned for November, I realised that I won’t be able to write this novel without some careful planning. November will be a more than usual busy month and I will not fail before I even started. I will reach my goal, with my writing buddies, of 50 000 words in 30 days.

So Sunday afternoon as my headache slowly started to show mercy, I took the opportunity to start my planning and the accountant in me jumped at the opportunity to open a spreadsheet, off course. I listed the days in November, filled in our engagements, added the details of the upcoming Rugby events and the deadlines I have on other commitments. It soon became apparent that I would not be able to write the 1667 words a day, but would at least have to write 2000 words, if I wanted to claim my gold certificate on Friday 30/11/2012.

My spreadsheet obviously grew by now (2 days in), because not only have I an overall ‘planned’ section, divided into mornings, lunchtime and evenings, but what use would it have without an ‘actuals’ section. Over the last two days I also added a column to see when I write the best, i.e. most amount of words an hour. This spreadsheet will be close to hand during the month and will give me enough data and food for thought for my next novel, not to mention NANO 2013. 

Anyways, I managed to get back to work on Monday and before I could wipe my eyes, it was the eve of NANO 2012 and geared with my plan, 1500 words in the morning and 500 after work, I was nervously excited about this life changing event that was about to start.

Wednesday morning I watched the clock until it reached 04:50, before I jumped out of bed and armed with a warm coffee, by 05:07 I wrote my first words. I was surprised how quickly I got into the story and how all my characters jumped forward to be first onto the page. Well I made my morning target, quietly went upstairs to where my little fairy still peacefully slept. I joined her for 15 minutes before we had to get up and start our normal daily routine. During lunchtime that day I finished my first chapter and by doing so reached my daily target.

Yesterday did not start well, the flu or cold (what’s the difference so by the way?) bogged me down and I only managed to do some writing during lunch time.  In the evening I wrote until I finished my chapter and let me tell you now, it’s easier in the mornings than late at night, I could feel it and it showed on my stats…

This morning I am still nurturing a dull headache, but geared with lots of pills to keep the flu aches and pains away, I will keep indoors and write. Due to the flu/cold thing I have been carrying around for almost three weeks now, I had to cancel a combined Birthday party of a close friend of mine and Guy Fawkes fireworks display. No, I am afraid, again I will have to stay indoors this weekend and try to get rid of this blasted thing. As least I have lots to keep me busy with.

My friends, I better get cracking (as they say). I can report that I am two chapters in and that the characters are (apart from one) straining at the bit to leap onto page and together we will produce something that I hope you will enjoy reading, as much as I enjoy writing it.

The book is currently titled “Numbers” and the synopsis on my NANO page reads:

It all started with Jonny’s boy…