Yay! I’m going to take a minute to blow my own horn, shout from the top of the mountain, and conduct a major brag session. I am a NaNoWriMo winner in 2021. This year is significant for me because I didn’t think it would ever happen. I’ve done NaNo for the past six years. Sometimes I posted my daily tally. Sometimes I ignored the NaNoWriMo page altogether. Two years in a row, I joined a local group of people trying to achieve the 50,000 word in November goal. We met at the library. Nobody in my community is interested in doing it these days. Still, I preserved and wrote my November book.
Why it was hard to become a NaNoWriMo winner in 2021
Firstly, I had a hard time getting inspired by a story. The essence of NaNo for me has always been coming up with something new and fresh to write outside of my series and the edits I work on daily. I couldn’t think of a single thing to write about until I became inspired to retell Beauty and the Beast with a New Orleans slant. I had so much fun typing the words for this book. Amazing Buchanan and the Beast isn’t finished, but it is close to becoming a nice romance.
I found this at a junk shop and used it for inspiration.
Secondly, I got very sick with COVID. For weeks I didn’t have the energy to sit at my desk. I almost convinced myself it wasn’t worth the effort this year. The thing is, I believe NaNo is important because of all the creative energy the people who participate generate while doing the process. Call me crazy, but I believe the world needs a release of mass positivity right now.
Final word count on my way to becoming a NaNoWriMo winner in 2021
My final word count tallied at 57,530 for the contest. I will start writing chapter 40 tomorrow. I have a little way to travel with these characters before I type the end. The thing I love most about NaNoWriMo is the only person you compete against is yourself. That means everyone turns out to be a winner even if you don’t reach the 50,000-word goal. The process of putting words onto paper or a computer screen is the only thing that matters.
Who is Molly Shea?
Molly Shea is an accomplished fictional short story writer from Indiana who writes short stories and novels about a fictional town called Tecumseh. To read more of her short stories and adventures, click here.
Be sure to follow Molly on Twitter!
A huge congratulations!!
Thank you.
Congratulations Molly!
Thank you.
Woohoo! 🥳
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Congrats! Do proud of you!!
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Congratulations for easily surpassing the 50000!!!
Thank you.
Thank you.
Well done! Particularly with being sick along the way. I might try this next year – as you say, the creative energy it would inspire would certainly be a kick in the writing pants.
Thank you.
Hearty congratulations! What a feat! 👏👏
Thank you.
Congratulations, Molly! Happy for you, keep writing, my sister.
Thank you.
🤩Amazing! Congrats!
Thank you.