I Won!

I wrote 51,722 words of my first novel, Marigold Man, in 30 days, from November 1 to November 30.  The folks who run National Novel Writing Month call that winning.  Here is a quote from the organization’s Winner’s Page:

Congratulations, novelist!  You won!  Here at NaNoWriMo HQ, we are partying hard in recognition of your epic accomplishment this month. One month ago, you committed yourself to this wild write-a-thon: 30 days of high-velocity, pedal-to-the-metal noveling.  And now, 50,000 words and one month later, you are a NaNoWriMo Winner!

National Novel Writing Month isn’t really a competition.  It’s actually more of an exercise for writers and writer wannabes like me.  The only prizes for winners are downloadable images like the one, below, plus a certificate.

My cyber laurel wreath. Winning is more than its own reward.

Reflecting on the experience, I made a list of the actual prizes I won: 

• The lesson that I hardly know what I’m doing when it comes to writing a novel, but…
• …learning what I need to learn and having a huge chance to practice it.
• The freedom of giving myself permission to write creative, weird things, risking writing garbage or maybe treasure…
• … which ends up being the real prize: what you think is garbage may end up a gem, but you won’t find out if you don’t write it.
• The discovery and practice of pacing – have I developed a character, relationship, conversation or scene too much or too little?  Did I spend five paragraphs on a minor thing and one paragraph on a major?
• The creative tedium of writing dialogue.
• The experience of creating and developing characters and giving them unique and consistent voices.
• The adventure of making and following a plot.
• The excitement of getting to try my hand at foreshadowing.
• The permission to write tension or pain, without which the story would be a syrupy bore.
• The fun of writing a novel.

That I mention these gifts is no guarantee I succeeded at any of them, but I’m pretty sure I’m on the right path.  I’m hoping this past month’s schooling will guide me as I rewrite and edit.

I am grateful for family and friends’ support.  My wife, our three children and their spouses, and many other relatives and friends all encouraged me with warm, helpful words.  The dear wife of one of my many dear nephews is a talented graphic artist and sent me this gift at the end of the month:

A touching gift from a talented niece-in-law and her husband

So what’s the status?

Over the past month, I’ve been reading Dickens’ Great Expectations and last night I reached the two-thirds point of the book.  Same with Marigold Man: I am two-thirds through the story (I wanted to find a way to compare myself to Dickens and my book to his.  Slick, huh?)  My plan is to blog less than usual during December, maybe three original posts per week or so, and spend the extra time finishing the book.  At that rate I’ll be able to finish by January 1.  Then I will print and read the book in hard copy and make many notes and edits in the margins about how I want to rewrite and revise the second draft.  I hope to have a second draft completed sometime in the early spring, when the lettuce is just starting to grow well in the garden.

Awed Townsperson: “But Marigold Man, when will you return?”
M.M.: “Look for me when the lettuce is four inches high.”
A.T.: Ohhhh, Marigold Man, you’re sooo dreamy!”

At that point, I think I’ll find a few brave souls who would like to plow through the thing and tell me what they think.