So sue me.
Since I didn't win, I feel like I have to justify what I did with my time in November. Just for kicks:
1. I did write just over 25,000 words.
2. I signed with my dream agent.
3. I completed revisions for said agent.
4. I made six chocolate pies.
5. I cooked a turkey without filling the house with smoke.
6. I entertained people at my house for two days. Small house + Seven extra people + 48 hours + no deaths = major success.
And that doesn't even take into account my day job, my real life with two kids and/or grocery shopping and bill paying and all that other jazz.
So November wasn't a complete failure. Right? Right.
What have you been up to? Was your November successful? In what way?
NaNo schmano! You're awesome! In November, I learned that NaNo is not my thing. :)
ReplyDeleteFirst - you wrote 25,000 words, which, in my opinion, is a success and not a failure.
ReplyDeleteSecond - you didn't burn the turkey, so that's another success.
Third - no deaths, another success.
Fourth - you signed with your dream agent, another success.
So, November seems like a pretty bang up month to me!
As for me . . . survived family Thanksgiving, even breaking the no more than three days or we'll end up killing each other rule. I did some editing and revising, notes on new projects, started reading again, put up the Christmas tree and totally decorated the house. : )
S
I think most people would choose signing with their dream agent and working on revisions for that agent over completing NaNo - so it sounds like you had a rockin' November.
ReplyDeleteI finished my third draft of my YA in Nov. and it went out to my critique group yesterday. I'm excited to start the query process in the New Year and am polishing my query and synopsis, so it's been a fun and productive November for me.
November rocked even though I didn't complete NaNo either. But I love what I learned about my writing style.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on signing with an agent! That's enough to wipe NaNo from your memory.
November sounds like a huge win for you with a new agent and revisions done. Hope you are celebrating in a big way.
ReplyDeleteI did finish NaNo and hope it changes some things about how I approach novel writing. We'll see. I'm still sorting out the experience. I feel good about Nov.
Seems to me your November was very successful! Especially that "no deaths" thing ;)
ReplyDeleteMine was...ok. I did complete edits for all but 15 chapters of my book (yes...I have fifteen left. I won't even tell you how many preceed that...)
I'm hoping December will be far more successful. And of course, there's always next year :)
Jen
Well, I do have 30 entries on my PiBoIdMo list, but they pretty much all SUCK, so I'd say you had a much more successful month than me!!!
ReplyDeleteYour November was a huge success! Dream Agent? You rock!
ReplyDeleteNaNo is just an exercise to get your writing flowing again - yours obviously didn't need the push this month! I needed the push (not having found my dream agent yet) so I stuck with the NaNo, but I'd have dropped in a New York minute to be revising for an agent!
Even if you don't get the shiny "I won" badge, you still won. Trust me.
Great job on the 25,000. Also signing with your dream agent is super awesome. It's hard to write around the holidays. So many things to distract us. Editing is important too.
ReplyDeleteI tried! NaNa was tough with visitors and two kids at home. Oh well. I too finished just over 25,000 words but now, I think I need a major rewrite! At least it got me started. Way to go getting an agent!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on signing with your dream agent! That alone would make for a successful November. 25,000 words, a non-burned turkey, and no deaths in a houseful of 7 people are not so bad either.
ReplyDeleteYou had a great month!
I did win NaNoWriMo...BUT I don't have a day job unless you consider entertaining a four year old a day job, but he mostly entertains himself with Legos.
ReplyDeleteYou totally win with the dream agent thing though. Maybe I'll get that by next November :)
Congrats again!!!
My November was awesome. I completed a novel (50,000 words, 20,000 of which were written in November), and I started a new novel (18,00 words of which were written on the latter part of November). My turkey turned out great. And I only cooked one pie, plus one batch of baklava.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad it is December.
I would fail like you any day! Really, congratulations.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on all your accomplishments in November honey! I won Nano, but didn't get any notice out of it...Have a great day! Kori xoxo
ReplyDelete6 chocolate pies? Say no more. I have already forgotten that other thing... what's it called again? :) NoNoWri... no that's not it...
ReplyDeleteElana, Sounds like you had a great november! Way to go!
ReplyDeleteI had a good one as well. I finished the final edits on a YA novel, and that novel is now on submission via my dream agent.
I'm half way through the first draft of a rewrite on another YA novel--changing POV. A new book really.
I wish I had been around for the pies! Yum!
You don't need to justify anything. You did great. In fact, you did better than great, you did FANTASTIC!
ReplyDeleteI did finish NaNo, but then I don't have kids or family to interrupt.
Oh see? You really did win.
ReplyDeleteMy November was terrible. I hope to never have to go through that again. =) stinkin' burnt turkey
I still want to try some of those pies. Yummy! To me, it sounds like you had a majorly productive November. Congrats on your list of successes.
ReplyDeleteAll month I have wondered why they chose to make November be NaNo month. It boggles the mind.
ReplyDeleteBut you had a much better month than little old NaNo could provide!
Love your justifications. :-)
ReplyDeleteNo, my November was NOT successful writing-wise.
Family-wise, yes. :-)
You did terrible. Just awful. Agent shmagent, it's the writing that counts! Family? Forget about it!
ReplyDeleteRevisions are for those who don't get it right the first time!
It's all about the 50K! Must...write...must...write...
(can you tell I went a little nuts last month?)
Congrats on the agent! And send me a pie!
To start, everyone who participates "wins" NaNo, in my book. And it sounds like you had plenty on your plate to have a viable excuse (not like me...)
ReplyDeleteHere's the important question...
Are you making soup from that turkey carcass? ;)
Phew, okay. So maybe not a complete failure.
ReplyDeleteAnd turkey carcass? You mean people do things with that?? Uh, yeah, my DH took it to the trash. No soup for you! (Ha ha ha ha!)
Congrats, Paul, on your submissions. Here's to a speedy sale.
And I can tell that I need to make 6 more pies for all my bloggy friends. Consider it done...next November. :)
You ROCK, Elana!! :D Writing that much, revising, and landing dream agent = huge successful month!
ReplyDeleteAlso, let's not forget about the pies ;).
Wow! Sounds like you succeeded and then some!
ReplyDeletewow, you have been busy! Definitely worth a pat on the back. November was successful even if you didn't finish Nano. (ppst. I didn't finish my goals either.)
ReplyDeleteAnd here I thought you were just celebrating for 2 weeks. :) Signing with an agent beats 25,000 words to win NaNo, IMHO.
ReplyDeleteCongrats! Wow are you sure there is just one of you? :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, you accomplished quite a bit. I think signing with the dream agent trumps nano. But, hey you also wrote 25,000 words. Keep on rocking.
ReplyDeleteYou did done good - don't sweat the small stuff - the big stuff all worked out :)
ReplyDelete6 chocolate pies??? I've never tasted (or heard of) chocolate pie, but it sounds like it/they might show up at Christmas this year!
You totally rocked November. I have another friend who sold a novella and had to work on those edits, so you and he are both excused. :) I'm impressed you got halfway there!
ReplyDeleteI edited my novel in November. There was a point when I didn't think I would make the deadline, but I did! Now I just had a bit more tweaking before I can declare draft #2 officially complete.
I got made redundant so I am now unemployed...however this has left me with more time for writing, so I feel it's something of a double-edged sword!
ReplyDeleteI also started dating a guy who I can stand to be around for more than 48 hours straight so I consider that a success...
Wow! You smoked it!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI revised.
Always.
And forever.
Amen.
Dude, your November sounds way more productive than a piddly 50,000 words. Ha!
ReplyDeleteAs for us, we finished the WIP, revised the crap out of it and sent it off to our agent. Not bad. Not bad at all.
Wow, your November was awesome! Congratulations on not burning the turkey - that's a major accomplishment. And the agent thing is cool, too:)
ReplyDeleteWow, I'd say success! Also, we have an award for you!
ReplyDeletehttp://firstnovelsclub.blogspot.com/2009/12/blog-awards-and-come-along-contest.html
You ALWAYS rock!!!
ReplyDeleteDude, I saw that you dusted. That is like... a big deal. You're amazing, my friend. NaNo Schmano... you have an agent.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how anyone with a full time job and kids could possible do NaNo and win....I wrote my butt off and only managed 20k more on my novel. Truly, there are only so many hours in the day.
ReplyDeleteI think you did great!
Shelley
I'd say you're a winner considering everything you accomplished!
ReplyDeleteThe words "fail" and "win" have entirely too much weight. And so I say, Pfft! You succeed just by doing.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to fail as triumphantly as you on any given month, November or otherwise. In fact, send some of THAT failure my way please.
ReplyDeleteCheers