Young Writers Society

Daily Word Count: 1,848/1,509

Total Word Count: 42,793/50,000

Thoughts:


the Lanterns literally go from making some vague, suggestive comments about Sorin and Alistair to then complaining about not actually trusting Alistair and how weird he's being and how he might actually be the villain (oops)

anyway they're slowly figuring out the spooky monster problem! investigation was done and theories were had. we're now very suspicious of Alistair and his family.

Daily Word Count: 1,600/1,441

Total Word Count: 44,393/50,000

Thoughts:

Olly has returned to the Lanterns! They brought Jyno this time! Jyno's going to have a nervous breakdown!

this poor goblin wizard, someone please take care of him.

anyway, this chapter dipped into an unexpected gender discussion about clothes/presentation that I wasn't really expecting and some insights on some of the various cultures in this...world. I'm really playing loose on the rules because I did no worldbuilding but honestly it's nice not to the stressing about it. Questioning every single step I took through Starry Veins was kinda killer, so it's nice to write high fantasy like this and just,,, not care about worldbuilding and throw it in as I go along lmao. I'll fix it later. this is the most first draft a first draft has ever felt for me, and I'm relishing it to be honest.

also I get to make fun of how stupid assigning gender to clothes is.

Olly is learning about clothing that 1) has colour and 2) is not torn for the first time and they're loving it. they know so much and yet they know nothing. they're such a delight to write.

also I don't know if I wrote it in well enough but in my outline notes I had:

Jyno is internally like DO NOT LEAVE ME HERE ALONE but Olly, taking Asmo with them, leaves him alone.

but I hope I got this energy into the chapter lol it's hard to do because it's OLLY'S pov and not Jyno's.


also was it a smart idea for me to start listening to a horror podcast while working on this goofy, light-hearted fantasy? no. did it give me motivation to write? yes! was that motivation for this novel? ,,,no.


anyway I have only FIVE CHAPTERS LEFT before my outline runs out hahaha why didn't I think I'd need more planning I'M NOT GOING TO JUST STOP AS SOON AS NOVEMBER ENDS

that's a problem for later!mel

Daily Word Count: 1,881/1,4??

Total Word Count: 46,274/50,000

Thoughts:

exposition! traumatic backstories! a makeover! growing flowers out of your own blood! this chapter has it all!

anyway I can't remember any thoughts I had yesterday so ONTO TODAY'S UPDATE

Daily Word Count: 4,487/1,496

Total Word Count: 50,761/50,000

Thoughts:

HUZZAH

Anyway, I'll keep updating until the end of November because just because I finished NaNo doesn't mean I finished this draft xD after that I might move to the Beehive or just work on it quietly myself.

either way!! 50k down!! I've felt SO GOOD about this month, it's so nice to just give in to creating unbridled, seriously. I keep saying this but I think I really needed it.

anyway. intrigue is happening! Sorin and Harlow met the king and queen, and also a mysterious scholar! everybody is acting shifty and weird! I made up a story for how the Lanterns got their name! Also the Lanterns have officially adopted Olly and Jyno (and Asmo) so everybody is winning.

For now >:]

Daily Word Count: 452/0

Total Word Count: 51,213/50,000

Thoughts:

I didn't get as much done as I would have wished, but honestly I'm not too caught up by it since I already got to 50k lol also Monday was Busy and I didn't have a lot of spare time to write for myself so.

either way! Olly and Jyno are now getting roped into the investigation (I say roped like they aren't both huge nerds who are boundlessly curious and want to know everything). Not else much happened lmao

Daily Word Count: 3,828/0

Total Word Count: 55,041/50,000

Thoughts:

Getting over the NaNo goal was an incredible relief tbh because I wrote 60k my first two NaNos and then,, dropped hard last year after I had that immense crash as far as motivation went. And since I've still had such a rough year this year too, I was worried that with that AND going to school I wouldn't even be able to finish NaNo at all.

my fears were completely unfounded! I'm feeling Very Good about writing at the moment (the quality isn't there but the excitement and dedication is and right now, that's all I care about)

anyway! Olly attempts to help with the investigation and accidentally sees something they maybe shouldn't have. Also I have now threaded the needle of my plot string through all of the protagonists so they are all connected now (even if Olly is the only one who,,, sort of knows it).

but then I wrote a chapter for Mercury also and he's having a Bad Time! oops my hand slipped and he's even worse than intended. I love him.

funnily enough, as we reach the conclusion of NaNo, I'm also about to reach the end of my outline (I only have three more chapters outlined whoops), so,,, rip future mel I guess.

ANYWAY! NaNo was a resounding success, I might even get a whole draft out of this, and I'm having a good time. That is all.