NaNoWriMo 2014

My experience in writing before 2014 was of writing speeches and devotions.  Not much experience but I did enjoy it.  After writing devotions for Baseball Chapel for about 10 years and my life circumstances changing allowing much more time to be able to write I began to pray about how that may come about.  In the beginning of the year a friend of mine who had been blogging for many years about writing was offered a book deal on how to write a Novel in 10 Minute increments.  She had put on Facebook about possibly needing writers to go through the process of the book to see if it could work the way she was writing it.  So I volunteered, not really sure what it all would entail but I was excited.  For a about six months we, a man from the UK and I, went through each chapter of the book as she wrote it.  We did the exercises and took advice.  In May I started this blog Walking Through Seasons.  In July we began writing the Novel that coincided with 10 Minute Writer.  In October we handed over what we had.  I had a meager 45,000 or so words and the Brit had about 49,000.  It was such an adventure!  But it was also very daunting.  I had to overcome doubt and the lack of value I had in my writing.  Many times I asked myself and God WHY am I doing this???  The learning curve was huge and the fear and doubt even larger.  I began to find encouragement on the 10 Minute Novelists Facebook Page.  What a great group of writers, so encouraging.

In October, through a blog I had been reading, I found out about the challenge of Write 31 Days.  I took the challenge and wrote every day in October on Immeasurably More.  Through out the month I found such a joy in writing and posting on my blog.

In October I also sent my 'novel' to THE 10 Minute Writer.  When I got the remarks back from her in November I was surprised at her remarks...they were mostly positive!!!  This gave me a huge boost of confidence. So once again I took on a challenge.

Beginning November 1st NaNoWriMo began.  National Novel Writing Month is a month of challenging yourself to write 50,000 words of a Novel.  I took on the challenge with great fear once again.  I took a few writing prompts that I found online and began to write.  I began very slowly then picked up speed.  I found that making a conscious decision to only write to write helped me to get through many words.  This means I wrote because I wanted to please the story that was in my head, not to publish or please someone who may read it.  So I began to write to write one word, sentence, paragraph at a time.  My goal 50,000 words in 30 days.

On November 29th I validated my Novel and had written 50,264 words!!!!! A whole day early!!! 

This all being said that in this season of my life I have kept walking.  I did not allow my self to sit down, at least not for long! I kept writing and believing in what I could do!  I prayed a lot and decided that I would please God with what I wrote and He gave me the words.  They may never be printed or even read by another but I know that I overcame fear and lack or worth during the process!!!

January bring 365K with 10 Minute Novelists!!!!!  1000 words a day for 365 days!!!