NaNoWriMo - first week and first impressions :-))

I didn't plan on doing NaNo this year (I tried only once before and only ever wrote about 5000 words, though whether it was due to laziness or lack of time I don't remember), but on the 1st of November something took hold of me and told me that it would be a great opportunity to get my on and off going fantasy novel out. I thought that I had more than enough to go by. After all, I had been playing with different ideas and backstory for ages. Except that when I actually started writing I suddenly realized that ideas and backstory are not quite solid enough to support an actual story. It started falling apart in front of my eyes and I was devastated, because I've spent years thinking and dreaming about it.

However, despite the fact that it was a rather heavy blow, I didn't feel like giving up. I thought that I could as well give it my best shot. What do I have to lose? The first three days of intense writing were very difficult. I don't think I've ever written so much in so few days. But, gradually, the discipline settled in and I found myself making not only the required 1666 words a day but over 2000 without much effort but with never-ending zeal. I'm just writing, generating all possible and impossible ideas and having fun with them.

Of course, it's not exactly a novel at this point and it'll take a lot of work before I can call it one, but it 's the solid foundation that can, in due course, support a fully-fledged novel. It's full of talks, arguments and discussions that give me a lot of new material and a lot to think about. My MC has gone through half a dozen name changes already. Her companions have likewise changed. Some even disappeared. As for the place the story is taking place, it gives me the most trouble, because I can't find a suitable name to call it. I might have hit upon it at last today, but I might change my mind by the time the day is over. All in all, having overcome my original shock and misery, I'm quite happy with my progress so far and I hope that I'll be able to complete my first ever NaNoWriMo with 50,000 words or maybe even more :-))

Are you doing NaNo this year? What are your first impressions of the first week? Become my Writing Buddy! I'm farida mestek.