4 years - 4 novels

Well ... kinda.

As most of you know I have for the last couple of years participated in National Novel Writing Month (http://www.nanowrimo.org) each November. Specifically I have participated every years since November 2006. Each year I have challenged myself to write a 50,000 word (or more) novel within the 30 day framework of the month of November. And as of today I have completed my 4th successful NaNoWriMo. So I can honestly say that over the last 4 years I have written 4 novels. And, as I have every year, I must again say that if it had not been for the help and support of my wife I would not have managed it ... she encouraged me when I needed it, challenged me to do just a little more, and kicked me in the tail any time I thought about just writing it off this year.

I have to admit ... there was a point that I looked at the word count deficit growing at a rate to rival the national debt and thought ... maybe I should just go ahead and throw in the towel, I'm sure to fail one sooner or later maybe #4 just wasn't meant to be ... as the chart on the NaNo Stats tab of my user page shows on 11/7 I was at 11,680 words, but on 11/20 I was only at 20,532 ... 13 days only 8,852 words ... at 1,333 words a day I should have written roughly 17,339 words in those 13 days but had managed just barely over half of that.

My wife, however, was having none of it. She kept hounding me about it, making me stop house chores and go write. If she heard me stop typing she was asking me why I stopped, or suggesting some writing exercise or another to keep me going. The result was 50,000 words ... and not only did I break the 50k marker and 'win' NaNo for the 4th year running ... but I did it with 25.5 hours to spare. Yes, for the first time ever I wasn't verifying my win at 11pm on November 30th hoping I had enough words ... for the first time I coasted in more than a full day early.

Now ... do I actually have 4 novels laying around ... not quite ... the break down goes something like this:

2006 - Mark of the Pendragon - finished 50,000 words, only about 50% through the planned story arc. (Superhero / SciFi)
2007 - Dragonstorm - Finished 50,000 words, did manage to get through about 85% of the planned story arc. (Fantasy)
2008 - The Snake and The Cross - Finished 50,000 words AND the story arc ... but skipped over a couple large sections that I haven't gone back to write. (Science Fantasy)
2009 - Wild Boys - Finished 50,000 words and about 90% of the story arc ... maybe ... I actually have no clue how it's going to end ... (Superhero / SciFi)

My plan ... in 2010, however, is to pick one of these and complete it and *gasp* maybe even start to refine it a bit and try to ... I don't know ... maybe get it into something I can reasonably submit and try to get published. ... And THIS time I mean it.