I came, I brain stormed, I wrote
Today, the 30th of November, in the year of our lord 2003 anno domino, I completed my 50,000th word for the Nanowrimo.org contest/challenge. I did it in near marathon capability, as I finally made a sort of breakthrough. Last Monday I was still pedaling around, a little over 20,000 words behind, and only a week left. I then found the capability to start cranking out 3000 words a day, and finally tonight, from around 10:30pm till 8:00am I cranked out 6,500 words of pure mayhem.
Even more odd, is that my writing did improve as I went along. The first few chapters as I now look back are weak, yes. The first few chapters averaged at maybe 1,800 words a chapter. The final chapters, at a whopping 4,000 words a chapter (including the combined 11+12 at a mega 9,852 words). I learned to work my characters, how to come up with names, how to identify with them, how to describe and I have started to learn how to balance description with dialogue.
And yet, I'm still not done. Oh, I've finished the 50,082 words, passing the mark that was challenged. I now plan on taking a week off, letting my arm heal and my brain fill backup. I do not know if I'll ever sell this novel, but I will try to at least finish it. I will also leave the first 14 chapters online, and even update them as I edit to give you the reader a taste of the book. If by chance I sell it, we shall see what happens, and hope I can retain or have some say in the electronic rights.
But now, have fun reading the novella, and remember, after chapter 8 it does pick up a bit and get better.
You can read Thunderhead to the Storm's first 14 chapters here