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November 1: This morning I broke the news to my sister and brother-in-law that I had signed up for NaNoWriMo for the 5th consecutive year. Elaine remarked, "Don't you know how to say 'No'?"
My answer was simple. "Yes, of course I know how to say 'No'. I said 'No'. But then I changed my mind."
I have been caught up with editing and preparing for the Florida Conference, as well as being back at work. So I realised that I need the challenge of NaNoWriMo this year. I long to get back into the creative fun type of writing.
I'm tackling a different type of novel, which gives me plenty scope for free writing, and I hope to get a number of inspirational articles out of the book. A team of six from CWG S.Africa are tackling NaNoWriMo together. We've formed ourselves into a small online support group which will be great. Six very different stories by six very different writers. But we're all Christians, and we know each other. So it should be fun.
I've made an okay start - I've written two chapters, so now taking a break.
I plan to do most of my NaNoWriMo writing on duty (before midnight). After midnight is for Florida preparation.
However I only start work tomorrow evening so needed to make a start today.
Day 1: Word Count 1,713.
See here for a synopsis of this year's novel.
November 4: So far so good. I'm enjoying writing this year. The pressure is lighter, with only the need to write 1,667 words per day. Work has been calm the last two nights, so I've been able to write on the novel for a couple of hours. Then after midnight, I've done some work on Florida preparation.
I've done less than the daily quota today as I'm off for two nights and I slept most of the day. However I'm a little ahead, so it's fine.
Day 4: Word Count now 7,132.
November 9: I can't say this year's novel is easy. I'm doing all the writing on night duty before midnight. Some nights I have a couple of hours, others only an hour-and-a-half. I'm trying to stick to those times though, so that after midnight my writing time can be used for preparation for the Florida Christian Writers Conference.
There were a number of reasons why I decided to write for NaNoWriMo again this year, after first saying I wouldn't be doing it.
- I have spent so much time on editing, proposals, one sheets etc, I've hardly done any writing for months. NaNo would get me writing again.
- I felt the need to get back to journalling. The idea that I had for NaNo would be almost like a work journal, but with obvious changes to protect identity.
- I need to get some fresh devotions and articles completed, but keep puting them off because of the need to be prepared for Florida
- I really want to achieve my 5th consecutive win at NaNo. I'm aiming at writing just over the 50,000 words required to achieve my certificate. Previous years I've written between 90,000-110,000 words in the month.
With these thoughts in mind, I chose to follow a similar idea as Jan Karon's Mitford Series, where each chapter tells a fresh story. The characters are linked because they live in the same small village, Mitford. The various events are tied together by a priest, Father Tim, who gets married late in life.
In my story, the characters are linked because they live in the same frail care home. And the night nurse ties the different events together.
Of course Jan Karon's books were written for publication. In the case of Night Nurse however my goal isn't to have a publishable novel but rather a series of short stories, articles and devotions that I can edit and use in the weeks following NaNo.
So far I'm on track for the 50K total by the end of the month, but this has definitely been the toughest year. Not only am I typing when I'm tired, late at night, but I find with each chapter something else, my characters don't have the same impetus as in previous years, when the story seemed to write itself.
Day 9: Word Count: 15,247
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November 22: Whew! This year is tough. Between night duty, family crises, and writing a different format to usual, I'm finding it much harder going than previous years. Two days ago, I was way, way behind. Thanks to two quiet nights on duty and some concentrated BOCHOK therapy (Bottom-on-chair, hands-on-keyboard) I've caught up. In two nights I've managed overy 8,000 words bringing my total wordcount to 35,608 words.
If I can keep up the momentum now, I'll reach 50k on 30th November. I'd like to get a bit ahead though.
So, soldiering on. At least I still have a chance of making it. Two nights ago I wasn't so sure.
Our small group of six CWG S.Africa members are all still trying, although most of them are struggling for one reaon or another. Strange how November is the month when LIFE throws stuff at us. Maybe that's an indication that NaNoWriMo's good for us. Actually I know it is for me -- well normally. All my novels have turned out fairly well, except for my first one, which wasn't written during NaNo and took a full year to write. That one ran into a wall in the last chapter. I finished it, but the ending's tame. The others all hae a beginning, a middle and an end, and a fair plot line. If I wanted to, and had the time, I could probably do something with them.
Night Nurse would need serious heart surgery and some major transplants to make it publishable in its current form. However the idea's there, and I have a number of devotional articles woven into the story. My idea is to copy and paste them out of the story after November for use in other markets - with some editing of course. That was the only way I could justify writing a novel this year. I've got some non-fiction inside the story.
Day 22: Word Count: 35,608
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November 27: Where has this month gone? If I'd known all that would happen this month, I wouldn't have committed myself to do NaNoWriMo this year.
My daughter who lives in Eurasia needs surgery which can't be done in there. So she's flying out here in 12 days time, to have several procedures and probably surgery. That has taken quite a bit of organising.
Just at the point we thought we knew what we were doing, our grandson joined the ranks of those with Swine Flu, so the plans went on hold. He has recovered well, praise the Lord, so we continued with our arrangements.
I'm still not able to get enough sleep on night duty, so I've spent far too much time on my bed trying.
All in all it hasn't been a good month to do NaNo. And yet -- I've achieved quite a lot of writing, and my novel's taking shape. It's nowhere near finished, but I should be able to make the 50,000 word mark by the end of the month which will qualify me as a winner. As a novel, it's not as good this year, but as planned it includes a number of non-fiction articles that I can edit and submit to other markets in the future.
Word Count: 46,623
November 29: And I'm done! The novel's not, but it's going to rest, as I need to concentrate on the Florida Christian Writers Conference that Marion Ueckermann and I are travelling to in (gulp!) less than 90 days.
As always, it's been a great challenge, but I have missed the interaction on the forums. It's been a lonely ride this time - but that's the only way it could work. There was definitely no time for chatting on forums as well, although I skimmed through the emails when they arrived in their droves in my inbox.
And here's my final word count for NaNoWriMo2009.
This is Shirley Corder, aka SAShirl, checking out from NaNoWriMo 2009. See you all again on NaNo next year - hopefully.
SYNOPSIS OF "NIGHT NURSE": 
Harmony Haven is home to 65 - 70 individuals, mostly over the age of 80.
Sr Catherine, the RN in charge of the frail care and part-time writer, finds her nights full of surprises and lessons about life.
She grows to love the old lady who spends the night entertaining friends that no one else can see. The ninety-six-year-old that never rings her bell and refuses all offers of help astounds Catherine as she fills in crossword puzzles as fast as she can write. The thirty-year old quadriplegic learns that life isn't over when he learns to paint.
Perhaps the biggest challenge of all comes from the lady who is given 6 weeks to live - and ticks the days off on her calendar, determined to make every one count.
In Night Nurse Shirley Corder takes her readers into the world of the frail and the forgotten, where her lovable characters inspire chuckles, tears and hope.
(Background of cover adapted from photo by tanakawho.)
