Bit of a mixed bag. It didn't start too badly but because I was writing what I had essentially written at least twice before, it felt slightly tiring. Also I was referring back to one of my older versions and was over 10,000 words in when I realised that I had been looking at the wrong version from what I intended. I meant to be looking at the one from last year which had been better planned and better written using experiences from the Lockdowns but had been referring to the 2019 version.

I don't think they're actually too drastically different and changes can always be made of course so it isn't so bad. I'm now at the part that has really changed. The previous two versions were not sequels and so a lot of explaining had to be done with regards to previous events relating to the Guardians and their past adventures. Cassia and Sennen already did a lot of that in the first book so now I'm onto a part of the book that was previously unwritten and will fill in a few gaps for Cassia but also mean her relationship with Sennen is different. I'm removing a lot of cringeworthy scenes with them and essentially respecting the privacy of my characters. This is easier to do now that they are meeting again on entirely different terms.

Nanowrimo awards badges for progress and this is part of the reason that I am using the website for the challenge. That, and it also helps to know just how much I need to be writing. It's working to help motivate me but it also has it's downsides.

One important thing to remember during all of this is self care and that means recognising when you need to take a day off. I chose to follow my general rule about staying offline all through Sunday but it meant that I was bothered by the fact I could now not earn at least one of the badges, which is to update my writing progress every day in November. I have also missed out on the seven day badge and to be honest, if I stick to my rule about taking a day off here and there, then I won't be earning any of the big update badges, other than the ones I have about updating progress.

I'm also back to work and missed another day because of this. I'd been at work all day and had barely sat down. I was pretty exhausted and recognised that I did not need to spend the evening trying to write my novel. I'd already planned for such days by exceeding the required amount of words ahead of time. I now need to exceed my writing target again so that I can allow myself this luxury of taking the odd day off.

One of the badges you can award yourself is the Self-Care badge, which means you have to remember to eat well, exercise and sleep during the challenge. So far I think I am keeping up with this.

I must confess though that I have actually cheated on the challenge. I actually wrote the prologue before November and have copy and pasted some scenes from my previous versions. I'd read them through and decided nothing needed to be changed. It would take forever to retype them so I copy and pasted, hoping to cancel out the days I would be missing. I was initially retyping from last years version and it seemed a huge waste of time. At the end of the day I still wrote the words and the challenge does actually allow you work on an existing project, such as creating a new draft of a novel. I'm at a point where I actually can't copy and paste anymore so that won't be happening again.

It will certainly be interesting to see how my challenge progresses now I don't have that reference.


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