Finally, I decided to try a new method: The Carrot and The Stick. Incase you're unfamiliar with it, it's a goal-setting method based on the idea that if you dangle a carrot in front of a mule and hit it with a stick from behind, it will move towards the carrot and away from the stick. So you pick a goal (finishing my novel by April 30) a carrot - a reward (getting to re-organize my bookshelf) and a stick - a punishment (not being able to buy the new Owl City album until may 25.)
Well, it worked. I have really wanted to organize my bookshelf for some time, so today when I realized that it was April 30 and I still had two more scenes to write, I sat down at my computer and typed for quite awhile - and it felt really good. I'd forgotten how much I love just taking a big chunk of time and devoting myself to writing. I definitely need to do this more often. Anyway, I managed to get out the last 2,800 or so words, bringing my total to 85k. (Incidentally, that's much longer than my 2009 NaNo, which ended up being 65k. I was expecting this one to be shorter, but the plot just exploded.)
Despite wanting to reach my goal and re-organize my bookshelf, I probably wouldn't have finished my novel had it not been for my desire to prove the Universe wrong.
This one needs some explaining, I know.
See, my "stick" - my punishment for not finishing the novel - was that I couldn't by the new Owl City album until May 25. It was convenient, because it was supposed to come out on May 17, so if I did in fact finish my novel by April 30, it would be sort of a double-reward. Imagine my shock when I logged into iTunes the other day and found that the release had been pushed back to June 14.
My reaction was sensible. I immediately assumed that the forces of the universe that had caused the release to be moved assumed that I wouldn't finish the novel, and so decided to make absolutely sure I wouldn't break my promise and buy the album anyway. Of course, I had to prove that this wasn't true. I still don't get to buy the album, but you know what? The sense of accomplishment totally makes up for that. It's been so long since I've finished a novel that I forgot how exhilarating it feels.
So - novel finished, universe humiliated, and I get to spend all day tomorrow organizing my beloved books.
Off to rest my hands, so I don't get carpal tunnel from typing -
~blackandwhitedreamer
