Killing it in NaNoWriMo
This year I discovered that outlining is my jam. In August, I finished Digital Dryad (currently in editing and alpha readers). I had been working on that novel since around 2009, but I was able to complete the entire second draft–a complete rewrite from scratch–in around 28 days. That novel is currently 79,000 words. I was able to write this draft so quickly because I created a comprehensive outline first.
So I decided in September that I would outline my next novel to prepare for NaNoWriMo instead of pantsing it as I had done nearly every year I’ve participated in NaNo with a novel. I planned and thought about the novel through September and wrote the outline in October. And now, in November, I’m writing it.
I am at around 41,000 words right now, in chapter 12. There will be around 33 chapters at the end, so it’s a bit longer than Digital Dryad. But I’m really pleased at how well it’s flowing.