I decided 50,000 words in one month was too daunting for me, but maybe I could manage, as the writer Carolyn See suggests, 1,000 words a day, five days a week. So, for the month of November, I decided to try it. I have a friend who lives by this method. I’m hoping I’ll get into this routine, and it will become so ingrained that I won’t feel right if I don’t stick to it.

I’ve been doing pretty well so far. A few weeks ago I was in a car accident, and I’ve had to put up with a sore chest and ribs, so I lost a few days there. But otherwise, I’ve made excellent progress toward my goal of a rough draft done before the holidays.

With historical fiction, however, research is always the bump in the road (or maybe it’s the cavernous pothole you can fall right into). Sometimes I use the word blank as a place marker, typed in red, so I won’t forget to dig for the necessary facts. Other times, I find I can’t continue without researching that prickly little detail immediately. And of course, it all depends on how crucial the bit of information is to the plot or characters.

If you NaNoWriMo’ed, hope you found great success. If others have found a surefire method of reaching their writing goals, please share!