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How do you measure success?

opened book Photo by Victor on Pexels.com

NaNoWriMo! Thirty days of writing. Was I successful?

NaNoWriMo is a time to write 1,000 words a day. The idea is to get a novella drafted or a good start on a novel. Each year, I take on the challenge with my own set of goals. This year I had three goals and I made good progress on all of them.

Completed: The Fable of Little Tzurie in hard cover

I wanted to do this because a children’s book feels so much nicer in hardcover than it does in soft. I got the ISBN. I uploaded the manuscript. I created the cover. Uh-oh! I did not meet the minimum number of pages for the beta version of kdp’s hardcover project.

Drat! It’s ready when they are. I did the work. “Can’t Get No…(bum, bum, bum) SATISFACTION!” But I tried. (Love this video. Look how young they look. Wait. I think they’re just a little older than me.)

Completed: Get the Galley Copy of Growing North in the Fellas’ hands.

It came in the mail the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I got so excited, I met up with Jim and his wife Deb to deliver the books. Jim and John are proofing their copies right now. I’m making tweaks to the cover. Hopefully, all the rough edges will be sanded off in time for holiday giving. Here’s a video of their “unboxing.” Now, this makes me smile every time I look at it. Good job guys.

Jim and John unbox their creation.

Incomplete: Editor-ready my next novel May His Tribe Increase

I added several thousand words every week as I edited. I got some of the burs and inconsistencies fixed. I really gained a lot of insight from my Wednesday 50-word story excercise. But, I’m still about 10,000 words short AND I have a lot of editing still to do. Progress yes. Goal achieved, not quite.

Well, what got it the way?

I celebrated Mr. C’s birthday, went to Miss E’s volleyball games, helped CoCo with her many craft projects, made four hats, five trivits, two scrubbies, hosted Thanksgiving dinner, made dinner, three pies, a pumpkin roll. I hosted our “Chocolate Friday” candy-making extravaganza resulting in about 40 pounds of chocolate. Loved-One and I took one group of grandkids to Elf, the Musical. I… Oh you know, all the regular things about life that I love to bits.

I’m claiming success. I almost feel like this.

I think I’ll go take a nap now.