Camp NaNo Recap, I'm writing a sad book

Hello everyone,

I hope you didn't miss me too much last month. I actually enjoyed the break from blogging a little (Enough that this post is late), but I'm glad to be back again.

I just managed to reach my goal of 21,000, without too much hard work. Last July I had a goal of 18,000 and wrote 20,139. I wrote about one third by hand and just under a third was brainstorming and notes. Since I hadn't had enough time to plan before hand, I allowed myself to count that.

I felt the writing was a little less smooth than it had been previously. Some days it was an effort to come up with something to write, but I know I didn't actually spend as much time per day as I did last time. I love doing some of the writing on the computer. Those times happen when it's evening and you've barely written anything, and when they do it's much easy to catch up by typing. I haven't given up on writing by hand though. I still love that too.

On the story development front, I really just got some important things fleshed out. I've still got a way to go though. I had been exploring the basic idea behind Girl of the Rumours for almost a year and a half when I started writing. Even then the story has changed dramatically throughout the first draft. This time I hadn't thought about it a lot, until a month before starting.

I hadn't thought about the mood of Lady of Courage much, but it certainly wasn't supposed to be tragic. It still isn't really, but I do plan to have some simply wonderful characters die. When I actually realized that I was going to make people very attached to a particular character and then rip them away I almost cried. But it has to happen for the story to go the way I intend at the moment. Of course since I haven't actually written it yet, there is still a chance that they will survive, but it's highly unlikely.

This month I'm planning to begin rewrites for Girl of the Rumours. I read thought most of the first draft on Monday. The beginning will need to be completely rewritten, because I'm changing a few characters and the way in which certain events happen. The layer parts however have some bits that I love and will be able to mostly reuse.

I'm not exactly sure how working on two books at the same time is going to work, but I'm sure I'll figure something out. If any of you have some tips they would be very welcome.

How was your April? If you did Camp NaNo how did it go? I'd love to hear.