November Highlights // 2016

You did it. We did it. November is over. 

Just thinking about this month exhausts me, but it's been a good one filled with many wonderful things. In a way, I'm sad to see it end. I love NaNo, and I'm already looking forward to next year.

But for now, I'm going to revel in the fact that I don't have a novel to write. 

... I just have seven billion novels to edit. -.- (On that lovely note, onto the post. xD)

I saw three movies in theaters this month, which is exactly three more than I normally see. xD I saw Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Arrival, and Doctor Strange. I love them all for different reasons. I loved Fantastic Beasts because of the setting and Newt and the magic and the lovely feel of the movie. I loved Arrival because it's my type of movie with its epicness and mystery and ajskdlf;j;. It's too much. And I loved Doctor Strange because... it's Marvel, duh. Of course I'm gonna love it.

Snow appeared for the first time this month, which is one big nope for me. The only good thing about snow is that I buy peppermint creamer for my coffee, which is lovely. <3

Obviously the biggest highlight of this month was my writing retreat with Nadine Brandes. I have no words for the amazing opportunity and how great she is. So much happiness. <3

One of my newest hobbies is bullet journaling (here's a tour of my bullet journal), but NaNo stole everything from me... including bullet journaling. So I'm looking forward to December and hopefully doing the thing daily again. :D 

For the first time in a loooong time, I bought more books than I read. I bought four, though I really only bought two books this month with a black friday sale. The third was a giveaway prize, and tthe fourth was a preorder from months ago.

I was going to take a photoshoot of all of these books... but then I miscalculated my days (I blame NaNo), so the lighting was not ideal for pictures. *weeping because there's hardly ever sun in winter which means it's insanely difficult for pictures* -.-

ANYWAYS, I got Scythe, Some Kind of Happiness, Scarlet Moon, and These Broken Stars.

I only read two books this month. But I also wrote a book, soooo. xD

SCYTHE WAS A BRILLIANT MASTERPIECE AND EVERYONE MUST READ IT IMMEDIATELY. The plot. Characters. The idea. How it makes you think. The cover. ajsdfkla; I cannot with this book and I need to flail with people over it.

I kept things simple this month, and shared highlights from each week of NaNoWriMo. Feel free to go read them and laugh at the terrible suffering I put myself through. :P

Week One Post: I share snippets, some writing music, and pictures scattered throughout that I'm kind of proud of.

Week Two Post: I somehow hit 50,000 words, and I am probably not even alive anymore.

Week Three Post: More snippets, and a generally tough writing week, which is okay because it happens to everyone.

Week Four Post: In which I wrap up the last week of NaNo and am RIDICULOUSLY close to the end of my novel.

It seems like a bunch of my friends are suddenly self-publishing, so I'm shouting them out because they're awesome and I cannot wait until their novels are released to the world. <3 

My critique partner, Abi, has a release date for her novel, Martin Hospitality! You can read more about her contemporary Christian novel here.

I met Olivia at the Minneapolis Young Writer's Workshop last year, and she just announced that she's self-publishing her novel! You can read about her spy novel here.

Lastly, this post was written a few months ago, but Liz wrote a lovely rant about defending writing as a job. I can't hug this post enough.

I saved this section for last, because here is that NaNo Vlog I've been talking about! I'm still not one hundred percent used to talking to a camera... (as is probably quite evident. xD) ...but I found myself warming up toward the end of the video, and am looking forward to possibly doing more in the future. Who knows -- maybe this will turn into something I create regularly. All things to think about. xD 

There is also flailing and excited squealing in the vlog. Because OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS I FINISHED MY NOVEL. Cannot even. *flops on the ground*

Anyways, here is the vlog below! Thanks for bearing with my awkwardness. :P

I am taking a half-hiatus during the month of December. I don't know if half-hiatuses are a thing, but if they aren't... they are now. :P

I will be posting Saturday, December 3rd, and Saturday, December 31st. The 31st will be an end of the year wrap up post similar to the one I did last year. Then in January I'll be back with my normal posting schedule. :D

*tries not to freak out over the fact that the year is coming to an end so soon* *help*

Happy last day of NaNo! (though maybe "happy" isn't the best word... stressful or agonizing is more like it. :P)

BUT YOU CAN DO THE THING. I believe in you. <3

// katie grace

How did NaNo go?

Did you get any reading done throughout this crazy month?