Even with broken keys, I still did it!

I would now like to direct everyone to look at the right side of the page. To the far right. See that word count bar? 100% complete!

Guys, I completed my first draft! I cannot describe how amazing it feels to have a complete novel! Not that it is ready to be seen by human eyes other than mine - it still has a long way to go!

I was somewhat hindered this week by the loss of my keyboard keys (See picture) so I was really upset by that. My laptop is only a year old, which in technology world is more like a decade, and it hasn't suffered any injuries until now. To be honest, it was sort of, kind of my fault...

See, I was curious as to how a key fit onto the laptop so I removed the 'J' key to take a look. Unfortunately, I couldn't put it back on so I took off the 'K' to try and copy how that went back on. The 'K' went on but I still couldn't do the 'J' so I took off the 'H'. Somehow, in the process, the 'G' and 'K' came off too. Guys, please don't laugh at me, but I never realised until now how much I use 'H'. *sad face* Okay, you can laugh now.

Aside from that self-induced disaster, I managed to complete my WIP! On Monday and Tuesday, I wrote 4586 words and by Tuesday 10:15 pm, I had completed my story. What really amazes me is how much I actually wrote for this round of ROW80:

49215 words

My productivity was at its highest and I actually know why. It's because I wrote chapter outlines. Once I started outlining chapters ahead of time, it kept me on a path. Sometimes I changed things up but, for the majority of it, chapter outlines truly helped me churn out 2000-3500 words a day.

I also have to thank all the lovely ROW80 participants this round! You guys kept encouraging me and were so kind even when I had a bad week. I couldn't have done it without you! A special thank you to Nadja Notariani who said something to me in October which made me want to join up for this round of ROW. I can't remember exactly what she said but if she hadn't, I wouldn't have a complete manuscript today. Also, I must mention my friend, Michelle Flick, who has been so supportive of me throughout this entire process. I hope all of you have someone you can go to when you begin doubting yourself.

I will begin revisions after the holiday season so if any of you have any advice for me, please share!

Finally, here is Part Three of a writer's attribute which I found in THE AUTHOR'S CRAFT by Arnold Bennett. If you didn't see my previous posts, here is Part One and Part Two.

"...The other one important attribute in the equipment of the novelist - the attribute indeed which indeed by itself practically suffices, and whose absence renders futile all the rest - is fitness of mind. A great novelist must have great qualities of mind. His mind must be sympathetic, quickly responsive, courageous, honest, humorous, tender, just, merciful. He must be able to conceive the ideal without losing sight of the fact that it is a human world we live in. Above all, his mind must be permeated and controlled by common sense. His mind, in a word, must have the quality of being noble. Unless his mind is all this, he will never, at the ultimate bar, be reckoned supreme."