I Wrote 71,395 Words in One Month | Novel November Recap

I set out to write 50,000 words for Novel November (NaNoWriMo). By day 27, I had written 71,395 words instead. Here's everything I learned about writing a novel in 30 days.

In this Novel November recap, I'm sharing what actually worked, what mistakes I made, and the writing strategies that helped me write over 70,000 words in less than a month. If you're doing Novel November, working on your first novel, or trying to finish a book, this video breaks down my process—the chaos, the coffee, and the lessons learned.

✍️ WHAT I COVER:
How I wrote 71,395 words in 27 days
Writing sprint strategies that actually work
Why I—sort of—stopped following my outline (and why that helped)
The biggest mistakes I made during Novel November
Tips for writing faster without burning out
How to maintain momentum when motivation runs out

📊 MY NOVEL NOVEMBER STATS:
Final Word Count: 71,395 words (I still have three days left!)
Daily Average: 2,644 words
Books Drafted: 2 (one complete, one in progress)
Coffee Consumed: 5 cups a day on average, ≈ 150 cups
Sleep Schedule: Destroyed

📚 MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO:
Novel November challenge
Writing 50,000 words in 30 days
The importance of not rereading while drafting
Why outlines are guides, not prisons
How exhaustion can improve honesty in writing

Whether you're a beginner writer, working on your first draft, or planning your own writing challenge, I'm sharing the unfiltered truth about what it was like to write a novel in 30 days.

⏱️ In This Video:
00:00 - Introduction
00:31 - The Plan vs Reality
02:27 - What I Actually Learned
04:16 - Quick Pause
04:25 - Mistake #1
05:09 - Mistake #2
05:37 - What Actually Worked
07:31 - The Emotional Journey
08:33 - Biggest Lessons Learned
09:25 - Wrap-Up

💬 DROP YOUR WORD COUNT IN THE COMMENTS! Let's celebrate every single word you wrote this month.

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🔗 CONNECT WITH ME:
  / jessmartinhea  
  / jessmartinhea  
https://www.jessmartinauthor.com/blog

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📖 BOOKS I'M CURRENTLY READING:
Powerless by Lauren Roberts
Pucking Revenge by Britanee Nicole
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

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📚 WRITING RESOURCES I USE:
Scrivener (writing software)
Writing sprints (25 - 30 min sessions)
Coffee (obviously)
Multiple locations (desk, dining table, bed, café)

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#NaNoWriMo #NovelNovember #WritingCommunity #AmWriting #NaNoWriMo2025 #WritingTips #FirstDraft #NaNoWriMoWinner #WritersOfYouTube #WritingVlog #AuthorTube #CreativeWriting #WriteANovel #WritingMotivation #DraftingTips

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🎵 Music: Relaxed and chill lofi hip hop long version by Koko ni studio
📹 Filmed on: iPhone 16 Pro
✂️ Edited in: CapCut Pro

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FTC: Not sponsored. All opinions are my own.