Unapologetic Witch, I'm glad you haven't quit, even though it's hard. If it was easy, it wouldn't be as fun...or as helpful. Write 5k towards a novel! YAY! Okay, so I have a good synopsis now, but that's it. And I feel you on editing. Some days I'm better than others. I don't usually go back and actually EDIT the story, but I do, during sprints sometimes, stop and fix misspellings and such. I can't help it! Or at the very least, I almost always do afterward. lol

I'm sorry you're so far behind, stolenthrones. That sucks. As for your comment about being sure you know what you meant when writing, I make notes to myself as I write. Here's an example of what I might do...
"No," he said. "Stop it."
"Why?" (DO I WANT HIM TO ASK WHY HERE OR FURTHER DOWN?)
"Because I said so, that's why." (IF HE DOESN"T ASK WHY, THEN NEED TO FIX THIS LINE.)
So, I'm making notes and adding to my word count. I put all sorts of notes in about do I really want the dog to be brown or I need to come up with a café name in this part or I don't like how I worded that or whatever. It helps keep my thoughts straight and adds to the word count. Also, while I frequently write linearly, I don't let that define my planning. If I'm feeling like writing something much farther along than I am, I just label the scene so I can find it and write it. BTW, those labels help with word count as well. But you mentioned you were a pantser. I was as well, and still consider myself one at heart, but I must say, "Invalid Item"  does wonders for my NaNo projects! I came up with so much more through the exercises (that I hated doing at the time ). I know, but you're a pantser. Next year, just give it a try. It won't make your writing worse, that I guarantee. And you won't figure out every detail, by any means. And if you do word sprints with the Prep winners (or even by yourself), there's plenty of pantsing opportunities left. I hope to see you at Prep next year!

I'm sorry you're struggling, Duchess Laughing Lemurs, but I respect the positive attitude. Great work! Keep it up!

Great job catching up, WriterAngel! I hope you are now where you wanted to be. But I totally feel you on editing. I hate it. As for writing, yep, last night I went to bed with less than 250 words to go before I hit 50k. I just didn't have them in me. Yet, I'd written over 9k yesterday. Why couldn't I come up with another 250?!? No idea, but whatever. I knocked it out and won this morning, but it's just strange how the words come or not, as they see fit. Rude. As for needing another 25k more to finish the story, definitely normal! 50k is really more novella size. 70-80k is a SMALL novel. So, needing more than 50k means you're actually writing a novel, not a novella or a really long story.
lol Great! Good luck with finishing up! You got this!

I love your poem, Adherennium!

stevengepp, I love your attitude and completely agree!

Good luck, everyone! My your thoughts be swift and your fingers/pen be swifter!