Anyone else been writing their Novel for what feels like forever?

[Lavenderdays]

I think I've been writing and editing my novel for nearly 2 years now (reached about 58,000 words edited with probably about another 30,000 or so to go). After I think it is completed, no doubt it is probably going to need editing again a few times. It is primarily a hobby (to have it published would be lovely but not the main aim) and I fit it around my 3 dc - dc2 just started school and dc3 is a baby so not really had an awful lot of time to put towards it and still don't. Plus the way I write seems to be in short bursts rather than being able to sit down and write for hours at a time. Anyone else making slow progress? Part of me doesn't want to reach the end - it has become so much a part of my life now but other projects do await so I'm starting to get slightly impatient though still very much enjoying the process.

Oh God, I know what you mean, mine's been going for about 18 months although I've been going in a funny order, long story . I've just finished and I'm going through chapter by chapter a few times, all in all it's about 100,000 words. Publishing isn't my main aim either, I just find it relaxing even if it's frustrating when the words won't come!

Yawning, glad to hear that I am not the only one who is taking their time about things and congratulations on its completion. I keep thinking that I will finish by x, only to find that there is still lots more work to do...hoping to finish it by the end of next year!
I am grateful to my small writing group - can't always make the meet ups these days due to baby but I know that they are there and use the scheduled meet ups as a sort of goal to get work out for critiquing, I don't always successfully meet the goal but it spurs me on a bit plus they are still working on their first books too.

I’m making slow progress too. I aim for 500 words a day, but I don’t get round to writing every day. I’m a part time teacher and have two young children so I manage to fit it I between 8.30-10.30pm.
I’ve been writing my novel for well over a year and I have a mish mash of about 35,000 words. I still believe in the story! Recently I’ve done some good writing- it’s taken me a while to settle on a consistent voice.
Are you planning on doing nanowrimo? I’m going to give it a go, but aim for 1000 words a day, rather than 1665. I’m going to do the word count without registering. It will be a mad month, but I’m hoping it will stop me wasting time editing and get that first draft finished by the end of the year.

Nuffaluff, like you, I believe in the story and it keeps me motivated to keep on writing. I found the Summer holidays slowed progress for me for obvious reasons (two young dc). I allow plenty of time to write each chapter but I do set deadlines as this brings my writing into focus and because I am generous with the allotted time, I don't become frustrated. I have more or less written the whole thing so now I am going back and re-writing/editing, I try to perfect a chapter before moving onto the next.
No plans to do nanowrimo at the moment although I would be interested to know how effective it is...good luck, I hope it works out well.

I don't have time to do nanowrimo, life is just too busy at the moment. I hate deadlines, it just makes me go into some crazy writing frenzy and I end up putting down a bunch of bullshit

yawning, I can understand how deadlines might have that effect...I accept that I am unlikely to meet them and they move back again...but for me it provides focus.

No one can be slower than me. Working on a fantasy WIP I started about ten years on but as I plotted it out got totally blocked (going through infertility with a pregnancy MC) and abandoned it. One november (during Nanowrimo) many years later, I wrote about 50k of it. A year or two later I wrote the latter half of it over a few months. Then I've let it sit about two years with no editing as the whole thing just intimidates me.

The actual time I've spent on it isn't that long - maybe 1.5 years of work. But the amount of time not writing is huuuuuuge.

Somewhat wonder if I should abandon it as my writing has changed a lot over the years. Then I think, but surely it only needs a little polishing?

Oh Generic, Sorry to hear that you have experienced infertility and miscarriage. I experienced secondary infertility and had a late loss at 20 weeks, and it was a couple of years after this experience that I began writing.

It's fine now Lavender, I am through the other side and extremely lucky after treatment to have my children. But sometimes real life can intrude on fiction writing in ways you don't necessarily expect and it's okay to be kind to yourself about it.

It's frustrating that I dropped the story but I think it's still worth persevering with :)

Good to hear Generic. I feel as if I am hugely fortunate to have my 3 dc now but also feel that despite the fact that I am planning to have no further children, can never bring myself to say that my family is complete on account of my loss.

It sounds as if you have worked out whether to persevere with your story! As mentioned upthread, I think one of the reasons that I have kept on going with my novel is that I truly believe in the story.