"What do you mean, we have to stop?"

The Great #NaNoWriMo Experiment is over...

for now.

November is over and so is our in class writing time.

I could tell you about our final word sprints.

I could tell you about the huge (to me, anyway) totals classes put up.

I could tell you about the prizes I gave out.

Or the ones I still need to get to.

All of those were good things.

But the best part has been the absolute vitriol I've gotten since.

So many kids are positively livid we won't keep writing in class.

We have repeatedly discussed the fact that we will spend enormous chunks of second semester revising.

Starting on December 1st, I will start reading.

Yet the grumbling continues.

Maybe I shouldn't laugh, but their off hand comments amuse me.

"Why can't we just keep writing?"

"What do you mean, we have to stop?"

"Hey, why aren't we writing anymore?"

"We would probably behave better if you let us write some more."

The last one is my favorite.

It was delivered with such snarky aplomb.

I have carefully and repeatedly explained the situation.

Obviously, students are welcome to keep writing on their own time.

Obviously, National Novel Writing Month only lasts for one month.

Obviously, we have other curriculum to address.

I try not to use "obviously" when I talk to the kids.

I won't say I always succeed.

But we are going to spend a ton of time revising second semester.

My current plan includes at least three weeks, maybe more, revising.

If everything goes according to plan, we will publish our novels in the spring.

I haven't quite decided how we will do that, but I'm thinking Storify.

Of course, nothing everything totally goes according to plan, hopefully just close enough.

In the meantime, I will continue to tease them.

I want them to feel hungry.

I also want them to take a real break from their writing.

It will give them fresh eyes.

And I will continue to enjoy their snarky commentary on our standard curriculum.