Things I've Learned From NaNoWriMo

I've done it.

Take a look at my NaNo badge over in my sidebar --------->

Yes! I have officially written 50,000 words in 30 days (well, actually, 26 days)!

I can't believe that I wrote over 6100 words today. That is an all-time, all-life high.

When I signed up for NaNo, I did not didn't really think I would win. It would be just for fun, just to write.

But here I am, amazed. And even though everything I wrote is going to sound like total crap when I read it over and begin to edit come December, at least I managed to pump out 50k words in one month. Even though my actual story has veered, totally and completely, away from the original idea, I still love every word I have written.

I have learned to push myself. To reach the goals I set. To actually set goals for myself.

I have learned to just write, because you can't edit a blank page. To just write, no matter what, because first drafts never get published anyways - it's the fifth, or fifteenth, or even fiftieth, that do.

I have learned not to write too many contractions (I had to keep reminding myself, as I wrote this post, to write I've instead of I have or can't instead of can not).

If anyone asked me about NaNoWriMo, about deciding whether they should participate in it, I would definitely say yes. Even if you do not don't win, it's an exhilarating experience. It's thirty days and nights of literary abandon. 

Good luck to all fellow WriMos who aren't done yet- you can do it!