2011 Nano Winner!

Final Word Count: 50,098

I can't believe I made it! I am just ecstatic right now. This is my first Nano and first novel. 

What I am happy about: 

I discovered I love writing and want to pursue it, possibly as a career. Although I won't do it full-time until I can afford to. Won't be in the near future, but I am willing to give it a try. 

I got into the habit of writing every single day. I feel like I can keep that up, at least one week days. My goal is 500 words a day. Seems easy now!

About to plan my second novel. It's an idea I have had in my head for a while. Still kind of vague but excited about seeing where it takes me. I think now that I have gotten a taste of what it is like to write an entire novel, this story will come out much longer. I was struggling at the end with the first novel. 

Proud of myself for accomplishing this feat. I never thought I could. Especially while in school full-time and seven months pregnant. Now I have no excuses for future years. I hope I can do this again in the summer months.

What I am unsure/uneasy about: 

Is this first novel any good?? It is based on an idea I got just a week or two before November. It did not fit the genre of my other ideas or what I thought my first novel would be. There is a lot of research I have to do to make sure the end product is great. I just hope it was not a waste of time. I really want to make it believable and compelling and accurate. Right now, I am pretty sure it is not. But for now, I'm letting it marinate for a good few months until I go back to it, revise, fix, check facts, etc.

How did the rest of you do? How do you feel? What are your plans now that Nano is over? Are you going to relax and take a break for a while or keep going? 

Keep writing!