And the winner is....

28 days, 1 breakdown, 50 cups of coffee, 97 pages and 50,210 words later, I did it!
The first draft is done!

I have to say I started NaNo with the best of intentions but the worst of expectations.

I am not very well known for my ability to finish things. Starting them has never been an issue on the other hand. I am a master of starting, talking, planning, analysing (I can even simulate pretty accurate near-writing experiences) but I had never so far attempted anything as big as actually completing a novel. Because let's face it: It's crazy, right?


Well, crazy is apparently not a problem. I love crazy. It's what ambitions and childhood dreams are made of, and that is something I can identify with.

Of course, I have only just begun (see Ithaca) but this whole experiment has taught me one thing: With enough determination, my childhood dream doesn't have to gather dust tucked away in that shoebox underneath my bed anymore.

I love NaNoWriMo, if anything because it made me realise that what I want to do with my life is also what I can do with it.

Whether I'm any good...that's a different story. I don't know. Some people say yes, I'm sure there will be many over the years that will claim otherwise. It's OK. There is a very nice pep talk by Nick Hornby on the subject and I agree with him (Nick Hornby's pep talk).

I just have to keep doing what makes me happy.
The rest will reveal itself in time.

And for that: THANK YOU NANO!

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