The biggest sucess is what I learned about myself http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/46289 Writing_Ninja At the beginning of the month I was sick. My health is bad. I have hypothyroidism another with allergies of all kinds. I went through a depressive peroid because life was hard I lost a lot of loved one to death over the pass couple of years. That doesn't really matter though. I told myself that I wanted to accomplish something that pushed me because I needed to accomplish anything at the time. Something to make me happy. Nanowrimo was the hardest thing I have done lately. It's my first time participating too. I haven't written solidly for a couple of years. Writing really set me free. I learned so much about myself and how I can really write and publish a book. I finally know what it takes to write a book. The first draft anyways. It was hard work and I LOVED IT. Even though I was writing a fantasy story. I learned a lot about how I need to see things differently. I feel like a true writer because I wrote a story, well most of it. I got to the end but I have a lot of lose ends to tie up. I never realized how GREAT the feeling is when I won and watched that video of everyone clapping. Anyone else found great satisfaction in this month beyond the simple writing? I guess I could say mine was a spiritual experience. Thu, 01 Dec 2011 06:44:07 +0200 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/46289?page=1#forum_thread_comment_911103 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/46289?page=1#forum_thread_comment_911103 PastExploits I'm so sorry that you have to go through all of that. But I am so, so happy, I think it's absolutely AWESOME that in the midst of the tragedy, you set this monstrous task in front of yourself and COMPLETED it! You are awesome for even just attempting this. So congratulations for every one of those 50,107 words :D Thu, 01 Dec 2011 07:31:58 +0200 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/46289?page=1#forum_thread_comment_911821 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/46289?page=1#forum_thread_comment_911821 Heresy Wow. While my own problems aren't quite what I would put on a level with yours, it's been a challenging year for me too. My marriage has failed and I'm in a city where all of my family and friends are far away. I'm trying to reconstruct my life after a very very long period of depression (about half my life, actually). That all said, this is the first time I feel awesome. I mean, seriously, I am sitting here in awe of my own accomplishment for what I think is the first time in my entire life. I went into doing nano afraid I would fail, or that I'd start out well and then fall off the wagon, since that's usually what I do. Not this time. This time I committed, and committed big time. I sat down and wrote every day. I had goals and then challenged myself to beat them. I decided my priorities and stuck with them. I had a plan but was open to detours and characters arguing with me. I learned a lot about my process and myself as a writer, even me as a person. The book is not done quite yet, but so very close. Maybe another 15k, I think, might even be less. And I already feel like a success in the truest best sense. This is amazing. I may have to start believing in myself now. I mean, if I can do this, I can do anything, right? And I agree with you. Despite the hard work, I loved every minute of this, even the hard days that I pulled myself through. Thu, 01 Dec 2011 08:45:05 +0200 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/46289?page=1#forum_thread_comment_912563 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/46289?page=1#forum_thread_comment_912563 Lainylovesyou Wow. :) You guys all amaze me. I guess I learned that I can just power through, no matter how my day has been, and writing will make it all better. It's my escape. Thu, 01 Dec 2011 08:50:22 +0200 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/46289?page=1#forum_thread_comment_912610 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/46289?page=1#forum_thread_comment_912610 UCF612 So awesome! Go you!!!! I feel like a learned a lot about myself too. I learned that with hard work and commitment I really CAN see something through to the end. I'm a big dreamer, big on setting goals. I struggle a lot to actually achieve those dreams and goals. I always start out gung ho and then somewhere along the way get derailed. But for once I set a goal and I achieved it! I wrote an ENTIRE book (first draft!). I DID IT. ME! (with the help of some wonderful NaNo supporters). I have hypothyroidism too and it wears me out. I'm tired all the stinking time so it is hard to power through sometimes. Thu, 01 Dec 2011 18:52:58 +0200 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/46289?page=1#forum_thread_comment_915520 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/46289?page=1#forum_thread_comment_915520 Writing_Ninja @ PastExploits Thanks for the encouragement! Congrats on winning too. @Heresy I'm sorry that you went through those hard times. But I am happy to hear how you made it. Finishing nano with these hard things going on really gives a great feeling. I agree with you on the believing yourself part! Because I did this, I am able to do anything that I put my mind too. It's like I gained a part of myself back. Congrats, on not only winning, but for achieving a higher goal! @Lainylovesyou I agree. Writing makes my day better too. I need to start a habit of writing every day. Even though I did it mostly for this month, I realize how much more it benefited me. Congrats on winner. Powering through things is an awesome thing to learn. @UCF612 I can relate myself to you. I too come up with big dreams and goals. I thought Nanowrimo was one of them. I think I need to learn to balance out my health issues with my work. LOL I slept in majorly this morning after writing all day yesterday. Good job on making it. I think it is awesome that you wrote a whole book. It does get hard to power through things when your thyroid is off. Good job on making it despite that issue! (I know I faced a lot of brain fog when I wrote. :P So sometimes it was hard!) Thu, 01 Dec 2011 19:48:54 +0200 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/46289?page=1#forum_thread_comment_915985 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/46289?page=1#forum_thread_comment_915985