My Final NaNoWriMo 2009 Post

I can't believe it's been less than a week since NaNoWriMo ended.  NaNo is like driving on the autoban.  It goes so fast that everything immediately afterward feels impossibly slow.

So here are my final observations:

1.  It wasn't anywhere near as difficult as I thought it would be.  I expected it to be the hardest thing I'd ever attempted for fun.  Not even close.  But then, I happen to thrive on pressure.
2.  The most challenging thing about it was finding the time without shirking other obligations.  This was possible only with the help and understanding of a very supportive family.
3.  The second biggest challenge was keeping the right attitude.  It's OK to write shit.  Keep moving forward.  Remember this is supposed to be fun.  Keep moving forward. 
4.  The most awesome thing about it was, of course, that I won.  Along with the sense of satisfaction, I finally have a completed first draft that I'm excited about.  I can't wait to go back to work on it.  I've had to force myself to leave it alone this week.
5.  The second most awesome thing was that it really was fun.  I enjoyed writing with abandon, and I enjoyed being part of a huge community doing the same.  There is a reason why people get together to run marathons instead of just submitting their treadmill times.
6.  My NaNo book is completely different than any other fiction I've ever written.  At the same time it is more representative of my personal point of view -- more essentially me.
7.  Would I do it again?  Definitely not before next November.  And then?  Well, we'll see.  It was the tool I needed at this time.  That may or may not be true in future.