I Am This Woman

I did it! I finished the 50K word goal for November!

More thoughts on this later, but for now, here’s the wonderful and cheesy message you get to read when you win NaNo 2008, which actually made me choke up a little.

Through storm and sun, you traversed the noveling seas. Pitted against a merciless deadline and fighting hordes of distractions, you persevered. You launched yourself bravely into Week One, sailed through the churning waters of Week Two, skirted the mutinous shoals of Weeks Three and Four, and now have landed, victorious, in a place that few adventurers ever see.

We congratulate you on your hard work, salute your discipline and follow-through, and celebrate your imagination.

You did something amazing this month, novelist. We couldn’t be prouder.

I squeaked in at 50,050 words, by my count — which the NaNo site validated at 50,007. YES! Seven over is still a win! I have much more work to do on this book, and a lot of the 50K won’t make it into the final draft. But now I seriously know the direction the book should take, and know that it will take longer than a month to polish this. If it becomes a fluffy Hallmark tale, that’s ok with me, but currently, it’s very complicated with lots of literary overtones. And I might not have time to do justice to that, given the economic situation.

But for now, CELEBRATION! Pedicures! tequila! runs in the dog park! and guacamole for everyone!