What I learned in November 2008

My fifth time attempting National Novel Writing Month ended with a win for me. This was a hard-earned victory.

Here are some of the things I learned in the month of November:

• When inspired, I can write a lot in a short amount of time. A LOT! As in thousands of words in one day.
• When not inspired, it's torture to crank out even 500 words.
• When word warring with friends, if I'm winning, I am happy and encouraging to myself and others.
• When word warring and not winning, I'm crabby, depressed, and convinced I will fail.
• Apparently that sort of competition does not motivate me well.
• I am also apparently a sore loser, which is not a pleasant thing to learn about oneself, and less pleasant to admit.
• I am harder on myself than I should be.
• Balance is hard! I let a lot of things go to get this goal accomplished. Namely, my Bible study. That is also an unpleasant fact, and difficult to be honest about, but hey, I'll be honest. I skipped Bible reading to write. I let papers and stuff pile up and take over my desk, in order to write. I sacrificed a lot of reading time, to write instead.
• If I am going to keep writing, I am going to have to find some kind of balance. I don't know how and I don't know what I will have to give up to make that happen.
• Chocolate and coffee make me happy. They can also string me out.
• Getting "go Pattie" shoutouts really motivated me.

So, there they are, the pleasant and not-so-pleasant truths about Pattie.