There's nothing quite like the feeling of accomplishment, the reward of a job well done, the rush of meeting a goal. That's exactly what National Novel Writing Month is all about, and I am thrilled to announce - drumroll, please - I WON!! I have a full-time job, a husband and a daughter, pets that depend on me. I have so many demands on my time, it's not even funny. BUT, for one month out of the year, every November, I am a writer! I let the housework slide, I let the family fend for themselves, and I don't make outside commitments. Writing is my top priority. And now, here I sit, on November 28, a winner. I have a completed draft sitting on my desk. There's something about seeing that beautiful stack of white paper, that first draft . . . I don't know of anything else that compares to it. It is a rush. I have to admit, my fingers feel like sausages, my wrists are protesting even as I type this, and my eyes are scratchy as all get out. But I finished my first draft of Widow's Web, and it is perfect simply because it exists. :o) I figured it up - I spent nearly 44 hours in a little over 3 weeks working on this novel. That took dedication and determination.

Soon, I need to return to reality. But for right now, I am simply enjoying the feeling of accomplishment. The laundry, the dishes, the cooking, the shopping, the cleaning can all wait another day of two. The first thing I did was to print out my certificate that declares to the world that I am a WINNER. The second thing I did was call my best friend. Then I took a nap. I would taken a bubble bath,  but I couldn't find the tub under the piles of clothes. Oh - and sent the draft to my friend for her to read and give me some direction as to what I need to spend the most effort on during the rewrite process. And Friday night is the TGIO (Thank God It's Over) party - WOO HOO! I'll get to share my excitement with people who actually understand my need to write, and the thrill of finishing a first draft. We do tend to be an odd lot. Writers, that is. By its very nature, writing is a lonely endeavor. But I am blessed to be a member of the Callaway County Writers' Group, so I have a support group that can't be beat!

I know this is only the start - I know there's a lot of work to be done yet, but for now, it's enough that I took that huge first step of getting that first draft down on paper.

And now it's your turn. Take a few moments to think about your life - what your goals are, what you have accomplished so far, and what you want to accomplish. If time and money was not a consideration, what do you want? It's time to turn those dreams into reality. Take a moment, right now, and write it down.  But wait, you're not done yet. Many of us write down our goals, and then do nothing about them. That's where I come in. You need to be accountable to someone. Tell someone about our goals, and the time frame you are shooting for. Comment here, or email me, and I'll be your accountability buddy.

Happy dreaming,
Elle