Last month marked National Novel Writing Month, and writers from around the world attempted to write 50,000 words of a novel in one month. I can assure you (since I was one of those crazy writers) that this is no small feat. 50,000 words divided by 30 days is roughly 1,667 words a day, or depending on your spacing, about 5 to 6 pages and about an hour and a half worth of work.

So after a month of this madness I am left with slightly more then 50,000 words and a partially done 'novel' that needs a ridiculous amount of editing. Although winning NaNoWrimo was a great feeling, in hindsight I realized I gained so much more from the experience than just a partially written novel. Here are the three main things I learned from partaking in NaNoWrimo.

1. Novels Do Not Just Fall Out of the Sky- Actually taking the time to sit down and write out a novel taught me that big goals do not just happen. Although you logically know that large goals (a novel, running a marathon, learning a language, etc) do not just happen without hard work, it does not really sink in until you actually go through the process of completing a large goal yourself.

2. It is Okay to Take Time Out of Your Day for You- Taking an hour or more out of my day to write taught me that the world does not fall apart if you take time for yourself. As a music major with an intense and busy schedule this was a very important lesson to learn, and one that helped me manage stress.

3. Step Outside of Your Major- As a music major I rarely step outside my field. Being able to step inside the world of writing was very freeing for me creatively, and made me apply a new way of thinking to my music making.

I urge everyone at least once to try and complete NaNoWrimo. Not only will you have partially written that novel you have been putting off, you will have gained a better understanding of your goals and how to achieve them.

Happy Writing!