Win

Yup, it's awesome!
I won NaNoWriMo!



And before you pop out the champagne and stuff, so did the other 1k+ people.
Don't get the meaning of the word 'win' here wrong; I did win, and so did they.
Being a winner doesn't represent being number one in this case, or any other similar cases; it's a win because we accomplished something.

You see, many of us wouldn't even think about writing a novel.
Even if we did, we'd actually procrastinate and never get to finish it.
So, this is where NaNoWriMo comes to play; and I think I've written about this before.
It challenges you to glue your ass down onto the chair to finish a 50k word novel in a month's time.
You can have a preplanned plot and drafts, but not a completed story.
You'll have to cast away all doubts and think about it as your fingers type; decide as you watch your characters materialize in front of your very eyes.
It also taunts, mocks and laughs at you whenever procrastination shows up; belittling you whenever you lean towards temptation.
Believe me, there wasn't a night that I wasn't sitting in front of my laptop and absorbed with getting my story out.

And you know what?
I'm not even done with my story yet.
Yeah, I can actually hear someone asking how the hell did I win when I'm not even done writing.
Actually, the goal of NaNoWriMo isn't about completing a novel in 30 days; it's writing a 50k story in the month of November.
And that, people, is the minimum number of words which makes a story qualified to be termed as a novel...A short novel.

There isn't a particular genre, and there isn't a best in genre.
The thing about this competition is, there simply isn't one ultimate winner.
There's no judging schemes, no bad blood amongst writers...None of the sort of evil.
A novel is considered a novel if you think it is one; just like how the first kiss is- It wouldn't be a first kiss unless you consider it to be.
The sky's the limit, and the earth is your canvas.
If you want to write about the apocalypse, you're welcome to.
If you want to make it that your vampires can be killed by nothing but chillies, go right ahead.
There are no rules, laws or anything...YOU are God.
It's a alternate world / universe that bends to your will and fancy.
It'll be as you dictate, even if it defies the law of Physics.
But mind you, your characters would sometimes take a life on its own to write itself and will not do as you command.
That's what happened to me and my characters. My FMC and MMC didn't turn out like I expected them to be, and there is definitely some friction that will happen to the MMC and his best friend.

This is also a good way to train your creativity and to think outside of the box.
Science students are generally blocks of wood, seriously.
Don't get me wrong, I am a wooden block myself.
We obey all the laws and principles that we are taught, like Newton's Three Laws of Motion and all the other principles.
It'll always be 1,2,3 and never h, k, 8.
When writing, it could be 1, m, 8, di, 389...You get my point?

My news of victory was received in cold response from my family.
My friends, on the other hand, were supportive. :D
(Thanks, guys!)
I felt happy that I could write that large amount of words in 30 days when I thought it to be entirely impossible a few weeks ago.
Now, I know that it's possible and I am capable of writing more than that.

What now?
Well, I'm going to finish writing my novel and try to come up with a title.
I think I heard a gasp and someone fainting...
Yeah, it's still a untitled novel. I left it as Story 1.
Here's the good part: The winners of NaNoWriMo are entitled to have their story printed!
Yup, the organizers and Createspace are going to print out my draft and compile it into a presentable manuscript... FOR FREE!
That's right, you heard me! Even the shipping is FOC!
The offer will end in June 2010, so I gotta finish my novel and its edits by then.
After having it printed, I can either sell it in Amazon or look for a literary agent that will read my book and then hopefully agree to represent me and take care of my career as an author.
But... That'll be decided later on.

I guess that's it for now.
I'm still trying to persuade my FMC to go on a trip with the MMC and his best friend, but she's worried about her siblings...
That's about as much of a spoiler that I can give; it's more than generous.
I guess you'll just have to read it when I'm done and satisfied with it.

Now to plug in my earphones and continue my literary quest to bring happiness to my FMC's life.
Too bad I can't do squat about mine.