A plug for Nanowrimo

I got so much help from this book, (No Plot, No Problem) written by the man behind the idea of Nonowrimo. I was wary of doing the challenge in November with everyone else as I wasn't sure how many hours I would have to myself in November. It would have been great to have had a huge pool of fellow writers who just experienced the same insanity for a month - to share the let-down and also congratulate each other. Maybe I'll do this again some November. The book was my support. His advice worked so well for me that I'm continuing to follow it now. He recommends leaving the writing alone for a few weeks before starting revisions. I am wanting to keep going. But I think my brain needs to look elsewhere for awhile - like to the real bees in my back yard. They are taking over the hummingbird feeders, drinking all of the sugar water within a day of filling it for the birds. It's time to go have a serious talk with them, though I may have to channel my favorite character, brave Beatrice.I learned a few things about myself doing this challenge:

• Sometimes I need structure (in this case - deadlines, word counts, daily routine) to get going. This realization has helped me to understand one of my sons better.
• I am a writer. I may not be a good writer but I'm not going to feel self-indulgent for doing it.
• I learned that you ought to be in shape before you sit at a computer for hours. It can be a dangerous thing to not move at all for hours and then jump up and dance as if you were still young and nimble when a good song emerges on your writing soundtrack.
  
• Until my kids are older, I will only write when they are happily occupied or asleep.
  

The book's bees did deliver their message last night and then landed, much more gracefully than I had hoped. The first draft is done. I'm waiting on the champagne for the revision, or until Nicolas and I are not too tired to enjoy the whole bottle - whichever comes first ; )