So uh..what happened with my novel?

I know. The question you are all dying to know the answer to. I started NaNoWriMo with the best of intentions, and failed. Not miserably - I got about halfway to the 50,000. A combination of a few factors can be used as my excuse for being a failure:

1. I was out of town for a week
2. I lost my writing buddy
3. I was getting really down on my story, and not sure where to take the plot

I know, excuses are stupid. But I have them, and I used them. Then for most of December I was afraid to look at what I wrote. I had read some good books, and read other friend's writing, and just got really discouraged at my ability. But that isn't the right way to operate. Last night I was telling my polish mafia grandpa stories, and realized it's all in there somewhere - I just have to figure out how to get it out.

So tonight I re-read the 20-some pages I wrote in November. And I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought. In fact, I actually liked a large chunk of it. I also found it funny how much of it was so autobiographical. Down to using proper addresses of certain "characters", and almost verbatim dialog from real-life conversations. This means nobody may ever get to read it?

Instead of writing more, I edited what I had a bit. I feel prepped to have at it again, and have a better idea of where the story is going. Hopefully in a few days I can pick it up and get moving again.