My Nanowrimo project from 2013. I had been writing fanfiction and sporadic original stuff since middle school. In that almost decade of writing, I had only ever finished one fanfiction. (A fun and exciting accomplishment in of itself.) But it was Nanowrimo that gave me the discipline to finally finish an original project. The sensation of finishing an original manuscript, even if it's an imperfect, rushed mess, is hard to beat.

The more I played in that original world, the more I wanted to bring that story and others like it to more people. I learned how to listen to other, more experienced writers and editors, and have continued to iron out what many would consider 'beginner writer mistakes'. Still, I've now learned that getting an agent is significantly harder than writing, rewriting, and editing combined...