What can be better than finishing the first draft of my novel?
Having a friend finish the first draft of her novel, too. 🙂 Congratulations to my dear and awesome friend, Nova Ren Suma, whose support is priceless and whose commitment to writing is so inspiring. (I so missed her while she was on self-imposed twitter break so she could, with her usual diamond hard focus, finish on schedule). She high fives me for finishing before her, but I’m about 150% sure that her draft is in better shape than mine, she’s so brilliant.
80,000 words 
What could be better than finishing the first draft of your novel is signing the book deal to sell that novel! And seeing it in a bookstore! 🙂
Oh, thank you so much!!! And congratulations again to YOU! I’m so excited and proud and happy for you!
I have to say, and this will probably sound odd, but the _feeling_ of finishing a first draft feels so much better to me than the book contract or the book on the shelf of the bookstore as Meghan mentioned above. I don’t know why it is. Maybe it’s because it’s something I’ve accomplished all on my own without any outside forces involved? A first draft carries so much hope inside.
All I know is I’ve printed mine, haven’t read it back yet, but I keep picking it up and holding it. These 300+ pages? I wrote them! It feels amazing.
Christine, I know you know 🙂
Meghan: heads down writing to make it happen, keeping our fingers crossed, right? 🙂
Nova: I am glad to know that finishing the first draft is a moment I should cherish. I have a feeling that the other steps become more complicated. This achievement does feel…pure. You are awesome. 🙂