best of 2011: year in review

Welcome to Change the Word's Best of 2011, where I will recap the best moments from the blog and entertainment community. Today, I review some of my biggest writing moments in the year and on the blog. Consider this my self evaluation of sorts.

My writing journey
I finished the first draft of my first novel in February. I started the book and wrote the first 50,000 words during National Novel Writing Month 2010. Completing the first draft was one of the best moments in my life. Even though I know it needed a lot of work (and still needs work 10 months later), I have a vision of where to take it.

I proudly participated in NaNoWriMo 2011. I crossed the 50,000-word mark with a day to spare thanks to lots of planning and support from my friends, family and fellow writers. In 2012 I hope to finish even earlier and generate better quality writing. Conditioning needs to start now, and I need to make daily novel writing a habit. I also plan to finish this novel.

The blog
In July, this blog took on a new meaning and life for me. When I started it in 2010, I created the blog, because I felt like it was something I, as a writer, should do. But in July this changed when I decided to make it a way for me to challenge myself as a writer and connect with other readers and writers.

I also rolled out a redesign of the blog earlier this month. I considered waiting to do it until 2012, but I figured there was no point in waiting — I liked it and wanted to share it.

Generating new and interesting content spearheaded the changes to the blog. A few notable additions to the blog this year included:
•  Project Boy Meets Girl
•  Project BFF
•  Reading in the Kitchen
•  Novemberpalooza
•  12 Days of Writing

Thanks to old and new friends, I also welcomed many talented writers on this blog as guests. In particular, I would like to thank Samantha Robey from Chick Lit Plus for allowing me to join her blog tours. Thanks to her, Change the Word will host more author interviews, guests posts and new book reviews. I am excited about what this will mean for the blog (and for all the new books I will get to read and share with you).

It's amazing how quickly everything changed from there. The past six months, this blog has become what I wanted: a platform for sharing ideas and connecting with others. I can't wait to see where this goes in 2012.

Farewell until next year
This will be my final post until 2012. I hope you'll join me in celebrating what you have accomplished in 2011 and dream of where your life will take you in 2012. Some say the world is ending next year, and I don't know about that. It might, it might not. There are no certainties, and you can only control what you can control. Regardless, I have a good feeling about 2012 and what it will bring for my life. I wish the best for you, too.

Thanks for your readership and support. I started the blog for myself, but having great readers motivates me to keep going.