I tried one year, & only got 2,330 words into it before getting caught up in other things. Last year I tried again and actually wrote a novel! I got it printed at kinko’s and used it as part of my portfolio for entrance into a gifted school in my area. Really it’s just a great experience. It’s interesting to learn how incredibly difficult it is to write. You also get to have some insight into the minds of the authors of your favorite books. Even if you don’t get very far, don’t be discouraged, it’s not about finishing, it’s about having fun & expressing yourself!