The thing

I just hit 30,000 words on the beast. Please do not comment on the fact that I've written 10,000 words every three months. Please to not mention that it has been recorded of people writing this many words in a day or two.
I'm happy with it.
When I think of my novels, I'm reassured. My first novel was terrible. I don't think I've opened it since December 2007, but I don't need to reread the thing to know that it's bad. I didn't actually reread my novel from November 2008, but I know what was wrong with it. There wasn't enough plot, the only thing I had was a premise, no conflicts. Conflicts make a better story, or rather, make a story at all. This novel is better, but it's still not what I would call good. The story doesn't flow right, the pacing is off, there's not enough actually happening. And it's not, you know, done.
But assuming that this pattern continues (historical patterns!), eventually I'll have a novel that is halfway decent.
And that's reassuring.