The Last Mile of NanoWriMo '21

Well, you've been doing that since the beginning of November and by now you're probably pushing hard to get as many words down before the midnight hour. We've shared some thoughts about the process, the pitfalls, the ways a writer can build resilience and maintain stamina and the great swampy middle that trips up so many of us writers.

I applaud you for what you've accomplished and encourage you to hit that submit button and know you did the best you could. That's no minor thing. It's a BIG thing! Some people talk about wanting to write a novel (or factual), but it takes that next step to put words on paper, whether digital or tangible. How many people simply do not take that step? It reminds me of that famous line from "On the Waterfront" when Brando claims "I coulda been a contender . . ."

So what comes next? I know, I know -- no one wants to deal with that at the moment. Which is fine, but I encourage you to at some point in the next week or so to gather your notes, your drafts, etc. and put them into a project box or file. Why? Because someday you'll want to come back and review how the process went down. And if you approach a literary agent and/or an editor, you may need your notes and such at some point. It's also a good idea to keep these materials if you're ever challenged on copyright, especially if you're an indie author.

Well, time is ticking so I'll sign off now. Relax and enjoy the upcoming holidays -- even if it's simply the beauty of nature and winter. Again, my congratulations to you -- job well done!

Tomorrow
we shall have to think up signs,
sketch a landscape, fabricate a plan
on the double page
of day and paper.

Tomorrow, we shall have to invent,
once more,
the reality of this world.

Octavio Paz

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