Welcome scriveners, cursive writers, typists, poets, scripters, and authors of all types. NaNoWriMo is well into its third week and I’m already two weeks behind.
Well, I won’t get discouraged, and neither should you. As a matter of fact (unnecessary cliché), this is the time to put your shoulder to the grindstone (or is it the wheel?) and press forward. Yes, some of us will surpass our wildest word counts. Others will languish behind and swear to be better next time – and maybe we will. The important thing is this: You showed up!
We’ve all heard these words of wisdom (more clichés?): 90% of the battle is just showing up. True story – I decided to take up walking around a track, once. I had multiple health problems. The first day, I got a quarter of the way around the track (1/16th of a mile?) and quit. I couldn’t breathe. So, I made my goal to just show up at the gym and put my gym shoes on. That was it. That was my entire goal. A year later, I was walking 2 miles.
When you get discouraged, sit down at the computer (notebook, desk, under your favorite tree, etc.), and write SOMETHING. It doesn’t have to be good. It doesn’t have to be related to your award-winning novel. It doesn’t even have to make sense. Just write. Just show up. That habit will get you farther along the road to being published than anything else you do.
For all my friends (and those who hate me right now) who are struggling, keep one thing in mind. All it takes to get anything done is to show up and put one foot in front of the other. Wait a minute, that’s the adage about a thousand miles, right? Let me rethink that. Oh, yes! All it takes is to put one word after another. Enough words, you have a sentence. A few more: a paragraph. More: a chapter. Before you know it, you’ll have a book! If you can do one chapter a month, you could have a book in a year or two. If that sounds discouraging, keep this in mind: the time will pass anyway -if you do nothing, a year or two will speed by and still no book! I’ve often quoted the adage that the only difference between failure and success is that the successful person stands up one more time than he/she falls down. Get up, put your gym shoes on and write! Ercila Robbins
About Ercila
Retired criminal attorney and author of five crime novels – and more in the works. Ercila is also a former journalist and newspaper editor, and a published poet. She is a mother, grandmother, and veteran.
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Thank you so so much, Ercila! Just what I needed to hear today. Feeling low lagging behind so many other prolific writers, but I *am* showing up… so that IS something I can be proud about. Thank you for the reminder.