November is National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo for short.
This November, I wrote a book, and I am grateful.
This winner’s badge is the visual proof that I submitted a Word doc containing at least 50,000 words. (57,560 words, to be exact.)
NaNoWriMo and I have history
I love National Novel Writing Month, but I do not always participate.
My first go-round was in 2007. Then I tried again in 2011, and again in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and now 2017.
(Okay, so, a lot of the time, I participate.)
And out of seven attempts, I have “won” five times.
(Winning = successfully writing at least 50,000 words.)
But this year’s project has brought me the greatest pride.
Because this year I prioritized process over outcome, and what came out changed my life.
Words are how I soar
As you may or may not be aware, I quit my job in August so I could pursue my own business full-time.
In the last four months, I have stretched my wings wide.
It’s a scary feeling, finding out whether or not you can fly.
And it’s a relief to remember that, if you are willing to lean in, the wind will help you soar.
NaNoWriMo was my wind for November, and I have taken flight.
I’m not saying this book is good
My dearest desire is that my words can be of benefit to others, so of course I hope this draft ultimately aligns with that aim.
And I do think I am on to something, with what I wrote.
But it is just a draft.
It is too soon to tell what will happen next.
It could be that this book sucks.
But at least we’ll get to see!
I’m so grateful that I wrote
Obviously, I hope the book I just wrote does not suck.
But even if it does, the process of writing it has been invaluable for my growth.
I showed up at the page every single day.
Even when it was not convenient or easy, I stuck with my project.
There were times I wanted to walk away, but I didn’t.
And what do I have to show for all that effort?
Well, besides a whole lot of potentially helpful words, I have even more evidence that we can do hard things.
As I’ve said before, I believe we must “act with conviction, borne of love, and clear the path for positive change.”
For me, cultivating the discipline to write this book was an act of loving conviction.
I do believe it has helped to clear a path for positive change, and I am so grateful.
Love > fear,
p.s. It might be a while before we find out what happens with this new book. So if you want to be sure and stay in the loop, might I recommend you sign up for occasional email updates?