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“Nothing will work unless you do.” – Maya Angelou

We’ve made it three weeks. Some of you are feeling triumphant at the moment, word count progressing as it should – or even better. Some, not so much. Either way, we’re here, through the end of the hardest slog. After today, we’re racing for the finish line or managing our expectations as to how much we’re actually going to finish.

Checking the #NaNoWriMo2016 hashtag on Twitter, I’ve seen several winners and some folks saying that’s it for them this year because they know they’re not going to make it. But there are also folks celebrating that they’ve just now reached 25,000 words, still striving toward the goal though the odds are somewhat stacked against them at this point. They’re working at it, getting their words in wherever they can, so when the moment comes to make their final validation of their novel, they can say, “I gave it my best shot,” whether they cross the finish line or no.

Some days are better than others, some NaNos are better than other. Last year saw a full first draft while this year sees me pushing to make just 50,000 words. The unifying thread is that, for both, I must do the work.

We’ve got a rough week ahead from a writing perspective. Some of you will be traveling, some of you will be cooking. Some of your are not going to be able to write a word Thursday, while others can spend the entire day holed up with their keyboard. But we keep doing the work, our eyes ever on the clock, knowing that we’re pushing toward that moment a week from Wednesday, when, no matter how many words we have, it’s time for that final tally. No matter where you are, may your fingers be swift today and for the nine days to follow.

Word Count Goal: 35,007

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