Last November, I started my first real Nanowrimo, the one that I would finish with a first draft of my first romance novel. I started what became my daily writing habit, which pushed me to figure out when in my busy life as a mom that I could find a little time for myself and my writing. I wrote almost every day of Nanowrimo last November and at the end of it I had a first draft to show for it. What I didn’t expect, but has been the greatest gift for me has been the friends that I have made. Joining a writers group and getting to know these ladies on Facebook have been one of the most important part of my development as a writer. These women have become critique partners, cheerleaders, and friends. We recently got together over video chat for the first time and it’s so amazing to talk to women all over the country who all share the same goal I do, which is to be a writer. For me, Nanowrimo will always be associated with gratitude. I am thankful for Nanowrimo to get me out of my comfort zone and challenge me to put words on the page.
I’m thankful for the friends that I’ve made and I’m thankful that writing is it outlet for me. Writing gives me a place that I can truly be myself. It’s the one place in my entire world I am completely and unapologetically myself. I am also thankful that I have a life and a family and a job that allow me to pursue my writing.
It’s not easy to pursue this goal of being a writer and so when I reflect on what thankfulness means to me, I realize that being thankful isn’t just being happy that a good thing came my way, but it’s being thankful that I can get up every day and reach my goals and take another step and then another and then another until a year goes by and I’m a fundamentally different person today than I was a year ago. That those steps have brought people into my life that I would’ve never met any other way except for this wonderful and supportive romance writing community. Being thankful isn’t just receiving gifts. It’s putting that energy out in the universe and realizing that I’lll get where I want if I work at it hard and long enough.
Check out my fellow writing ladies, Ashley, Ann, Isabelle, and Lilly.