After weeks of working on nonfiction pieces, a picture book, and toying with an idea for a YA novel, I am diving back into a daunting/exhilarating adult novel.

 

I am writing without editing, and thus racking up a word count that looks more impressive than I’m sure this first draft text is. I still don’t quite know where this piece is going, but I know that it’s going somewhere.

 

Recently, one of my best friends ran her first marathon. Because I couldn’t be there, states and states away, to cheer her on, I sent her a care package papered with motivational quotes found on the ever-inspiring Pinterest. Some of them, I realized in the midst of my last writing session, can apply as much to novel writing (or any other seemingly insurmountable goal) as they can to marathon training.

 

A few choice picks:

 

• Will it be easy? Nope. Will it be worth it? Absolutely.

 

• You will want to stop. Don’t.

 

• There is no force equal to that of a determined woman.

 

• There will be days when you don’t know whether you can run a marathon, but there will be a lifetime knowing that you have.

 

 

And my favorite:

 

• The most beautiful moment in marathon training is the transition from wondering if you can . . . to knowing you will.

 

I’m at the place where I know I can do this. I know I can write and edit a novel. There is no room for doubt; really, there is never room for doubt. And while I realize the majority of what I’ve written thus far will not make it to the final draft, every word is a step closer. Plus, even when it’s hard, it’s a heck of a lot of fun along the way.