Two Little Words

A hefty, long-term project, such as writing a novel, offers many opportunities for a sense of fulfillment—important markers to reach along the way. Mini moments of triumph sustain motivation, providing their own brand of encouragement.

Through my months of writing this manuscript, such moments have both rewarded me and prompted me to continue working toward the next. Personal conquests have included:

• Reaching 10,000 words
• Reaching 25,000 words—while still on track to complete the NaNoWriMo challenge
• Reaching 50,000 words on November 29th, thus successfully "winning" NaNoWriMo (and a day early!)
• Reaching 10,000 words written in addition to the ones completed during November

Still, perhaps the most satisfying words to write in a manuscript are ones which, in many cases, won't even make it to the final, published version. As significant as the moments preceding this triumph feel—and are—in hindsight, they fade in comparison.

Yesterday, a bit before 3am, I was able to write these two unbelievably fulfilling words:

The End           

Of course, the words themselves are not the achievement. It is only when there legitimately exist sufficient content and structure to write those two little words that you have triumphed. It is then that you have written a book.