EBookWriMo and John Lennon

So, this was November. And on this last day of the month (Happy Birthday, Dad!), I have a John Lennon song running through my head:

"And so this is Christmas. And what have you done?"

I'm not sure why the song popped into my head. Maybe it's the similarity in phrasing, maybe it's the plethora of Christmas songs emanating from speakers everywhere, or maybe it's just a good question. At the end of this EBookWriMo, what have I done?

Almost six completed chapters. More than 7500 words, some of which were there before and some of which were brand new to the page and screen on which I attempted to compose daily during the month of November. Some days were a testimony to hard work, determination and fortitude, others more an ode to overscheduling, procrastination and lack of gumption.

It would be easy - very easy, in fact - to focus on those latter days - to talk about what I didn't do. I didn't write every day. I didn't come anywhere near the 50,000 word goal the NaNoWriMo folks set.
I didn't finish the book.

But, as I greet the home stretch of both the book and the month, I prefer to focus on what I did do. I found a format that works. I wrote the book - or most of it, anyway - that has been eluding me for more than five years. I got unstuck.

And so, I am optimistic that by the time Mr. Lennon's voice announces the real Christmas in a little less than a month (via an all-Christmas all-the-time radio station, no doubt), I will have a complete first draft. It will be short - it won't come anywhere near 50,000 - but it doesn't have to. It just has to say what it's supposed to say as clearly and concisely as possible.

So this was November. I put words on the page. Another month over. And a new one on the way.

Stay tuned. Mr. Lennon and I will keep you posted.