National Novel Writing Month is in full swing, with the goal for participants to complete a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. It's a great idea. A worthy exercise.

But what about December 1st? The day after. Do you collapse if you've been a slave to the keyboard for a month and now need to see the sun? Or do you need to avoid the sun because your face is burned from the LCD glow of your monitor? Do you congratulate yourself and say, whew, can't wait for next year?

If you're a writer you realize that every month is NaNaWriMo (possibly the worst abbreviation of any event ever). And every day is National Novel Writing Day. Or it should be.

Because writers write. They don't need a gimmick to do so every day. Breaks come naturally when you are a writer. Stepping away from the keyboard when necessary for a day off or a vacation is no different than for any other profession. Because that's what you want, right? For it to be your profession?

Yes, the 'j' word. Job. Meaning you're doing it for money. To be paid. If not, and NaNoWriMo can get you through the next eleven months, more power to you.

But if you want to be a working writer, think like one, even if you're not being paid for it yet. If all you can manage is one page a day because you have a non-writing job and two kids and hockey to coach, then one page it is (for a post on what pages add up to see THIS POST) every day.

The key is to not let NaNoWriMo be a sprint to a finish line. Let it be the first lap in a long, long race.