Now, for most people, especially people who have written or are trying to actually write a novel, this is intuitive and rather obvious.

Still, I hold it can be very useful to break down the obvious things that we seldom take the time to pick apart and analyze.

There is wisdom there. Reminders. motivations.

So, what does it actually mean to say that writing and preparing a novel for publication is a marathon?

• IT WILL TAKE TIME. Lots of time. It won’t happen overnight, even if you NaNoWriMo your butt off. This is a LONG-TERM goal, with everything that implies–break it down into stages and phases, into shorter-term goals, if that motivates you or will keep you going.
• YOU’LL NEED TO TRAIN. Yes, grammar and punctuation are part of the job. Editors and proofreaders can help, but that does not absolve you of the responsibility to learn grammar and punctuation standards. if you plan to publish. You need to know the rules before you break them. No one wants a poorly crafted novel.
• THERE WILL BE PERIODS OF REST AND ALSO SPRINTS. Especially considering we have other duties and responsibilities, and relationships that are much more important. These things will interfere. Expect it. Embrace it. Don’t let it frustrate you. There will be stops and starts, periods of frantic composition and moments when you have to step away for a few days. Having to step away is a disaster. That said:
• PERSISTENCE AND DEDICATION ARE REQUIRED. You need to try to stick to a regular routine of sorts, regardless of what you’re feeling. You need to show up when showing up is possible.
• THERE WILL BE ASPECTS OF THE PROCESS YOU ENJOY MORE THAN OTHERS. Remember why you’re doing this when you hit a part of the process that isn’t especially enjoyable.
• YOU WILL SWING FROM CONFIDENCE TO NEAR DESPAIR OF EVERY WRITING ANYTHING WORTH READING. All this means is that you are human, and you have emotions. Don’t put too much weight either on the highs or the lows.
• YOU’LL NEED SUPPORT. friends, family, beta readers, editors, etc. The work of writing may be a solitary job for the most part, but that doesn’t mean you can accomplish something like writing and publishing a good novel completely on your own.

So, what do you think of this list? What would you add?