Dear Rhinos, Remember me? I'm the crazy one who created Naplwrimo because I wanted to write a play, not a novel-though I thought Nanowrimo was a very cool idea. Two years ago I stepped back from running things around here and Elizabeth and Toni stepped up, because they didn't want the project to end. So here we are and I'm so happy to see so many of you here, writing plays. Though I'm not writing plays much these days, I still write daily. This morning, the gods of writing made me write this and it occured to me that it might be of inspiration to you as you finish up Naplwrimo. So... here is to you and to the 75 pages you can surely write by Midnight tomorrow. I won't wish you luck because you know that's got nothing to do with it.

Write

Write until the ancient ruins no longer crumble at your tears.

Write until there are no words left.

Write because you have nothing else.

Write because you could be doing everything else.

Write with your fists in your mouth.

Write until you finish the coffee.

Write until the clock says 12.

Write until the bird outside lands on the feeder.

Write until the kids wake up.

Write until the phone rings.

Write because most days you don’t.

Write because most days you won’t.

Write because it’s sexy.

Write because you’re bothered.

Write because you said you would.

Write because you haven’t used up all the words yet.

Write because someone who loves you told you to.

Write because you love yourself. Write for hatred.

Write for pain.

Write for joy and peace and all the goddamn clichés.

Write to occupy yourself.

Write while eating leftovers.

Write when the coke machine is broken.

Write when it’s too cold to run.

Write when it’s too warm to sleep.

Write because it’s not your turn to change the diaper.

Write because your grandmother would have wanted you to.

Write for freedom and power and all the bloodshed.

Write for revolution.

Write for the fish and the butterflies and the wolves.

Write so you can meet everybody. Write so you can fall in love.

Write so you can wear a cape.

Write so you can hang out in the North Pole.

Write so you can lose the map.

Write so you become the river.

Write to your heart’s desire.

Write so you are not alone.

Write to repair broken bones,

Write like you’d punch a wall,

Write to stop the nausea.

Write in charcoal,

Write in blood,

Write like the clouds that make shape,

Write double rainbow all the way.

Write avocado, margarita and pamplemousse.

Write like the clouds that make shapes,

Write like a dreamcatcher,

Write like a Rorschach Test,

Write like an encyclopedia.

Write like an African folk tale.

Write like an Irish drum,

Write like a Passion Play.

Write like Toni Kushner,

Write like Toni Morrison,

Write like Bad Religion.

Write like the Great Wall of China.

Write like the Space Needle,

Write like the Eiffel Tower.

Write like a cancer,

Like a fallen tree,

Like burnt metal,

Like soft steel.

Write on Satsuma peels, hospitals floors, chicken wire and subway stations.

Write with a clown nose on,

Write in hiking boots,

Write wearing nothing but a hat.

Write like a pregnant lady,

Write in a tiny book,

Write on the breasts of babes,

Write even when you’re wrong.

Write with the TV on,

Write to infinity,

Write to remember your dreams,

Write to ignore the future.

Write to forget the now,

Write to be more mindful.

Write to listen more,

Write to pray for sick,

Write to blame the rich,

Write to stop preaching,

Write to avoid politics,

Write to chew on this,

Write because it’s right.

Write so you can,

Because you can

And you always could. Write.