My monthly contribution to the Writers’ Vineyard is sparked by attending my sixth consecutive Pacific Northwest Writers’ Association conference… and by those kind, gentle Facebook reminders of things we did “five years ago today.”

But perhaps the biggest surprise is that publication is neither an end (as I imagined then) nor a beginning (as many mentors said). Publication is simply another milestone on the creative journey.

It’s like finding a fantastic rest stop along the highway, near a place where many roads converge, one with clean restrooms, the option to get good strong coffee from volunteers, and a gorgeous view of the surrounding landscape. You look forward to making it this far, you pull off the road, park in the shade, savor the coffee, and revel in gazing at beautiful mountains, rivers, or plains.

But you know this isn’t your destination.

Read the whole post here.