In honor of NaNo. Full thing here.

Make no mistake about this: if you have written and finished a novel you ARE a writer.

Don’t let anyone, particularly some snotty so-called publishing professional, demean this achievement. You’ve written a novel = you’re a writer.

It doesn’t EVER have to be published, and you’re still a writer.
You can publish it online, on your website, or with any of those book printing mills, and yes, you are still a writer.