Five Things to Do When NaNoWriMo Ends

 

I know NaNoWriMo isn’t over yet but as it slowly draws to a close it’s time to think about what to do once it’s over.

Celebrate

The first thing to do is celebrate. And this isn’t just for people who got to 50,000 words. If you wrote something and had never written before, way to go. If you got one chapter, or three chapters completed, hats off to you. Each step we take as writers should be celebrated.

Rest

It’s been a tough 30 days so rest and recharge. Go out for a meal, binge on your favorite show, have a movie marathon…do all the things you’ve sacrificed not doing during NaNoWriMo.

Let Your Manuscript Rest

When I first began writing, the first thing I did when I finished a story was edit it. I realize now that’s the worst thing you can do. Let the manuscript rest and go back to it a few week’s later with a whole new prospective. You’re more likely to find things you want to tweak, maybe things you don’t like about a chapter or character. Best thing is NaNoWriMo finishes right before the holiday season kicks into high gear so it’s an excuse to take a break.

Think About Your Next Project

To get your mind off of the story you’ve been working on every day for 30 days, begin to make notes about the next story you want to tackle. Even what story you want to write during NaNoWriMo 2020.

Look At Your Options

It’s a great time to think about if you want to send this story out to editors or agents or even self publish.