NaNoWriMo is done, now what?
So now we’re out of November, the happiest writing month around as far as I’m concern, and now left to twiddle our thumbs, blink rapidly and try and find what life was like before the insaness that is NaNo, right? Or I might be alone in that, anyway! Now that you’ve got 50,000 words or even less, or maybe more, you’ve got a starting point. Don’t slack off now.
Writing is like learning to ride a bike, you have to keep practicing to make it a part of your life and make it really resonate with what’s going on around you. Most people can’t just jump onto the computer and start writing at the drop of a hat. I can. Give me a couple of minutes, good music and I’ll jump right back into it like nothing has change. So I challenge you to take half an hour out of your day and keep writing in your novel. You have a start but I know you can keep going.
Keep. Going.
If you’re like me and you actually finished your draft in total, things get a little bit more exciting for you. Put the novel away in your proverbial bottom draw and leave it there. For how long you ask? Well for as ever long as it needs. If it’s a month, the come back to it in the new year, if it’s six months, then come back to it then, but don’t rush the process, in the mean time, start another novel, start editing other novels, write short stories. Start a blog. Keep the writing momentum up. This is the most important thing you can do, because that’s what NaNoWriMo is about. It’s actually about making a habit, a routine, that you can keep using on and on again.
Start preparing for the year ahead, because next year it going to be full of great things, things that you will adore and things that will make you jump for joy. I got told by a gorgeous friend of mine, that this year is the work year, next year is the fruition year. I’m getting ready for it. I’m envisioning myself already having edited and published my novel and my coaching and editing services being a big hit, because I’m doing the work, I’m threading in the links to get to where I want to be. I hope that you are too.
So keep going, keep writing. Start drafting or leave it in a drawer to soak up in the goodness. Start preparing for the year to come, because it’s going to be a doozey.
Did you participate in NaNoWriMo? How did you go? Let me know in the comments for a chance to get some one on one free coaching with me.