Finish Line Fever

Nanowrimo is over. You’ve won, or maybe you’ve almost won. There are no losers here. Everyone gets a trophy. Or you know, the idea of a trophy. You have a novel, that’s trophy enough.

But wait, there’s more.

After the writing comes two or three rounds of editing, spaced around more writing. You have to make sure all of your scenes work, make sure all of your characters are consistent. You have to cross all of your t’s and dot your lower case j’s.

After the editing comes the proofing, checking your story for style and grammar. Reading into, around, between, and through the lines to make sure you’re actually saying what you think you meant to write.

After the proofing …. you do another round of editing and writing.

At some point in time the manuscript is finished and suitable for the public.

Now you’ve got to market the book.

There’s still a lot of work yet to be done, but for now you’ve got a 50,000 word manuscript on your hands. Not everyone can say that.

Good job!

The journey’s not over. There’s work yet to be done, but it won’t be going anywhere. Take the weekend off and refresh your memories of those other people who live in the house with you. Your story will be there when you come back. We go back to work on Monday, take the weekend off.

Tell ‘em I said you could.

Last 5 posts by Winston Crutchfield