You've been slaving away for weeks, months, and in some cases years. And now you've finally done it. Your novel is done. Complete. The End.
Time for a grand celebration! Fireworks galore!
Now what? All of the experts say to put the book away for a while--the time may vary per writer. Trust me, each one is different. Some can start right back at chapter one, page one, and begin editing. Others may let it sit in a drawer and marinate for 2-3 months.
If you're one of those waiters (raise your hand . . . go on, I know you're out there, lurking in the shadows. Peek-a-boo, I see you.) then what should you work on next?
Another project.
When?
Right away.
Last week, on Friday May 31st, I finished the first draft of Shadowkill. I took the weekend off from physically writing, except I did do a little outlining for my next project--an inspirational novelette or novella.
It's refreshing working on a smaller project between big ones. Also, since this one is in a completely different genre than what I'm used to, it's challenging me just the same. I currently have close to 3,500 words written, and I started it Monday.
Not bad.
The best way I know how to keep your writing productivity high is to write and keep writing. When I'm nearing the end of one project, have the next one planned out. There will be plenty of time for editing.
(yes, I did say I outlined my next project a little. There's a reason behind it--David Farland and his ebook Million Dollar Outlines. I highly suggest subscribing to his blog, where he gives daily writing tips that are absolutely invaluable. I will cover more on my style of outlining in a future post. I'm still not a have-to-put-every-single-detail-down-on-paper outliner, but I've discovered that I do a little. I do have a novel that was completely written with no idea on the end, and I believe it turned out wonderful.)
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