For *119,401 people this week marks a new chapter in their writing lives. It’s post National Novel Writing Month 2008. For some, they have a shiny novel, perfect in its raw, painful glory, ready to be ripped apart in edits or left to sit in a dark forlorn trunk for the rest of eternity.
For others they have the beginning of the greatest novel ever written…if only it would get done, or several works in progress that need to be ended, polished and submitted…
Some thought NaNo was a failure, others a challenge that tore them apart or lifted them up. I walked with a few people across that finish line, cheering them on (or driving them with a timekeeper’s whip!), and celebrated with others who may not have won, but did something amazing…finally finished a chapter, tore down a writing block, dodged a potential plotting hazard, wrote more words than ever before…You catch my drift. 
So here’s the big question…what now?
That’s easy. Keep writing, editing, polishing and submitting manuscripts. No, it’s okay. I hear you scoffing at me, asking me if I’ve lost my mind. How in the world could I ever expect you to keep up NaNo intensity year round?
I don’t.
I expect you to find a groove and stick with it. Let’s say you write 250-300 words a day (2-3 paragraphs). That’s FOUR novellas (25K) a year. Four potential releases! Or TWO category length (55K) novels a year…wow! Or ONE full-length (single title) novel (90K +) a year! That’s amazing, isn’t it? All those little words add up. Whether you’re writing two paragraphs a day or 1,667 a day, remember this…you can’t edit a blank page. Get out there and keep going!
Do you need help/motivation polishing up your manuscript from NaNo? Harlequin Romance has a forum dedicated to post NaNo editing. Romance Divas have areas and workshops in their forum to help. NaNoWriMo has a post NaNo care area for those who are struggling with the “what now?” question.
Either way, I’m proud to continue sweating with you guys if you’re feeling the groove…after a week off, of course. I’m TIRED!
XoXo,
Dawn Montgomery
http://www.dawnmontgomery.com/blog
12 Gingersnaps, 12 chances to win free ebooks for a year…
* Does not include those who wrote in their own unofficial NaNo programs or spinoffs, family members who lost their novel writing relatives for a month, or the poor pets who missed their humans.
December 4th, 2008 at 5:32 am
I got about 34k written over the month. I had wanted to get one novella written from scratch and 2 other half-finished ones completed. At the end of November, I had a single, polished novella…which I’ve now subbed.
I would have liked to have reached 50k (not done it yet for NaNo, lol) and finished the other novellas, but I’m happy that I got a bugger of a story written and out the door. *grin*
Now, I’m onto the next one, and the next one… hehe
December 4th, 2008 at 6:54 am
Congratulations, Dawn! I’m so proud of you and Aline for accomplishing this! If I ever get published by New York and face a dreadline, I’ll have you as inspiration.
Ash
December 4th, 2008 at 9:29 am
Kim: You accomplished a LOT in your month. Not only did you finish that novella, you also wrote more this year than last year for NaNo…definitely a massive accomplishment.
Ash: Lucynda also made it through! Thank you for the congratulations, and I’m sure you’ll get there.
December 4th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
[...] know a lot of you are post-NaNoWriMo. I chatted over at the League of Amazing Writers on what to do [...]