Jill Williamson is a chocolate loving, daydreaming, creator of kingdoms. She writes weird books in lots of weird genres like fantasy (Blood of Kings and Kinsman Chronicles), science fiction (Replication), and dystopian (The Safe Lands trilogy). Find Jill on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or on her author website. You can also try two of her fantasy novels for free here and here.
Today is the last day of NaNoWriMo, so if you’re close to reaching 50K, keep at it! You’re almost there. You are such hard workers and we believe in you!
I did technically “win” NaNo, even though my book is not yet complete. I logged in 76,901 words so far and I’m still going to write some today when I get home from my side job. (Yes, I have a side job watching a darling three-year-old boy.) But since I came into NaNo with a bit of a head start on this book, and since it is likely going to be closer to 200K when I finish, I still have a little bit further to go.
*crackes knuckles and moves smoothly into December Novel Writing Month to keep the words flowing fast* Whoo!
For those writers who reach at least 50K, NaNoWriMo will send you this nifty badge to display wherever you like. Here is mine:
If you didn’t reach 50K, that’s okay. Life happens. And we are proud of you for giving this a try. I don’t know about you, but in the words of Robert H. Schuller, “I’d rather attempt to do something great and fail than to attempt to do nothing and succeed.” But remember, NaNo is not really about “winning” anything. The whole point is to get you writing and to teach you that it’s okay to write messy, ugly, show-no-one rough drafts. Giving yourself permission to stink as you write your rough drafts can be one of the most freeing lessons you can learn as a writer. NaNo taught me that, and I hope participating in NaNo taught you something about your own writing.
What to do now that NaNo is over?
If you haven’t finished your book, I say keep on going! But if you did complete your NaNo draft, here are some ideas of what you can do next:
-Take a break. After an intense time of writing, it’s nice to rest your brain. When I’m not writing, I like to read. I have so little free time these days, that reading whatever I want is a rare treat. Whatever it is that will rest your brain, decide how long you’re going to rest, then rest. You need it.
-Edit. If you finished your book, you might want to dive right in and start editing. If that is you and you need some help, check out these two posts: The Macro Edit and The Micro Edit.
-Join a writing group—if you’re not already in one. Besides actually writing, there is no better method to improve beyond getting feedback from others. Being a part of a close-knit group of writers is a great way to grow and give back. Check out these posts for ideas about writing groups:
Suggestions For Writing Groups, Part One
Suggestions For Writing Groups, Part Two
11 Things To Do In Your Writing Group
-Continue to set writing goals. Whether they be word-count goals, chapter goals, or word sprints with friends, goals help you get your writing done in a timely manner.
-Celebrate. No matter how many words you logged during the month of November, your worked hard and should celebrate that. Maybe that looks like buying yourself a treat at Dutch Brothers, a banana split, or a box of chocolates. Or maybe that means buying yourself that book you’ve been dying to read or going to see Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Whatever it is, enjoy, and pat yourself on the back for a job well done. One way you can celebrate is by coming to my Christmas Facebook party this Friday! Enjoy some random silliness and a chance to win a Kindle, a book, or a gift card. It’s going to be a time of joyous merriment.
Here is an official invitation:
So… share in the comments:
1. What did you learn from NaNo this year?
2. What do you plan to do now that NaNo is over?