Writing Day 30

Today is the completion day of Nanowrimo, we talked yesterday about the different journeys people may be on in the challenge. This afternoon, I’d like to focus on celebrating where you are in your writing. Whether you are entering the words The End to your rough draft, or have a ways to go, I hope you take a moment and celebrate.

While celebrating is both motivational, and helps with a positive outlook, it also has another purpose. It reminds you that, as a writer, you have built muscle, you’ve stretched yourself to a new capacity. You are also creating a body of work, as well as a library of ideas. The body of work has multiple benefits, and the library of ideas is a wonderful resource to draw from for future writing.

If you have finished your rough draft, I would suggest taking a few days to allow it to sit, and allow your brain to refresh. This way you can approach it with fresh eyes, which will help you with editing. When you do return to it, I would encourage you to read it before launching an edit. It may take some extra time, but it will save you time in the editing process itself.

If you haven’t finished your draft, I would suggest you still take some time to celebrate where you are. If you have written anything, you have more than when you began. At first, you had only a desire, and idea, or a concept. Now you have pages, if not chapters of work that simply needs to be added too, and completed.

You now have a blueprint to use to complete your story, book, or novel, and you would never have had that, had you not started the process. Now you have choices, including when you complete your story. We mentioned yesterday the 50 day and 100 day Writing Calendars as options to plan your writing schedule. There is also the Writing Boxes concept, and of course the core 500 words a day method.

All of this is food for thought, options you didn’t have just a few days prior. Congratulations my friend, you are a writer, for many a lifelong dream, and you’ve accomplished it. While it may not be published yet, you’ve dreamed of writing, and now you’ve written. This should be celebrated, because the celebration will help to carry you through the rest of the project. For today though, you are a writer, congratulations, enjoy your celebration.