You’ve done it!

You’ve made it from “Once upon a time…” to “The End” with a path of 80,00 or 100,00 words — even more if you’ve written a fantasy novel — between them.

It hasn’t been easy. You got up early. Stayed up late. Put off meeting friends or finishing the newest version of your favorite video game. You’ve probably drunk a lot of coffee or tea or whatever your favorite caffeine source may be.

But it was all worth it. You’ve accomplished something that 99% of people in the world will never accomplish ¹ — you finished writing a novel!

But what now?

Don’t worry, I’m going to tell you.

Relish the Moment

The first thing you need to do is celebrate. Pat yourself on the back. Jump up in the air. Turn somersaults. Shout for the world to hear, “I FINISHED MY NOVEL!” Don’t worry about disturbing anyone; they won’t care.

But there are people who will care and now is the time to notify them of your accomplishment. A parent, a partner, writing buddies, that one person you know who will drop everything to treat you to a victory dinner.

In other words, relish this moment. It was a rough road to traverse, maybe even rougher than what you put your protagonist through, and you deserve a moment to enjoy your success. So take it.

Don’t Do Anything

Sooner or later, though, the celebration will come to an end, and then what?

Maybe you are excited to delve back into the story or maybe you are sick and tired of it and never want to look at it again. The prescription for either state is the same: Don’t do anything.

The best thing to do with a newly completed novel is to lock it away in a metaphorical box and not look at it for a while. If you want, you can print it all out on crisp white paper — seeing your manuscript in print will amplify the feeling of accomplishment — and then physically lock the it away where you won’t be tempted to read it.

That’s right, you should not actually start reading your manuscript again directly after finishing it.

You should definitely not attempt to start revisions.

How long should you wait? That will depend on your particular circumstances, but my recommendation is at least a month. It could be longer, especially if the process was fraught and you need time to emotionally recover.

Why should you wait? One reason is simply recovery. You have just expended an enormous amount of creative energy and it takes time to replenish.

The other reason is that a break will allow you to come back to the work with fresh eyes. If you are starry eyed with the high that comes from a creative outpouring, you may not see the inevitable flaws that will need to be repaired. On the other hand, if you think everything you wrote was terrible, when you come back to it after a break you will probably find that it is not so bad as you thought.

When it is time to revise, you need to approach your manuscript with a critical but balanced perspective, neither totally infatuated nor despising what you have made.

In the meantime, relax if that’s your thing. Recharge. Sit under a tree and watch the grass grow. Catch up on your reading and shows and that new video game. If you want to keep your writing muscles strong try, some short or flash fiction … or poetry! Maybe (maybe) start some gentle brainstorming for your next novel.

Just Do Read It

Eventually, the time will come when it is time to get back to the manuscript. That’s the third thing. ² After letting it rest a little (cure, proof, rise, marinate, bake, stew, whatever cooking metaphor feels best to you) it is finally time to read your manuscript.

Just read it.

Don’t take notes.

Don’t start fixing mistakes.

Don’t do anything that is essentially revising or editing.

Just read.

This is when having the printed copy comes in handy, but if you want to keep it digital, transfer the file to a device that doesn’t have a keyboard attached, so you’re not tempted to start making changes.

Pretend you are not the author and just read it. Imagine you don’t know anything about the setting or the characters or the third-act plot twist and experience the novel as if you are reading it for the very first time … as if you are not the person who created this whole shiny, marvelous thing.

Isn’t it astonishing what you have done? What an amazing creation! It doesn’t matter if it is not perfect — it never will be no matter how much you revise — but it is still astonishing that it exists at all.

I wouldn’t be surprised if you give the manuscript (or the device holding it) a little hug, like a mother embracing her newborn child who is still too wrinkly and red to be considered cute, but is loved none the less for it. Give yourself a hug while you’re at it. You deserve it.

Okay, enough with the sentimental interlude. It’s time to get back to work and actually start revising this precious bundle into something that’s fit to share with the world.

But that is a whole ‘nother pot to stir.