All you WriMos are aware: it’s November 30th, the last day of National Novel Writing Month. This means two things (if you’re in Eastern time):

• You have 9 hours and 59 minutes to reach your 50,000 words and declare yourself a NaNoWriMo 2016 winner (if you haven’t already).

• You have 9 hours and 59 minutes to enter the two giveaways I’m sponsoring in honor of NaNoWriMo!

Let’s Discuss Those Giveaways

The Writing & Reading Treasure Trove has everything a lover of books and writing could need.

To enter this giveaway, visit this link and follow the instructions.

The Book Lover’s Paradise prize pack is full of what avid readers love: BOOKS!

And guess what?! Each prize pack will include one extra item not listed in this post!!

What are you waiting for? The giveaways end tonight at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time.

NaNoWriMo Is Almost Over…

Now what?

Here are a few tips to help you get through the post-NaNoWriMo blues – and to help turn your first draft into a kickass book.

• First off, if you haven’t reached that coveted 50,000th word, keep writing.

• Once your first draft is completed, set it aside for at least two weeks. In my personal and editorial experiences, I’ve found it essential for writers to get some distance from a project before jumping into revisions. This will allow you to view the book with a fresh pair of eyes when you pick it back up weeks or months later – and be better able to spot plotholes or other issues. Not sure how to put your first draft down? Catharine Bramkamp has some great tips in her article “Go Ahead – Ignore Your Novel!“

• Focus on the big stuff: character or timeline inconsistencies, plotholes, improbabilities, lack of tension/conflict, pacing problems, voice/tone inconsistency, etc. Make a list of the concerns you have with your current draft. Then go to work revising and rewriting to correct those problems. You may find that you create several drafts during this stage – that’s okay! In fact, that’s better than okay – it means you’re doing all you can to make your book as awesome as it can be.

• Once you have a book that feels complete, enlist the help of beta readers. No, I’m not talking about relatives, friends, or even acquaintances. To learn more about the importance of beta readers, check out Aislinn Lavoie’s blog post “Are You Ready to Take the Publishing Plunge?“

• After you’ve received criticism from your group of beta readers, have assessed it, and have made necessary changes, it’s time to hire a professional editor. I, of course, highly recommend my editing services (learn more about them here). But if you opt for shopping around, know that an editor shouldn’t have a problem doing a sample edit on the first several pages of your manuscript. This and a phone call to discuss your goals will ensure that you find the ideal editor for you and your book.

• Now you have a polished, completed manuscript. If you’re interested in publishing, take a look at my post “Vanity Presses, Self-Publishing, and Traditional Publishing: Oh My!” over at Palmetto Publishing Group’s blog for further info.

And that’s it for now, folks! I hope your NaNoWriMo is/was a successful one.

As always, write on.

P.S.: I’ll see you soon to announce the giveaway winners!