How to Conquer the Dreaded “Now What” Months...Together!

Despite all the excitement of the “Now What” months, you might feel like you’re in over your head. Where do you start? What tools do you need to edit your novel? Who do you talk to? Fear not—you’re not alone! Today, Municipal Liaison for the Europe :: Scotland :: Dundee & Angus region Gavin Cameron shares their advice for taking on the revision process:

I’m not a lifelong writer. When I was 26, I heard about a strange writing contest—it was called “NaNooNaNoo” or something. I decided to join up with no real plot, no experience of writing fiction since high school—and no idea what would happen next. I went along to a local meet-up, and found a group of the most welcoming people. With their help, I hit 50,000 words in my first attempt.

Seven years on, I’m now a three-time ML for the Dundee & Angus region in Scotland, assisted by a wonderfully supportive co-ML, Valerie. Together, we manage a diverse and inclusive group with writers of several nationalities and LGBT identities, and it’s a joy to do so. 

There’s been such enthusiasm from the members of our region that we’ve been meeting up every week for around 2 years, even outside of NaNoWriMo and Camp NaNoWriMo seasons. This means members have the time and support to continue their work during the dreaded “I Wrote a Novel… Now What?” months.

“One of the most useful editing tools is neither an eraser nor a Delete key, but time.”

In my own case,
I’m not yet finished writing my story, so that’ll be my focus for
the weeks to come. I spoke to Kirsty, one of our regular members,
who’ll be doing the same. But she has her sights set even higher.
Kirsty already has one published novel and three short story credits,
and she’s planning to add this year’s NaNoWriMo novel to that
total.

Which brings me
to an important point if you want to be published: the value of the
edit.

One of the most
useful editing tools is neither an eraser nor a Delete key, but time. I
make a habit of taking a break from a piece after writing it, even if
I’m bound to a tight deadline. When I come back, I read it aloud
where possible; I often find spelling errors, clumsy phrasing and
structural flaws jumping out at me. I repeat this process until I’m
satisfied with my own work, and only then do I consider sending it
out. 

A technique I’m keen to try during this “Now What?” is
peer editing, where two writers swap manuscripts and look over each
other’s work, as a couple of my friends already do. Even after
thorough self-editing, it’s still possible to overlook basic
errors.

Of course, maybe
you don’t have a 50,000-word novel to edit. Dundee & Angus
region members are probably sick of hearing it, but there’s no
shame in not reaching that target. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
and Breakfast at Tiffany’s are two well-loved books, yet
neither of them touch 50,000 words. 

In 2015, I had to give up writing
my own novel to concentrate on an MLitt Writing Practice and Study
degree, something I wouldn’t be doing if it hadn’t been for that
initial positive experience with “NaNooNaNoo” five years earlier.
I graduated during the 2016 contest.

So whether you’ve
entered the “Now What?” months with 1,000 words or 100,000, well
done. You’ve no doubt told the story only you can tell, so consider
giving it a thorough edit, then show it off to a waiting world.

Gavin Cameron has
participated in NaNoWriMo since 2010 and became ML for the Europe ::
Scotland :: Dundee & Angus region in 2015. Gavin chiefly writes
poems and short stories the rest of the year, some of which have been
published locally and abroad. Drawing on a passion for spoken-word
and live performance, Gavin runs Hotchpotch, a monthly open-mike
night for writers to present their creative work without judgement or
criticism. Find out more at Gavin’s website and on Twitter. 

Top photo licensed under Creative Commons from M Reza Faisal on Flickr.