I just finished a novel. What do I do next? Determine your publication goals (if any).

You've just finished a novel. Maybe you wrote it as part of November's National Novel Writing Month. Either way, you've got this first draft happily sitting there and you're wondering… what happens next?

First, you let it sit. Then you go over it with the proverbial fine tooth comb, cleaning and fine-tuning it. Then you give it to your critique groups  and beta readers and get some outside perspectives. Then you repeat those last two steps again and again until you're absolutely positive that ...