This week, we finally managed to install our new (not new ) item of furniture - a mid-18th Century grandfather clock. It's not bright and shiny like more modern ones, but a dark oak with a warm patina which the beeswax polish is drawing out. In order to set it up, we had to do a certain amount of research - how to hang the pendulum, where the weight went on the endless chain - and it got me thinking... where and when did certain divisions of time come from? The time periods which I have written either had household clocks or didn't, I have not written novels from the time of their invention. Clocks have been around for a long time, and the obsession with measuring time in an ordered fashion dates back to at least the ancient Sumerians. It was they who established a circular reading of time and, I imagine, the sixty seconds/minutes came about as much because it was an easy way to divide a circle as anything else. But it wasn't until much later that the precision of seconds ...
Saturday 30th November - What Next?
Wow! We've made it to the end of NaNoWriMo. If you managed your 50,000 words: Congratulations! If you managed to get off the starting block: Congratulations! Whatever anyone tells you, there is nothing easy about writing a book. Even when you enjoy it, it's still hard work.
So, what happens next? Here's what Crowvus suggests:
Wow! We've made it to the end of NaNoWriMo. If you managed your 50,000 words: Congratulations! If you managed to get off the starting block: Congratulations! Whatever anyone tells you, there is nothing easy about writing a book. Even when you enjoy it, it's still hard work.
So, what happens next? Here's what Crowvus suggests:
- Have a party - you've deserved it! And, by the way, a party only needs to have as few or as many people as you want. My favourite parties have been family affairs. It's important to be proud of yourself, and to celebrate your success.
- Revisit your novel - I suggest you re-read the whole thing. Pick up and iron out any continuity issues and correct any typos you spot, but don't go through looking for them. Proofreading comes later.
- Find your First Reader - for advice on this you can read our Day 15 blog.
- Rerevisit your novel - decide which of the First Reader's comments you want to build on and make these changes.
- Proofreading - you can choose whether to employ someone or find a friend, but proofreading should not be done by yourself or your First Reader. You need someone who is not familiar with your writing and story.
- Rererevisit your novel - no need to add or change anything other than any issues your proofreader highlighted. Some proofreaders will make these changes for you.
- Editing - for advice on this you can read our Day 10 blog. This stage takes time, and will probably take a lot of to-ing and fro-ing for your manuscript.
- Rerererevisit your novel - this is your novel's final visit before handing it over.
- Decide your publishing route - whether through a publisher or self-publishing, your book is now ready to go "Out There".
On behalf of Crowvus, Congratulations!
If you're looking to take the next step, we'd love to hear from you. We have a one-off offer available through our Crowdfunding rewards offering critiques, graphics, illustrations, and a complete manuscript edit (up to 100,000 words).
Thanks for sharing NaNoWriMo with us!
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