A Time to Rest

One of the most important things you can do after you've written a manuscript is give it a rest.

Andalsnes, Norway, 2014, Photo by Erik Lundmark

Chances are, you just spent an intensive month or so working, climbing, writing and falling head-over-heels into your newly created world. Writing sprints such as NaNoWriMo are great to get the creative juices flowing, and the complete immersion in your story helps get it all down on paper.

When you finish that climb, put your story away.

Give it some space. It wants to be alone for a while. 

Bergen, Norway 2014, Photo by Erik Lundmark

Just like all good things, your manuscript needs time to percolate.

For good bread, you must let the dough rise.

For good tea, you must let the leaves steep.

For good stew, you must let the flavors simmer together.

And for a good book, you must leave it alone.

When you're too close to your story, things start to get murky and you don't even realize it.

Bergen, Norway 2014, Photo by Erik Lundmark

The good news is that there are many things you can do while you give your manuscript a “rest.”

The two most important things you can do are READ and WRITE. 

Trinity University Library, Dublin, Republic of Ireland, 2014, Photo by Erik Lundmark

READ

Reading recently-published books in your genre will give you a taste of what agents and publishers are championing. It's like an odd form of osmosis. It will simmer in your brain. 

A good way to find out what is selling in your genre is to watch for new book releases on Tuesdays. (If you follow agents, they will usually tweet about their clients' book releases, too.)

You can also keep an eye out for which books make the NYT bestseller's list.

Up-and coming writers sometimes offer ARCs (Advance Reading Copies) of their books as giveaways on Twitter or their blog. These copies are available before the book is actually printed, and you might score one for free. This is a "fresh" as it gets.

The more you read, the more you will learn about how to write a good book. As you read, pay close attention. Read as a writer. Look at last lines of chapters. Look at first lines of chapters. Read the opening page of as many books as you can. Pay attention to how characters drive the plot. Note their character flaws. Watch how they change and progress through the novel.

Nothing improves your basis for sound writing and storytelling than reading.

Highland Folk Museum, Newtonmore, Scotland, 2015, Photo by Erik Lundmark

WRITE

Another thing you should do is start a new project. Make an outline for your next story and start writing. Never stop writing! The more you write, the more you'll develop your voice. It will help you when it comes time to edit your manuscript.

Your writing project doesn't have to be a novel, either. Short stories, poetry, magazine articles . . . It's all writing. It's a creative process. It's how you hone your craft. Don't stop, even if you are "resting" a story.

I recommend taking at least a month away from your project--perhaps more. When you return with fresh eyes, you'll have a much clearer picture, and you'll be ready to edit.

Andalsnes, Norway, 2014, Photo by Erik Lundmark

*This post is one in a series: "So You Wrote a Book! Now What?" Click here to view more topics.*