The other day I wrote about why I love NaNo and yesterday I wrote about different ways to go about it. If you’re at all thinking about participating this year, you have only a day or so left to register.

If you do sign up, please let me know so I can encourage you. Since I have ‘won’ several times in the past, I have a lot of work to do on those books already, so won’t be joining this year. Perhaps I will in a year or two.

Anyway, here are four things not to do after NaNo:

on’t create an e-book. Please, please, don’t assume because you will have a collection of words that you will have anything of quality. You simply have a rough draft. Very rough.   

2. Don’t send it to an agent or editor. If you want to get your name in the wrong circles, send it. Otherwise, please use common sense and keep this very rough draft to yourself.

3. Don’t assume you’re done. Far from it. You have a diamond in the rough that now needs much attention and polishing. Your draft needs a fine going over, many times to make it anything worth submitting. These edits and revisions should take many months or weeks if done properly. One side of the brain is used when writing and the other side for revising/editing.

4. Don’t quit writing. If this is your first time doing NaNo, and you think you’ve got a taste of what the writing life might be like, keep going. Seek other writers in your area, maybe set up a group and share plot ideas, revising tips, and marketing and publishing information.

I hope you have found these posts on National Novel Writing Month interesting and helpful. If you have done NaNo in the past, how has it helped you? Do you have a book written during NaNo that is published or that you’re revising? Please share with readers your experience or if you’re going to try it this year.

If you’re not interested in writing novels, what other writing projects interest you? What would you like me to write about here? Share in the comments.

Happy writing!

~~Michelle