The Terrible AFTER of the Novel

What Sage (and her AWESOME Groot avatar) said: You need to write some other story.

I've found nothing else gets my brain to just friggin' let go of the previous story properly; you need to give it something else to obsess over instead.

Best of luck!

You can also beta read for others. I usually do beta swaps or read a book while waiting.

You read.

Fill up your well again with words by others.

I don't have an in between period. I finish one day, mail it out the next, and then get back to work.

The thing I'm doing my final edits on has been my companion for over two years now. I've made lots of friends in these pages. I am going to miss them, and though I know I could write a sequel, for me that would be a cop out.

I have two things half written and on the back-burner, and when I have finally let go of this little (actually big) precious, I will just get on with one of those.

After I sober up, of course.

What I mean to say is, I empathise.

Sage nailed it.

Usually right after finishing a project, I take a breather and binge read or binge watch. (Netflix is very good for the anxious writer brain.)

After edits (that inevitable next waiting period) I always start a new project. It's great to get engrossed in another world while you wait to hear back from agents/editors/whoever you've sent it to.

First, reward yourself for finishing. Then get started on the next story.

Start the next project. Same BIC session if possible.

Yeah, conventional wisdom is to start something new, but I've never done that successfully. My obsession with any given project runs too deep to hop to something else until months later.

So, I'm with Gillhoughly. Read. And keep daydreaming about your book if you're so inclined, because sometimes a late moment of insight will hit you. Half the time when beta readers get back to me, I've already got an idea for how to fix the issues they bring up.

I know what you mean...my book is being beta-read right now too. I keep from dwelling on it by reading a lot and thinking about my next project (outlining, character bios, etc.); I don't want to get too immersed in my next work, because I know I'll have to drop everything and do more editing when my beta-reader is done!

First, pat yourself on the back for finishing. It's a huge accomplishment, especially if it's your first novel.

Second, take a deep breath, kick back and relax for a bit.

Third, get off your butt and get back to work. Err, rather, that's get your butt back in the chair and write something new!

I work on the next one.

The whole "work on something else while it's in beta" didn't work for me, sadly. Not until it was actively querying it did I start working on a new project. Between last round of betas and querying... about a year because I really wanted to polish it and the query.

So basically all I did between projects was play video games.

I turn my attention to writing a few short stories.

With my second novel out and having just finished the final edit on my third (to be released next week), I'm in a similar position.

I'm turning my attention back to my next project, which I started during the time I was letting the two books sit and ferment.

Work on the next book. Or a related novella or promotional piece like a short story for a blog.

I may have four (or even 4 1/4, if I also do a novella) books out in 2015, and the only way I can get them all written (I do three drafts, not including edits from the publisher, and need time off between the drafts in order to be able to see the problems) is to sort of play leapfrog with the stories. I know I need two months for a first draft, one month for a second draft and between 2 weeks and a month for the third draft. So, I write for two months on a first draft, let it sit for a month while I'm working on the second (or third) draft of a different book, then one month for the second draft of the first book, let it sit for a month or two while I'm working on a different project, then one month for the third draft of the first book, and so on with each of the other projects, which are all in a variety of stages.

I've got all of 2015 mapped out, starting with January for a third draft (book #1 for the year), then Feb/March for a first draft (book #3 for the year), April for a second draft (book #2 for year, started in 2014), May for a second draft (book #3), June/July for a first draft (book #4), and I forget how the rest of the year goes. But it's something like that. And whenever I have a week or two that's not assigned to other projects, I do outlines or prewriting (snowflake method type stuff) for upcoming projects, so I've always got something I can jump into without much prep work.

Well, hopefully your next idea will be just as good as the first one was. Maybe I ought to look out for this one.

Sage said:

Start working on the next one? Write short stories? Watch a lot of movies and read a lot of books (movies are easier for me to get lost in when I'm obsessed with a novel of my own than reading is)?

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jorodo said:

You can also beta read for others. I usually do beta swaps or read a book while waiting.

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Yes, and yes, although I would also say I find it nice to overlap working on a few projects by a bit so the momentum doesn't stop at all, or stops very briefly.

I will also note that, because I have done this and people have done this to me--just because they said they're making progress doesn't mean they are, and that probably doesn't have as much to do with how engaging your story is as how many other things/stories your readers are doing. Often enough in my case, until someone actually has something to say, they probably haven't even started. Work, class, or expecting poor quality (hey I'm not saying you ARE a bad writer, but people have told me they put off reading my writing because they have low expectations of people who say they want to write, but they actually enjoyed it once they started). If it's the first time someone is reading something from you they may not know what kind of commitment it is to be your beta.

Reading, for example, is something my mom does for fun. So when I send her a chapter of something and ask for in depth analysis of what works, doesn't, or sounds good, it becomes more work than relaxing fun, but also not the kinda work you get paid for. So she usually takes longer to get back to me than other friends I harass for feedback.

Nothing means anything until someone has something honest to say!

Imbroglio said:

Okay, so I've decided what I'm going to do.

I've got two seasons of the Legend of Korra to watch. I have a shelf of books waiting to be read; I'll just pick two at random. And when I'm done with all of that, I'll head on to bigger and better writing projects, lol.

Thanks for the support, y'all.

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If it's season 3 and 4 you are in for a treat.

I'm in a similar situation while waiting on my editor to finish I decided to take the advice many have given and start a blog. It's helping so much! I tried starting the next book but I'm too distracted by fixing scenes my editor sends back. So short articles are perfect for me right now.

Work on other stuff. It doesn't have to be a new novel, or short stories or anything. If you're planning to submit the novel you could work on the synopsis and query. If you blog, get some blog posts done.

You have to do what works for you. It depends on how obsessive you are and how easily you can transfer your attention to something else. I'm a bit obsessive so have to force myself to leave a larger project alone but can't begin another large project until the first one is done and dusted.

While my novel sits and marinates in a drawer, I throw myself into gardening or writing short stories and smaller nonfiction assignments.

I'm going through the same waiting to hear from readers.

What helps me is binge-watching a new show. I just started Once Upon A Time. I also am doing some light reading. And inevitably, I am working on other (small) projects.

Right now I'm getting excited to revive an older piece that I'd kind of forgotten about- or, at least, tried to forget about because it's that bad. Working on that is keeping my hands busy and away from the novel I'm waiting on.

Or, you could just eat lots of ice cream. That works, too.