When National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is reaching its end, it is time to start thinking about how you will edit your new masterpiece. As you enter the new year, there will be plenty of time to make tweaks and rewrites so you can reach your goal of one day publishing your work. Many writers can be hard on themselves when it comes to editing, but that will only make the process more difficult and the stress could stifle your creativity.
To help you out, we have some tips for how you can edit your NaNoWriMo work while also maintaining a work-life balance so you can stay mentally sharp and produce the best novel possible.
Lifesaving Editing Tips
Editing is easily the most important part of the writing process, and it can be daunting to meticulously sift through an entire novel. However, you just need to take it one step at a time. As a general tip, it is recommended that you do not start the arduous editing process immediately after writing the book, or you will just get frustrated.
Instead, once you are done writing the first draft, take some time away (at least a month) and focus on something else, whether that is your full-time job or another creative project. It is essential to have this time apart because you can return with a clear head and make your edits with less frustration.
Next, even though you have written an entire first draft, it is a good idea to write out a comprehensive outline that dictates the way your book should flow. By following your outline, you can avoid confusion, and you can mark off each section as you move along. It is an act that can be incredibly satisfying. As you go through each section, think about how you can make the scene move faster or come across more clearly by cutting out unnecessary details.
Since you have more time to edit than you did to write, take your time on every scene. Make sure that the characters are properly fleshed out, tweak the dialogue so that it is tight but sounds natural, and check for writing mistakes like spelling, grammar, punctuation, and flow. Do that for each scene, and you’ll feel an incredible sense of accomplishment as you move along.
Keep a Clear Head
When your novel reaches 60,000 or more words and you are trying to edit it all, it is easy to get frustrated and lose your concentration. Some people even have an issue with brain fog, which is when we experience memory lapses, difficulty concentrating, and general confusion that makes it hard to think about the task at hand. While brain fog can be the result of a lack of sleep or nutrient deficiencies, it is often due to stress.
In order to avoid brain fog, you just need to relax and take it one step at a time. If you jump around to different sections of your book and try to make big changes, then you can easily get confused. To make it easier, once you return from your month-long break after writing the book, take the time to read the entire draft without stopping or making any changes. This is a way to re-familiarize yourself with what you wrote. Once you are done, you can use your outline to help you along.
If you are experiencing brain fog and you know that it is likely due to stress and anxiety related to a different part of your life, then it is a good idea to leave the book alone for now and focus on your personal issue. Even though you want to complete the NaNoWriMo challenge, there is no reason to put your mental health in jeopardy. Instead, fix the issue in your personal life and come back when you can have a clear head.
Take Care of Yourself
You may be experiencing brain fog or general issues with concentration because you are not taking care of yourself mentally and physically or creating a proper work-life balance. For instance, even though you have a lot on your plate, it is essential that you get seven to nine hours of sleep every night so that you can wake up feeling refreshed. When you sleep, your body also repairs your immune system so you can avoid getting sick, which is important so you don’t delay your editing.
It is also important that you get out of the house once and a while and spend some time with friends or family. Working from home can impact you psychologically. When you both work and spend a lot of time at home, then it is easy to start to feel lonely and isolated. If you don’t find a solution to your isolation, then it could lead to more significant mental health issues, including depression. On top of that, you could start to develop physical symptoms, such as high blood pressure and heart disease.
The point is that while editing your book is important, so is staying healthy and enjoying your life. You might come up with the best book ever written, but if you don’t have people there to celebrate and share your successes with, then you will have the best book but feel lonely and upset. Make sure to get enough sleep, eat a healthy diet, exercise, and spend time with friends doing things you enjoy, and you’ll feel much better when it comes time to resume your editing work.
As you can see, there are many tips that you can use to make editing your NaNoWriMo project easier while keeping your health in check. Consider the advice we discussed here, and we wish you the best of luck with your incredible novel!
Ainsley Lawrence is a freelance writer from the Pacific Northwest. She is interested in better living through technology and education. She loves traveling to beautiful places is frequently lost in a good book.
