How do you celebrate when you achieve a writing goal/ finish a story?
Finishing something is
always an amazing feeling, even if it’s just a first draft and you know there
are months of revision, editing and polishing ahead of you. I’m a great believer in celebrating
success, so I like to do something to mark the end of every project.
No, I don’t drink a
glass of champagne and smoke a cigarette like the writer in Misery. I actually take time off from writing. I walk away from the project I’ve just
finished and take a break.
I need to get my head
out of the project I’ve just finished before I can dive into the next one. And even if I’m not moving onto writing
something else right away, it’s important to let the story settle a while
before going back to revise.
So I spend a week or
two not writing. Or at least, not
sitting in front of my computer banging out words. I’m usually brewing something in the back of my mind,
letting ideas settle and shape themselves into something I can use. I go to the movies. I read books. I watch TV.
Then when it’s time to
get back into my writing chair, I’m rested and relaxed and ready to get back to
work.
What do you do when
you finish something?
It's always good to put a WIP in a drawer for a couple of weeks after finishing, so that when you return to it, you can read it with fresh eyes. Your time away actually accomplishes two purposes.
ReplyDeleteTaking time away from writing—and not just the WIP—sounds like a great way to recharge. I always take time away from the WIP, but never writing.
ReplyDeleteWhen I finish something, I usually sit around a bit lost because I'm not sure what to do now.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I love about writing is that you can do so much of it in your head. As for when I finish... I don't know. I think it's different each time as I try to decide what to do next.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't realized it- but I do the same thing. Taking a little time away definitely helps me to recharge and see my writing with fresh eyes.
ReplyDelete~Jess
I do the same thing. We need the distance to regroup. When we come back to edit, it's with new eyes. Excellent advice!
ReplyDeleteIt's often such a challenge for me to walk away from my writing when I finish a piece. My first instinct is to go back and fix it and I've found that to be so destructive. It's not much better to immediately move on to the next writing thing, either, though, is it? Anyway. Good thoughts. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea. I need to do the same thing. That's probably why I'm having such a meltdown right now.
ReplyDelete