The End of Camp NaNoWriMo: What to Do with Your Complete Manuscript

Welcome to August! So, you’ve crossed the finish line and successfully completed Camp NaNoWriMo. Take a deep breath, pat yourself on the back, and relish in your 50k words.

Now that you have a complete manuscript, you have some exciting decisions to make about what you want to do next. Whether Camp NaNoWriMo was a fun personal project or your first step on the path to publication, now is a great time to use your momentum to take your writing to new heights.

If you’re not sure what comes next, keep reading for helpful tips on how to improve your complete manuscript and a brief introduction to the wonderful world of publishing!

Camp NaNoWriMo might be over, but your writing journey has just begun …

First Draft First: Edit Your complete Manuscript

The goal of NaNoWriMo is to write 50k words in a month. For some, this equals a complete manuscript. For others, this might be a great start to a project you still want to finish. Either way, once you’ve completed your manuscript, there are two things you should do before it reaches readers.

Step Away From The Story

You’ve had your head down, eyes darting across the page, and hands in constant motion for the past month. You were deep in the trenches of your story and chances are the writing ain’t pretty. But that’s okay! The point is that you got the words down and created a body of work that you can, well, work with.

Before you take any next step with your complete manuscript, you’re going to want to put the pages away and take a beat to clear your head. It might be a few days or a few weeks. What’s important is that you take time away so that you can approach your writing with truly fresh eyes. This will allow you to carry less bias as you comb through for areas to improve and you’ll have an easier time catching mistakes.

Which leads us to the next thing you should do…

Edit Your Complete Manuscript

Here are a few things to keep in mind as you edit your manuscript:

1. Do your plot and protagonist have clear arcs? The beginning of your story should set up a trajectory/expectations for the narrative. The middle of the story should show the character working (through a series of events that build upon each other) toward their/the story goal. The ending should show some resolution between the character and their/the story goal (did they succeed or fail? did things turn out as expected? can you clearly identify how the character changed/grew as a result of the events in the story?).

2. Can you clearly identify the genre and age group that your story belongs to? If not, you need to think about who your target audience is and consider the genre elements of your narrative. Once you know the genre and age group you’re writing for, make sure your complete manuscript actually abides by the conventions of those categories.

3. Don’t be afraid to ask yourself if there are places to add to or cut from your story. There’s no argument against the effort you put in to complete your manuscript, but remember to be flexible as you look for better ways to tell the story you set out to achieve.

An Editor’s Eyes

Once you’ve revised your manuscript and begin to run out of ways to improve the story, it’s time to share your complete manuscript with beta readers. 

If you have trusted friends and/or a writing mentor, get some initial impressions. See how your story resonates with people who haven’t been in the trenches of your idea with you. Does it make the impact you intended? Are there areas that could use further development? 

Next, consider having a professional editor take a look at your writing and give you actionable feedback. Polish the manuscript for yourself or to share with family. Get an expert set of eyes on your complete manuscript to catch spelling and grammar mistakes before you self publish. Or, get a full content review from someone with industry knowledge so you can prepare for agent submissions with confidence. 

You’ve poured your heart onto the page, and as a writer it’s impossible to catch all the areas for improvement in your own work. An editor is a great resource to help you ensure your message comes across clear, that your characters are distinct and vibrant, and that the plot is a page turner. 

Camp NaNoWriMo might be over, but this is just the first draft! 

I would love to help you with your revisions at Good Story Editing!