You want that feeling – the one that comes when you’ve finally finished your book. All the long hours, planning and hard work you’ve put into this work has paid off. Completing a book is a significant achievement, and something writers should celebrate. However, let the celebration be just that, maybe a toast at the local pub with friends and a shout into the atmosphere, not a quick rush into the industry.
How do you know if you are getting ahead of yourself? First, seeing your book in print could be the driving force to moving way too damn fast. The excitement can get the best of any of us. To be successful, it is important not to rush the process, which could minimize the chance of success.
Ask yourself these two questions:
Has my book been edited by a professional?
This cannot be emphasized enough. Every book, regardless to length or genre, should be professionally edited. And by professional, it means not your mom, aunt meg or that cousin the English teacher. A professional who edits books for a living. No matter how good friends or family members are with grammar and punctuation, a trained eye will catch those things which need to be caught! Do your hard work justice by having it professionally edited.
Is this my first draft?
If so, let it cool off for a bit, and don’t rush the process. When I completed my first book, I put it in the night-stand drawer. I don’t touch it for at least 5-7 days, usually I shoot for two weeks but don’t always have the patience. The truth is that no writer can create a masterpiece, free of error right out the gate. It may not even be that you make a lot of mistakes, it could be the flow or tone of your manuscript. The cooling off period will give you a chance to come out of that excited cloud of joy and review the work realistically. You will go through more drafts before you get to that final version ready for the editor. Take your time, readers will thank you later.
Happy Writing!
My Relentless Life 