On “Finishing” My First Novel…

I DID IT!

I finally got the chance to write those special two little words at the end of a document:

THE END!

I finished my manuscript.

Since I picked up writing more seriously again two years ago and began tackling this novel a year and a half ago, I wrote a full-length novel!

Of course, it’s not actually DONE. There will be edits and more edits, but I am taking this moment to celebrate a goal I sometimes questioned I’d ever achieve. Figuring out how to fit writing into my life as a busy high school English teacher, a cheer coach, and mom of three, often seemed impossible. But I am so very proud of myself.

My goal was to have this manuscript completed by the end of June, so I could take a break from it for a couple weeks and prepare for the writer’s conference I am attending in mid-July. Technically, I finished this manuscript on July 1st, but I did it, you guys!

So, what’s next?

I have pitches to draft and memorize, a synopsis to work on, my one pager to piece together, and business cards to design. All of these are necessary accoutrements for the writer’s conference where I will be pitching my novel and hoping to network.

Then I will be applying all the things I learn at conference to an initial edit of the novel. Next, the manuscript will be sent off to beta readers to get their feedback. Once I take a look at reader responses, I hope to target what needs to be improved and do deep revision.

The end goal? I hope to have a better manuscript to send off to any agents that request it and hope to submit to ACFW’s Genesis Contest by next March.

For now, though? Just doing a little happy dance! Because I DID IT!