Now You’ve Written A Novel

Back in November, and last month in April, thousands of people participated in NaNoWriMo. Hopeful writers sat down and finally put words on a page to that story in their head.

 Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.

Thomas Edison

But writing the story is just the beginning.

If you’re like many writers, by the time you get to the end of your “fast” draft, it may not look anything like the rough draft you had in mind, or even the outline on which you spent many painstaking hours. Indeed, it may have taken so many rabbit trails it looks like the underbrush of the forest filled with game trails. Some paths may lay abandoned, half forged, grown over, some may be trod down to rock and dust.

Having a novel that doesn’t look anything like you anticipated is not a bad thing. It can be beneficial, for you could…