You’ve reached the end of your draft. Your novel is written. It’s time to celebrate! This is a HUGE accomplishment, one that takes some writers decades to reach. You should celebrate! For today, you should ignore how many pages are left in this book and take a break. The writing is done, and your brain needs some rest before making the shift into edit mode.

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Now that you know the basics of writing a first draft of your novel, it’s time to sit down and do it! Start writing, and don’t stop until the end of your story is on the page!

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You will be better equipped to write an effective first chapter after you have figured your story out and put the majority of it on the page. So don’t let yourself get hung up on trying to figure out where to start your novel. The important thing is to just start writing – anything – and don’t stop until the draft is complete!

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National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is an annual creative writing challenge that takes place in November. The goal of NaNoWriMo is to write a 50,000-word novel draft in just 30 days, from November 1st to November 30th. Participating in this activity is a great way to build and maintain momentum. Plus, if you can write 50,000 words of your own novel draft in one month, you will be well on your way to finishing your novel in months rather than years.

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Setting a writing schedule that you can stick to is important for making consistent progress on your writing projects. First, determine what time of day is your most productive time. Think about when you are most alert and focused. Some people prefer to write in the early morning, while others find that they are most productive in the afternoon or evening. I like to get my writing out of the way first thing because I know that otherwise I will find other things to do and never get around to writing. This is a great strategy for anyone who often finds themselves cleaning house when there is writing to be done.

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Stopping to do research during the drafting process of writing a novel can be a distraction and slow down your progress. Here are some reasons why you may want to avoid stopping to do research while drafting:

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When you write, you typically use your creative and imaginative processes, which are associated with the right side of the brain. Editing involves a more analytical and critical thinking process, which is associated with the left side of the brain. Editing your work during the drafting process of writing a novel can be counterproductive for a few reasons:

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Momentum is crucial when writing a novel because it helps you to keep going and make progress. Writing a novel is a long and challenging process, and it can be easy to get discouraged or distracted along the way. Momentum helps you to stay focused and motivated, so that you can keep making progress toward your goal of finishing the book.

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The first draft is often a journey of discovery, where you explore the plot, characters, and themes of your novel. Writing quickly enables you to delve deeper into your ideas, uncover surprising plot twists, and explore different narrative paths. It allows you to experiment, take risks, and embrace the joy of storytelling. As it turns out, fast writing incorporates all the organic writing elements that pansters love! Planning before writing only delays the gratification a bit and allows your writing to be more focused. It’s the best of both worlds!

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