It isn't long after that exhilarating final keystroke when you sit back in your chair, maybe cry a little, and look with pride at your finished piece when the weight of what you've just done starts to dawn on you. You've poured your heart, time, and money buying endless cups of coffee at your local cafe (because, let's face it, it just feels weird to use their booths and ambiance for your own selfish writing needs without giving them something in return) to write this novel. And not once did you think ahead to what you would do after you finished. Because in the midst of the valley, nothing seems more impossible than emerging out into the SUNSHINE OF SUCCESS! Yet, here you are. A complete novel staring you in the face. You've reached the summit, but now you're starting to feel the height.

I've been there. I know that paralyzing fear of having the project you've devoted the last three years of your life to suddenly be completed. Your hands are idle. Your thoughts vacant. You maybe nitpick at a few words, change some punctuation, but this can't go on forever. You're only avoiding the inevitable.

So what in the world are you supposed to do now? Well, I'll tell you!

First, you tell all those whom you hold dear that you've finished a novel! That's a huge accomplishment! And maybe if you're lucky, you'll get a dinner out or an awesome cookie cake from your mom.

Next you take a break. Not from writing completely, heaven forbid! But don't open that word document. You've done the hard work of creating it, now it's time to let your novel marinate a little bit. Trust me, it will be more beneficial for both you and your novel if you don't keep returning to it day after day and changing those microscopic details.

Finally after a few months of separation, open that novel up. Read through it again and resist the urge to edit. If you must, make notes of things you want to change as you go using a notebook or the track changes tool. Congratulations! You've achieved perspective. And it seriously feels like a superhero power. I can't count the number of times I've read a sentence or paragraph that I don't even remember writing. When it's good, relish the moment:
Wow, nice word choice!
*Sniff sniff* that scene was so beautiful, and tragic.
Man! That was some good dialogue!

After your first read through, then you may go crazy editing. Because some things are bound to have changed. That scene that you thought was the best thing you've ever written suddenly doesn't seem to fit in. Save it somewhere else, but get rid of it. As William Faulkner said, "In writing, you must kill all your darlings." If it doesn't fit, it doesn't stay.

If writing a novel was a piece of cake, then the actual writing part is the frosting and the editing is the cake. Editing takes time and lots and lots of effort. In my own experience, I spent a year writing a novel and three years editing it. For some tips on editing, check out my post in January: "Novel, We Need To Talk: Tips for Editing."

After a while you'll fall into a rhythm with your editing and just like that, it's over. Now your novel really is done. I mean, potentially you could keep working on the same novel forever and ever but who wants to do that? It's time to let go. And that means...it's time for publishing!

Writing a novel is one of the most gut-wrenching and rewarding things I have ever done. And the journey still continues as I dive into the publishing world in an attempt to find a good home for my precious little work of art. In the meantime, I get to start fresh with a new idea, a new blank page, and a chance to do it all over again.

So you've been together for a long time. You've had your ups and your downs. Sometimes you love It to death and other times you wish It really would die. In a hole. Far away from you.

This is the relationship of me and my novel as it undergoes revision. Some writers love editing and others loath its existence. More often that not, it's a love/hate relationship. I happen to fall more on the loving side but there are days...oh yes, there are days...

Everyone has their own writing style and its crazy to think that editing would be any different. But I know what works for me and I hope that maybe some of these things will work for someone else out there. So, Novel, we need to talk...

• I think we need to start seeing other people...After you finish your novel, take a break from it for a couple of months to get a better perspective. Work on something else or give your imagination time to rejuvenate. When you come back to it, you will be more attune to what's working and what isn't. Start by cutting out all that junk that isn't serving a purpose or is just you becoming enthralled with your own story world. It's easy to write at length about the medicinal properties of the fuchsia pink Imaginaryawesomeroot that you created, but unless your character is going to need this later when they get seriously injured, or they just really love botany and it gives insight into their character, then you probably don't need it. Don't be afraid to cut out big chunks. I'm talking scenes, even characters. Save the old drafts, that way if it doesn't work out you can always add them back in later.
• You never shut up! Pay attention to the dialogue and cut out unnecessary dialogue tags. Do you have to say that Frank snarled at Bob? Or Bob thundered back at Frank? If they're angry, then show it more through the details, scene, or even the dialogue itself rather than through the dialogue tags. Usually "said" and "ask" work just fine.
• I don't understand you. You know your characters better than anyone, so this will be hard. But try to read with a discerning mind and see if there are any places where you've accidentally written your characters to be inconsistent with themselves.
• We just do the exact same thing every single day. Are all your sentences the same kind of structure? Do they all start in the same way or is the length the same? Mix things up and make it interesting! 
• We need to be more open with one another...If you're brave you can give others your novel to read. But in doing so be prepared for the criticism that could potentially follow along with the helpful bits of advice. Workshops are awesome for this part of editing because at some point you stop catching your own mistakes. You may think Susie's backstory is crystal clear but one of your peers may be confused about it.
• I still love you...Even though editing can be hard, in the end it's worth it. Whether it takes three drafts or thirty, three months or three years, editing is a vital part of the writing process. You'll discover a new appreciation for your own writing and you'll also feel good about the way your novel turned out. So good that you'll want to submit it everywhere for publication! And why shouldn't you? Your novel isn't reaching its full potential until it reaches someone else's hands.