MY BOOK IS DONE!!! (Except it's not...) 5 Tips

First things first: Drumroll please....

I FINISHED MY BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, so obviously I still have a ton of editing to do, but the writing stage is complete! I officially have a completed manuscript at 69,000 words!

 (Giphy.com)

So I'm super excited about that. SUPER EXCITED. 

But let's take a moment to discuss things I learned while writing this. I am by no means a professional, but these are my own personal experiences.

1. Writing a book is hard

This seems obvious and SO many writers will tell you this, but I don't think I really believed any of them. Some days, the writing is easy and it flows out of your head and your hands can barely keep up with your thoughts. But other days, it's like trying to move a mountain. I had weeks long episodes of lying face down on the couch moaning about how my brain was useless and I couldn't write a single word and I was a failure. My mom tried to tell me that it would pass (and of course it did- moms are never wrong). You've just got to take those days in stride. They always pass. Writer's block is for real, guys.

2. Writing advice is great, but ultimately you should ignore it

I spent many hours browsing writing websites and reading writing tips from published authors (usually when I was procrastinating on writing) and I tried almost every tip I read, but ultimately, whatever I was doing originally was best. I tried different things, but I always ended up with my same old techniques I was already using. So I would say that if you're stuck, take the time to try out those tips, but remember what worked for you in the past.

3. Write the story you want to write

This sounds obvious, but don't pander to an audience or try to emulate another writer. The world already has a Suzanne Collins, a J. K. Rowling, a Veronica Roth, a C. S. Lewis. The world doesn't have you. Write the story that you want to write, regardless of the trends or anything else. If you write true to yourself, the final product will be far better than if you tried to be someone else.

4. Take time to do things other than write

Sometimes when you're stuck, it pays to stop and step back and do something that doesn't involve writing. Go to the movies, read a book, play a musical instrument, start a Netflix TV show marathon, read ALL the Twitter posts, bake a cake, whatever you feel like doing. It gives your brain a break.

5. Celebrate the little victories

When you finish a chapter, celebrate. When you reach a word count milestone, celebrate. When you break through your writer's block, celebrate. Enjoy the little successes along the way. It makes the journey of writing a book much more enjoyable.

Now I am going to take a few days to relax and celebrate the victory of completing a manuscript before I start editing (and editing will take a while).

KMG