Writing a novel is a long process. We almost always work alone and for months (or years) at a time. Other than personal gratification, writers don’t get validation from meeting daily word count goals or finishing chapters. That’s why we should always celebrate our wins, says Lucy Hay in a post on Writers Helping Writers. She suggests a few ways:
- Acknowledge your win. Lots of people want to be writers but they don’t bother with the yucky writing part. But you did! Give yourself kudos for finishing what you started.
- Take a break. You might be tempted to jump into your next project, but instead, treat your brain to a rest, Hay suggests.
- Tell your writer friends. Writer friends will understand what you’ve done. If you don’t have any personal writer friends, join some social media groups (and don’t forget to cheer for others too!)
- Treat yourself. Do something nice for yourself. It might be something as simple as a long walk or drive, a special dinner, or a small gift, or as extravagant as a weekend getaway or a major purchase.
- Remind yourself. Once you finish your novel, you might feel some post-project let-down or anxiety, because now you have to tackle revisions or a new project. Every writer feels this way, Hay says. Remind yourself that you did it once and you can do it again! Go, you!
