You finally finished writing your novel! Congratulations!

I know all your hard work will pay off. 

But what should you do next?

In this post, you’ll discover 9 ways you can reward yourself! Here are a few things you can do to celebrate and pave the way for your future as an author.

Take a break

It is essential that you take out time to rest. Soak in the fact that all your effort paid off. During your time off, it will allow you to figure out what steps you want to take next.

In the meantime, find a fun activity to do. It’s the perfect way to try new things, reset, recharge, and take a break from writing.

Celebrate

Celebrate yourself. You should always celebrate your wins because you deserve to.

You could plan a getaway, spend time with friends, set a reservation for your favorite place, and so much more.

Use this time to enjoy life and treat yourself.

Edit and revise

After you had time to relax, self-edit.

Read your novel. 

Highlight where you need to make changes.

Make sure everything flows. Look out for character development, pacing, plot lines, and grammar.

Once you’ve self-edited your novel, consider hiring an editor. It can save you time.

Seek feedback

Find your beta readers. Get feedback on your creative work. Someone else’s perspective can give you valuable insight. 

How can I elevate my story?

That’s the question you should ask yourself.

When you’ve gone through several edits, you can decide if you want to query a literary agent.

Market Yourself

Before you decide what route to take, market yourself. You want others to get pumped for your story.

Strategically plan out how you can reach your audience.

Do you want to create a website?

Can you set a small budget aside to advertise your work when you decide to publish?

Design a cover

If you do the self-publishing route, hire a professional to design your book cover.

Captivate readers to your book.

In regards to traditional publishing, see how you can contribute by speaking to your assigned editor and book cover designer.

Format and publish

There are several ways you can publish your novel. 

The traditional publishing route involves querying your work to agents. Once you find an agent, you’ll go through the process of editing, production, and tools to promote your work.

Self-publishing allows you to do things on your terms. Set aside a budget.

Hybrid publishing gives you a mixture of self-publishing and traditional publishing. The key is to make sure you read the fine print in hybrid companies. You will have to pay. However, you do have more of a say as to what you want.

Choose a publishing route that aligns to your goals.

Plan a launch

Once you go through the entire process of publishing, it’s time to get others excited. You can host a launch event.

This is a time to showcase your work.

Find creative ways to interact with your fanbase.

Begin your next project

After you’ve promoted your first book, decide what your next literary work will be. If you are under contract for a sequel, plan out a schedule in advance to meet those deadlines.

It can take the pressure off of trying to get everything done in a short amount of time.

Build momentum and continue to grow as a writer. 

Congratulations again for finishing your book. You followed through! Be proud.