How to Finish Your Novel Strong: Why the Last 10 Pages Matter Most
There is something about the final stages of the editing process that zaps me of energy. It’s a very masculine phase of writing: decisive, critical, performance-driven.
Which is very different from drafting, which is like the creative equivalent of finger painting. When I’m close to the end I just want to be done already and go back to the fun part of my job: the imaginative, intuitive, creative side. You know, where I make up stuff for a living. 😉
Drafting often feels expansive and feminine. Editing feels structured and masculine. A sustainable writing life requires both. (Inside the FAM tier of The Lemmon Society, we talk about sustaining momentum through every phase of the writing cycle.)
Here’s how I define the stages of writing & editing a book:
Draft: the first finished copy of the manuscript
Revisions: the letter from the editor describing the big changes I need to make to the manuscript, basically a macro edit.
Round 1 edits: the editor’s track changes within the manuscript pointing out areas that could be strengthened.
Round 2 edits: Like revisions, I don’t always receive round 2’s, but I certainly have. Think of this as the last chance to tidy up before it’s off to…
Copyedits: usually an editor outside of the publishing house, this round of edits is about the necessary, seemingly persnickety, changes such as adding a comma here or correcting the proper use of the word “lay” there. Also essential for catching the moments you inadvertently changed your hero’s eye color or called him by the wrong name. Oops!
Galleys: for print books only, this round arrives on actual paper. Yes, from trees. This is your chance to view it in the exact format as the physical book. Big changes are not recommended here as it throws off the formatting for each and every page after, so tread lightly.
For indie authors, these stages could be different, but the emotional arc is the same: excitement → overwhelm → hyperfocus → exhaustion → “Can I be done now?”
If you’re struggling with the end of your novel, check out my post on how to strengthen your black moment.
Which brings us back to the time of writing this blog, and my own burning desire to finish my Round 1 edits. This book has already been through revisions, and my method of attack worked so well, I’ll share that system in a future post for those of you staring at an editorial letter and wondering what to do first. (Or if you’re ready for the next level, check out my writing course—it’s the exact method I used to write nearly 50 books.) With this particular editor, I know what to expect once I turn these edits in: Copyedits, and then we will be done.
I can taste the finish line.
I’m an achiever by nature, so having only twelve pages left makes me excited. My instinct was to power through. And then I realized I’m really brain-tired today. This is the same creative fatigue I talk about in my post on writer burnout and nervous system regulation.
In the 7+ years I’ve been writing and editing books, I’ve learned a few things about myself. Today I did my scheduled four chapters (I always have a schedule—always!), and then blew by that goal by editing two more chapters. I noticed my focus wasn’t where it needed to be. I caught myself checking social media and getting easily distracted. That analytical part of my brain has been worn to the point of overuse. By mid-afternoon, I’m well and truly out of steam.
And this is where writers sabotage themselves.
That leaves me with two options:
Finish it and pour myself a cocktail
Wait until I’m fresh tomorrow morning and finish it then
But here’s the truth behind sneaky option number one… If I’m tired and distracted but want to get ‘er done, isn’t it possible that my editors were, too? If so, maybe we’d all miss clunky sentence structure or the misuse of “lain.” (Always sounds wrong.)
The last ten pages deserve my mental clarity, not exhaustion.
My instinct told me to wait.
There have been times I’ve tackled those last 10-12 pages fresh, only to uncover some crucial part of the story I can pepper in at the end. I’ve added to the happily every after, I’ve added to an epilogue. Heck, I’ve added an epilogue! I can’t help but wonder where those stories would be if I hadn’t given myself the extra creative room to add something special when I could. Deadlines are tight sometimes, and you can’t. But this book is due end of day tomorrow and that leaves me just enough room to dally.
For that reason, I backed up my file (Pro tip: back up your file!) and shut down until tomorrow morning. When I’m properly caffeinated and settled into my chair, then I’ll give those final pages the respect they deserve. My hero and heroine have come a long, long way. I’m not bailing on them now.
Here’s the writing advice part:
When you’re in the final stretch, it’s time to change hats. No longer are you wearing a paper party hat held on by a thin rubber band. It’s time to put on a hardhat and go into the brambles. You now have to stick the emotional landing, and that is going to require some work.
Those last ten pages are about:
Emotional resolution
Character growth
A reader’s lasting impression
For that reason, I backed up my file (Pro tip: always back up your file!) and shut down until tomorrow morning. When I’m properly caffeinated and settled into my chair, then I’ll give those final pages the respect they deserve. My hero and heroine have come a long, long way. I’m not bailing on them now.
Plus, I can pour a cocktail. 🥂
xo,
Jessica Lemmon
PS, If you’re deep in edits right now, pause and ask yourself: are you finishing strong, or just finishing fast?