ANY 'I FINISHED MY NOVEL' RITUALS OUT THERE?

[tengraceapples]

Hey!

Okay so I just finished my 2nd novel!!!
I have had the last line of book 2 in my head for like a year.
I can believe it's actually on paper!

My first book is set to go to Pubs in Jan.
I hope it finds one...

Here is the question guys,
I'm not as excited as i thought I would be by finishing book 2.
Maybe I haven't wrapped my head around it. It only been a few hours.

So, when you were done with your book, what did you do? And rituals? And moments of happy/sad at the same time?

Thanks guys

[Parametric]

I made and then ate the ritual tiramisu of victory. :D

[tengraceapples]

Wow!

That sounds great. I suck at making desert but maybe I'll order out: )

[Kitty Pryde]

Booze and snoopy dancing!

And it never hurts to draw a line under where it says "The End" and start writing something new :D

[RobinT]

I've only finished one so far, but it was kind of overwhelming. I thought I'd feel immensely relieved, but I was just tense and worried about the next step (the agent search). I think it's just hard to sink in -- it's such a major part of your life, and suddenly it's done, and on to the next phase.

Celebration rituals are a good idea though. Maybe for the next one I'll get someone else to make me a victorious dessert! :)

[scarletpeaches]

When I finished my first book I burst into tears. It was a huge emotional moment for me because I really believed this was the first thing I'd written that stood a chance of publication. (I have trunk novels but I count as my 'first' the one I have on sub at the moment).

I don't really have a ritual because finishing a novel is never in doubt for me. I know I can do it so I see no need to mark the occasion when it happens. But perhaps I should develop a tradition beyond 'watch a Colin Farrell DVD and eat loads of crisps'.

[ejwriter]

when i finished my first "first draft," my boyfriend brought me bubbly.
when i finish this next first draft, i will celebrate by editing the first one. ;p

[scarletpeaches]

Oops. I didn't realise this was in the YA forum when I posted before.

I'll move along now...

[vroth]

When I finished draft one, I ate tostitos and drank gatorade.

And when I finished draft two, I went into the kitchen for a snack, and...got some tostitos and gatorade.

It wasn't on purpose, but I think it's become my post-draft ritual. :D

[Renee Collins]

I finished my first novel at three in the morning, so all I did was kiss the screen and drag myself to bed.

For my other two, I guess I've made it a ritual to call my twin sister and give her fair warning. :D

[tengraceapples]

that sounds great (now i just have to get a boyfriend. LOL)

[afif95]

I don't know what to suggest because as you see in my signature, none of them are finished yet. However, congratulations! Oh wait, I'm picking something up here. How about inviting a few friends and family over and have a little toast?

[Eldritch]

Sounds dorky, but I took the husband and kids to Red Lobster for lunch.

[Stunted]

Sounds dorky, but I took the husband and kids to Red Lobster for lunch.

Aww...:heart:

Whenever I accomplish something significant, I celebrate with a roll of tollhouse cookie dough.

[free_cashews_on_me]

my dad, who is a great cook, fixes me clam pasta, my favorite food, when I finish a novel. I've finished three. :)

[profen4]

I smeared myself in paste and ran naked through the neighbourhood screaming and shouting. I ate a cookie

[Blackest_Nite]

If I finished writing a book I would...

1. faint
2. scream my head off with my friends
3. fall unconscious from all the lightheadedness of screaming so loudly

[tengraceapples]

If I finished writing a book I would...

1. faint
2. scream my head off with my friends
3. fall unconscious from all the lightheadedness of screaming so loudly

I'm sure you will finish. Then you can faint dead away: )

[charlotte49ers]

Congrats to you!!

I don't know what I'll do when I finish this. Maybe run around like a crazy person screaming, "AMEN!!!"

No, I'll probably get my husband to take me on a date. :)

[Epiphany]

May finish mine tonight. I think I'll have a beer. Classy, huh? :D

[ClaudiaGray]

When I finished the first draft of AFTERLIFE a couple weeks ago, I celebrated with a glass of cheap supermarket champagne and an HGTV marathon. That's me -- wild 'n' crazy.

[AryaT92]

Finished first book, celebrated by writing the second book, now I'm celebrating by waiting for the publisher to respond to my agent.. This celebration isn't all that fun but if they react positively I'll definitely edit this post and tell you how I celebrate then!

[bettielee]

I run around with my arms in the air shouting "aaaaahhhhhhggggghhhh!!!!!" until lightheaded, then jump on AW and tell everyone... sometimes I rinse and repeat.

:)

And a hearty congratulations to you.

[tengraceapples]

Thanks Bettielee.

Nice fairy: )

[KimJo]

When I finish a book, I just kind of stare in stunned silence at the computer monitor for a moment. Then I announce, "I finished!" Sometimes my fiance and kids congratulate me; sometimes they just smile tolerantly at me and go on about their business.

[AryaT92]

Next time I finish a book I'm going to yell at the top I'M FINISHED!!!! I don't care if it is 4a.m, the world needs to know!

[jasonleeward]

Start on the next one! lol Start thinking about ideas, or more, ideas for your next story, but take time to celebrate it's completion. Read other books you've been wanting to get to, see a movie, calls friends to let them know. And, if seeking an agent, don't forget to work on your query letter or the synopsis if you haven't already. Without these, your novel won't go far.

[eyeblink]

A glass pf pálinka (twice so far)

[elissa]

for me it's just good to remember that I will feel on top of the world for a very short time and then might have a sort of a glum period afterward. and just when the glum period gets me feeling too anxious and restless to bear, I start writing something new! (or editing...there's always editing to do, it seems. :) )

[Alexis]

I smeared myself in paste and ran naked through the neighbourhood screaming and shouting. I ate a cookie

Hahahahaha!! I laughed so hard just now I woke my husband up!

What I did after I finished my novel (again)... (last week): Updated my Facebook! It said: "The End." Hell yes. Time for bed. Mom, the last chapters are in your email.

Then I went to bed! :) The next day I spent my time at work printing my manuscript on the company printer *evil laugh* and took a picture of it.

[JamieFord]

Um...I tend to wallow in self-doubt. Then I look at the manuscript again three weeks later and smile.

[vfury]

After a few minutes of stunned silence, I usually shriek, "Whoo hoo!" at the top of my lungs.

Then I have a glass of wine in the evening. ;)

[PoppysInARow]

I flip. I finished one of my novels a couple of days ago and I loved it so much I jumped up and started dancing around. Then I treat myself to one of my 'brandy beans' the best liquor-filled chocolates in the world. :D I save them for special occasions.

And of course, I post about it in Goals & Acomplishments. Because the world needs to know!

[shaldna]

I usually finish late at night because that's when I write most. I usually know that I'm coming close to teh ened of a book and I have the little one at her grandparents, or it;'s a night she's spending with her dad, and I usually have a bolly in fridge and a delivery from the thai place in town that I like already ordered.

I'm getting great at planning it down to the last half hour.

I then have a couple of glasses and my take-away and watch a crappy dvd - something from the 80's or anything with Stephen Segal in it (I love him so much - seriously) and then I generally can justify spending the rest of the night playing WoW instead of writing.

[Ugawa]

I always write an after party. I get all the characters and have them meet up in a room with snacks and music and they all talk about their parts in the novel -- almost as if they were actors.

They're always really fun to write. I did one for Mr. ITC and I laugh everytime I stumble across it on my hard drive. It turned out my flamboyant, gay main character was straight in real life.

“Thank fuck this is over,” Rick said as he took another gulp of his beer. “If I had to drink one more vodka, smoke one more cigarette, kiss a guy one more time -- no offence Callum--”

“None taken.”

“--I actually thought I was going to hang myself.”



x

[FJAR0009]

I merely felt awed and couldn't stop smiling.

Oh, and I demanded some chocolate. :D

[KD_Kilker]

When I finished my first draft, I baked blueberry muffins. Victory was de-lish.

@Scarletpeaches - your av is gazing into my soul...

[Katrina S. Forest]

Whenever I finish a book (which is pretty much always around November 30th, due to NaNoWriMo), I watch Stranger Than Fiction. Love that movie! ^_^ One of my friends is about to finish her first novel after working a couple years on it and I'm thinking of introducing her to the tradition. (She hasn't seen the film yet, but wants to.)

[Dot Hutchison]

I tend to sit there staring at the screen in absolute shock, then let out a "Holy ****, I'm finished!". There is occasionally some bouncing and giggling involved as well, which absolutely terrifies me everytime.

And then I either start the next one, or make myself do nothing but read for the next moment.

[Sean Wills]

Um...I tend to wallow in self-doubt. Then I look at the manuscript again three weeks later and smile.

I also wallowed in self-doubt for a while after finishing my first attempt at a novel. A few days later I went back to it and realised that there was actually a good story in there...it would just take a massive rewrite to bring it out.

[nitaworm]

I usually dance.

[CalynMorgan]

Crab Feast!!!! (with my mommy and husband) and I already know the tattoo I'm going to get to celebrate the completion of my current wip.

[Kitty27]

Screech madly. At any hour of the night,because that's when I write.

[justarandomname47]

Congrats!!

I've only finished one...and my husband bought me a puppy. Probably not a good tradition, though, since we can only handle so many dogs...

(I actually ended up with the dog a week before I finished. The puppy distracted me so much it took an extra week to finish the novel!)

[mickeyDs4]

I went to New Moon with my cousin when I finished the first draft of my book "A Ghost of You". Then I bought a small cake and ate the whole thing while watching the sixth season of Sex and the City.

[timewaster]

[QUOTE=tengraceapples;4413905]Hey!


Here is the question guys,
I'm not as excited as i thought I would be by finishing book 2.
Maybe I haven't wrapped my head around it. It only been a few hours.

So, when you were done with your book, what did you do? And rituals? And moments of happy/sad at the same time?

Congrats!
I got to the end on Thursday. I drink wine, go shopping, Do all the jobs I have failed to do while I've been working, clean my office and get down to editing or if I have really, actually and completely finished start thinking about something new.

[larocca]

I believe I just relaxed in bed reading a novel that I didn't write. But unfortunately, that was last month. I'm working on another. So much for blissful retirement.

[aadams73]

I sacrifice a Wal-Mart worker and offer the body to whichever deity is hanging around my kitchen waiting on a snack.

I put crackers and cheese out, too. And drinks.

[Leasie]

I just immediately log into facebook and update my status letting my beta's know they are in for a rough couple of weeks

[starryeyedkt]

As soon as the last word was typed, I just sat there, staring at the screen. Eventually my boyfriend pried me out of the chair and took me out for celebratory ice-cream. It tasted like ... success :D

[Eva O'Dell]

I print it out so I can hold the hard copy in my hands and jump up and down with excitement before reality sets in that I have to still edit the thing.