There is a point when writing a manuscript where you may think-- It's as far as I can go. It's finished. I can't tell you how many times I've have said this to myself, but let's just say, it's a ton. Manuscripts will get to the point where you can't look at them anymore. You may want to vomit or you might want to scratch your eyes out because you have read the words over and over and over and over again. And you might be certain that every sentence has perfect grammar, the voice and arc can't be any different, and the plot is solid. This too happens to me. To date, I've written many things and, well, have finished four manuscripts. I say finished quietly because are they ever finished?
Maybe. I guess it just depends on who reads it. There are times we are told to finish a manuscript to the point where you can't polish it up anymore. If you are lucky enough to get a professional's interest at this point, then there may be more changes and edits because that individual may see it with a more expert eye. Since most things are subjective in this business, the individual may also have their own personal opinion of what they would like to see for the manuscript to sell.
For the writer to see it, we have to put it away and learn more. In other words, this is determined by our skill level. Once we learn more, the manuscript may change in our eyes. This may require the writer to put the manuscript aside for a while, which can be frustrating. Well for me it is. I'm a little impatient. I want to continue to work on it till it is in the best possible shape. It has taken me years to even remotely understand that it can't always be that way.
For example, there is a manuscript I'm revising right now that I wrote at least four years ago. When I first completed it, I revised and revised then I queried it. I had some interest so I thought it must be decent. The outcome of the query trip didn't end in anything so I put it away. Recently, I took it out again for my critique group to check it out. Great points have been made to strengthen it and I'm even excited to be going through it again. What amazes me is there has been discussion on possibly rewriting the first half of the book to concentrate on a different aspect of the plot. Crazy, right? The strange thing about it is I'm open to it. The new thoughts intrigue me to want to take this on. I'm just hoping it would make the book even better than what it is. So what changed? Maybe I've learned more, have grown more, or maybe I'm able to see that my original thoughts were not the strongest. That maybe this new path is even better than what I had originally intended. Although, rewriting isn't what I was planning to do right now since I'm trying to write another project I started two years ago. I have to figure out how to juggle the two or what to concentrate on. But that's another blog post.
This is what writing is about--writing then rewriting. Growing stronger as not only a writer, but as a visionary. Thoughts morph into other ideas that strengthen the original blip in our imagination. You write till you think you have it then dive back in to polish the edges. The cycle continues on and on.
It leaves the question--when is a manuscript actually done? I guess that is up to the creator. If you get attention then maybe that is the deciding factor. If it doesn't catch a professional's eye, then it's up to the writer to decide if they have it in them to change it or not. It goes back to the writer and what their vision was in the first place and if that vision has changed or if it should change.
What are your thoughts? When do you think a manuscript is actually done?
Have a great day!!
