So, yesterday I cracked open the WIP again. Once I began the agent search, I tucked it aside and swore not to touch it. It was complete. It had been through 4 drafts, many ugly critiques. It was finished.
But I had a moment... a very persistent moment...a lingering moment. A very whiny, nagging, annoying thought. Chapters 3 and 4 need to be reversed. I tried to push it aside. But last night, it said: Immediately, Melissa. Sit the eff down.
So that's how it went. Back to the WIP reversing two chapters that probably never needed to be reversed.
So, how do you feel about this whole idea of 'finishing'? Is it ever really finished? Even when it's published, printed and on the shelf, can you actually open it up and say: yepper do, that's done! I wonder...
I don't think it's ever finished...but when you get in the range of 90% done, it's less important tweaking that's left, I hope!
ReplyDeleteI think it's finished when you are holding the published version of your ms in your hands...
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by and reading about the webinar I did with Mark. :)
In the class I took with an editor, she said MSs she acquires go through at least two revisions. By the time it gets to the shelf, I'd guess the writer has done so many revisions, he/she is sick to death of it.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of feeling sick, it makes me ill to open a MS when it's in query land or the hands of an agent. Inevitably, I'll see things to change no matter how many beta readers I had or edits I did.
Lydia: I hope so too! Maybe you're just perpetually at 90% when you get to a certain point. haha.
ReplyDeleteSharon: Enjoyed your notes on the webinar. I'm sure good things will come of it :-)
Lori: I should NOT have opened the manuscript, such a BAD idea. It is enough to make a person ill. It's a bad habit and I'm stopping right now :-)