You’ve worked countless hours writing, rewriting and
revising your book. You’ve run the manuscript through your critique group
multiple times, and now you’re certain the manuscript is finished. But is it?
As writers, we can be the greatest procrastinators in the
world. It’s not that we don’t want our work out for the entire world to see, because
we do. No, it’s that we are unable to release our baby until it’s just perfect.
Completely perfect. Without blemish. Ready for human consumption.
More realistically we want to feel like there’s nothing more
to be done to the manuscript---at least not until an agent offers their input
(and representation). There’s nothing wrong with this and I’m a firm believer
in never sending out work until it’s reached that point of completeness.
A first draft is not a finished manuscript; it’s merely a
first step. One rewrite doesn’t meet the “finished” criteria, either. No
questions or concerns from your critique group or beta readers? Perhaps you’ve
really finished the book. Take all of this with a grain of salt. Each of us has
our own definitions for “finished” and “complete”. Consider what those words
mean for your manuscript and then bravely wave goodbye and send it off to an
agent or editor. And then get started on your next project, looking forward to
when you’ll finish that one.
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