Monday AGAIN! Oh well, at least work is over with for the day, thankfully. I shouldn't really moan as I had a most productive day today and managed to finish something that I expected would take longer than it did (thanks so someone else's help). The mirrors in the Ladies still disturb me horribly though. I never knew I was so fat or so short. Dh insists that I'm not but he's always been such a kind chap that I wouldn't expect him to say anything else really.The weekend was great and I sent off two submissions, I shan't hold my breath but I have to start somewhere and at least attempt to get out there. This week I have to seriously move forward with my next assignment for my course as I haven't done nearly as much with that as I should and am seriously behind as I've been concentrating on my books.
Talking of writing, when do you know that your work is good enough to send out? It doesn't matter how many times I redraft a m/s, I'm never sure whether I should do it one more time just to make sure that it's as good as it can possibly be?
11 comments:
That's a tough question (when is a m/s 'finished'). I suppose there has to come a point where something clicks and 'that's it', otherwise we'd never let anything go. Not very helpful I'm afraid but hope you can get to that point and toss them out there:-)
Congratulations on getting your submissions sent off.
I know just what you mean about editing. I get obsessive about it, but wonder if you can over-edit - I suspect you can, just like you can over-egg the pudding!
Well done on the submissions. I don't know if you can ever know/feel that work is good enough to send out. Sometimes shwoing it to someone else helps, sometimes it doesn't.
Mainly, in my life, it's because the dealine is the next day and you need to get it in the post!
Youre lucky you have such a kind husband! want to swap?? not satisfied with telling me to exercise, hes started on my bitten nails! well...theres NO chance of them improving, so he may as well forget that. Had false ones put on but guess what? they made me feel claustraphobic!
With sending writing out, I never really know, normally get fed up doing it again so many times so just think, "Right off you go now!"....(prob why I get it back again a month later!)
A finished manuscript is a mutually exclusive expression in my book (ha ha, sorry, no pun intended!) I 'finished' novel 1 at the end of 2006 (submitted it and everything). Took a ten-month break, and have been tearing it apart ever since. Short stories are even worse.
Send them while you like them, that's my advice!
lane - I've sent two of them out there but I'm sure I'll go over them again at some point.
annieye - I read one writer who said that she knows they're ready when she's thoroughly sick of the sight of the book.
helenmh - I have sent both to have a crit and did take on board the advice I was given. I've also given them to someone to read who came up with valuable criticism but did like them. Deadlines are good for me too, it's amazing how my brain kicks into gear when it has to!
motherx - dh is lovely, but then it is second time lucky for me. I know what you mean about feeling claustrophobic with false nails, I've had that too. Liked them for a day or so and then changed my mind.
Lol re sending out your work, maybe that's what I've done this time.
Well done for submitting - wishing you all the best.
As for when to send your baby out into the world to earn her keep?
Jurgen Wolff has a few suggestions.
http://timetowrite.blogs.com/weblog/2008/02/a-prescription.html
I think there has to come a point where you just 'know' that the only person who can rationally look at your work is someone external. Agent. Editor.
Fingers crossed they will love it.
There's an award for you at mine debs:-)
lane - thanks, much appreciated. I love awards - this is my first.
You'll know when the time is right Debs. And IF it does come back, you'll know exactly what to change when you look at it again. Gut instinct, the writers friend. Good Luck x
l-plate author - I hope you're right. It's probably good that it's out there so that I dont look at it for a while.
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