Congratulations, Alison! Great to finish a novel - except then you start wondering about what to do next. But actually next is working with agent/editor/publisher, so that will keep you busy.
Like you, I think knowing when you're done is an intuitive thing. When I write a book review, I make oodles of notes, then reduce the notes to a list of perhaps the top 10 points I might talk about, and then I set out, but I usually don't end up including all 10 points: there comes a point when I think, It's done - and I send it off (after proofreading, of course).
Occasionally, I think later: It's not done. I woke up one time in the middle of the night and thought, That chapter in my history book needs more added to it, so I wrote the additional material then. But usually, for me, there's a sense of being done. My note-taker self might say, But there's more. But my intuitive self says, It's enough.
The more you write--and the more you write to completion--the more you come to recognize "done."
When the MFA program I taught within began to talk about accepting unfinished thesis work as "final" work, I freaked. (There was "work load" concern at the admin level. Ugh.)
You have to learn to write and to recognize the end in order to be a writer. It's a significant piece, and always in development.
Eventually, your child has to walk away. You have to let that happen. Otherwise you're left with a perennially-zit-infested individual whining around the house; everybody wants to grow up and live!
I am in awe. And your partial list is a gem. I copied and pasted it onto my notes. Very helpful.
As to answering your question, I don't know yet. So far, I've finished two, what I call 'outside' drafts, that is, drafts I've dared show my editor-readers. Both times, I felt done. But by the next day I was already wanting to make changes. So I guess my answer is, when I get to the point that I can set it down and NOT want to go back in and make changes, then I will know.
And I feel I am getting close.
But I, unlike you, have a boatload more work to do and am now in the first stages of planning my revision. And, again, thank you for your partial checklist.
indeed. in truth, it never does quite end, does it?
I remember Toni Morrison gave a reading once and she was reading some of her earlier work and she stopped, mid sentence, looked up, back down, and then continued. She later explained that she noticed, finally, after 25 years, the word she had meant to use in that sentence she was reading to the crowd. And, yes, she changed it in the speaking.
Brava, Alison! I love the idea of a thermometer that would tell us when a piece was finished! 😉 Congratulations on this next step in the process. ❤️
Wouldn't it make it so much easier?! Thank you, Jolene, and for reading. I hope you are having a wonderful weekend.
You too, Alison, I know how hard you have worked on this! 👏👏👏
We're a hard-working lot here on the Stack...
👍
Congratulations, Alison! Great to finish a novel - except then you start wondering about what to do next. But actually next is working with agent/editor/publisher, so that will keep you busy.
Like you, I think knowing when you're done is an intuitive thing. When I write a book review, I make oodles of notes, then reduce the notes to a list of perhaps the top 10 points I might talk about, and then I set out, but I usually don't end up including all 10 points: there comes a point when I think, It's done - and I send it off (after proofreading, of course).
Occasionally, I think later: It's not done. I woke up one time in the middle of the night and thought, That chapter in my history book needs more added to it, so I wrote the additional material then. But usually, for me, there's a sense of being done. My note-taker self might say, But there's more. But my intuitive self says, It's enough.
The more you write--and the more you write to completion--the more you come to recognize "done."
When the MFA program I taught within began to talk about accepting unfinished thesis work as "final" work, I freaked. (There was "work load" concern at the admin level. Ugh.)
You have to learn to write and to recognize the end in order to be a writer. It's a significant piece, and always in development.
Eventually, your child has to walk away. You have to let that happen. Otherwise you're left with a perennially-zit-infested individual whining around the house; everybody wants to grow up and live!
Alison,
I am in awe. And your partial list is a gem. I copied and pasted it onto my notes. Very helpful.
As to answering your question, I don't know yet. So far, I've finished two, what I call 'outside' drafts, that is, drafts I've dared show my editor-readers. Both times, I felt done. But by the next day I was already wanting to make changes. So I guess my answer is, when I get to the point that I can set it down and NOT want to go back in and make changes, then I will know.
And I feel I am getting close.
But I, unlike you, have a boatload more work to do and am now in the first stages of planning my revision. And, again, thank you for your partial checklist.
Be well.
I am grateful it is useful, Geoffrey. As we go on...
indeed. in truth, it never does quite end, does it?
I remember Toni Morrison gave a reading once and she was reading some of her earlier work and she stopped, mid sentence, looked up, back down, and then continued. She later explained that she noticed, finally, after 25 years, the word she had meant to use in that sentence she was reading to the crowd. And, yes, she changed it in the speaking.
Thanks for sharing this. (And how good to have heard her read in person... I am envious!)
Oh, gosh, I wasn’t clear. I saw a video of her talk; I wish I had seen her in person!