Your Last Draft

[Philip Overby]

In your estimation, how do you come to the conclusion your novel is finished? You've done everything you can do to make it as good as possible, you've had beta readers and been through crits. You've decided if you're going to go traditional or self-published and you're ready to put it out there in the world.

The easy answer is "it's ready when it's ready." Or "it can be different for everyone." However, what for you necessitates that you've done all you can?

For me, I'd say it needs to meet these criteria:

1. It's polished from a grammatical and technical standpoint. Meaning I've cleaned it up however best I can, whether that be with help from an editor or combing in through with help from others.
2. The story makes sense. There are no gaping plot holes or character inconsistencies that I, or beta readers, can detect.
3. The story's fun and engaging. If I'm bored reading it, I suspect others would be bored as well. Any scenes that were lacking or dry need to be spiced up or cut out.
4. The story has a hook-y beginning and a satisfying end. This doesn't necessarily mean to me an action packed beginning or happy end, I just mean they need to feel complete and not just thrown in there.
5. Info dumps are minimalized.
6. Important characters have a definitive arc.
7. The setting is clear and the world-building isn't entirely confusing. I say entirely confusing because someone somewhere is always going to find something to nitpick about world-building, so just make that part as good as humanly possible.
8. Dialogue is realistic and doesn't feel like people reading lines.

So these are things I want for a final draft. How about you?

 

[RS McCoy]

This is a great list Phil! I would add 9. Characters are well developed and have their own unique identities and point of view, and 10. Emotion is effective (sad parts make you want to cry, happy parts make you want to smile, etc).

 

[Helen]

In your estimation, how do you come to the conclusion your novel is finished?

I don't think it's ever finished.

But there comes a point when, after you've left it aside often enough and come back to it often enough, that it seems mostly there; there's less and less to correct.

I think the big decisions come early on, when you commit to the theme, genre, characters etc. Which means that you're less inclined to change these sorts of things, which really are drastic.

 

[skip.knox]

I agree with Phil, that we need to have some way to say enough is enough, it's time to send it out to an agent. It's good enough to show to others. It's no good say it is ever finished. While that's true in the abstract, if it were literally true, we'd never submit for publication.

I like the list. The writing has to be technically correct, and the major elements of writing all have to work--dialog, setting, pacing, plot. Not only is the list useful internally, as a self-check, I can see using it as a way to communicate with beta readers. The points can become questions: does the dialog sound realistic? does the setting work for you? is the story fun and engaging? etc.

I am so stealing this.

 

[Philip Overby]

I agree that it's good to have a checklist that may utilize your goals for completion and share it with beta readers. I'm not positive, but I think I saw BWFoster post something like that before. Just a series of questions he asks beta readers to know if his writing is coming across the way he wants it.

For me, I believe what Helen said is true and one reason that many writers find themselves not satisfied with anything they produce. However, after looking at something so many times, you just have to let it go and send it out as it's never going to truly be perfect. I've heard of pro writers saying they look back on old novels and cringe. But once it's out there, it's out there. I actually have some short stories floating around that I wish I could go back and edit, whether for technical problems or whatever. For me though, that was a representation of what I wrote at that time. You're always going to get better (hopefully) but you can't wait until you're 80 to say "OK, now I'm good enough. Time to submit!" Well, you can, but maybe it's not a good idea.

 

[Helen]

I agree with Phil, that we need to have some way to say enough is enough, it's time to send it out to an agent. It's good enough to show to others. It's no good say it is ever finished. While that's true in the abstract, if it were literally true, we'd never submit for publication.

I think it's easiest to see with non-fiction. Every few years the writer will revise.

I think it's easy to see in the screenwriting world, where you'll submit it and get notes and then the rewriting process begins.

I bet if you met Tolkien today, he'd want to change parts of LOTR. In fact, I think one reason people write sequels is to try and correct the mistakes of previous stories.

 

[Morgyn]

Another List?

I like the list. The writing has to be technically correct, and the major elements of writing all have to work--dialog, setting, pacing, plot. Not only is the list useful internally, as a self-check, I can see using it as a way to communicate with beta readers. The points can become questions: does the dialog sound realistic? does the setting work for you? is the story fun and engaging? etc.

Which raises a good question: do others have a formula for questions to send with a ms to beta?

Morgyn