When Are You Done?

           by guest Ruth Kaufman

Whether you want to enter a contest, submit to a critique partner, agent or editor, turn in a contracted book or are self-publishing (s-ping), how do you know when your manuscript is done?

There are so many steps and elements in the writing, entering, submitting, and s-p processes, how can you feel confident that you've done enough revisions, editing, and/or proofreading? When can you stop staring at your synopsis or back cover blurb or tweaking your cover--should those flowers be daisies or dahlias? 

How much time and/or money are you willing to spend--in indie publishing, to get what you see in your head when working with a designer or formatter, or in traditional publishing, to go back and forth with your editor over a requested revision you might not want to make, or something that irks you about the color or style of your heroine’s hair on the cover?

For example, when working on the print version of my recent release set in 1453 England, AT HIS COMMAND, I asked my formatter for a medieval-y drop cap (when the first capital letter of a chapter is bigger or different from the rest) for each chapter. That’s just something I really wanted and admire in other books. I sent a couple of examples to show what I had in mind, but the capitals in her first effort looked more colonial than medieval to me. I could’ve stayed with her choice, but I decided to take the time to search for a font even closer to what I envisioned. 

                                                                                    

                           How much time are you willing to spend on details?

Checklists (such as these: http://romanceuniversity.org/2014/11/10/manuscript-readiness-with-heather-webb/, http://subitclub.wordpress.com/2014/03/10/how-do-you-know-when-your-manuscript-is-ready/, http://leaguewriters.blogspot.com/2014/03/how-do-you-know-when-your-manuscript-is.html abound. They set out items to review and areas to check, but those I’ve read can’t convey how to achieve the emotional satisfaction of a job well done or how to eliminate twinges of uncertainty, second-guessing or doubt.

Some authors think of their books as “babies” they’re not yet willing to send out into the cruel world, others as products perhaps not quite ready for market. And some may reach a point where they just can’t look at those pages anymore or are up against a strict deadline. They may not be able to accept failure, whether that comes in the form of harsh judge comments, agent/editor rejections, or bad reviews. I’m sure we all know someone who has worked on the same manuscript for years.

I’ve heard several published authors say they’re never done, and regret this or that when the finished copy hits the shelves. But if we don’t relinquish our manuscripts and send them out, we can’t win contests, get an agent, sell a book, self-publish or garner readers.  We can say we’re revising…for years.  On the other hand, if we submit/self-publish too early, we may hinder our chances for success. That’s like taking a cake out of the oven too soon, resulting perhaps in a mushy middle but a well-crafted first three chapters. 

Sometimes, something simply feels right.  You just know a scene or chapter is ready to go, and feel good when you hit send. Other times, you revisit, rethink and rework…perhaps too much. Too much revising can strip your manuscript of your voice, the unique something that makes you you. That’s like taking the cake out too late…leading to dry or burned edges.

Hmm. A bit overdone

Some may be aglow with self-confidence (or arrogance), and not spend enough effort polishing and improving. They may not be willing to accept advice or suggested revisions from a critique partner/group or industry professional. I don’t have a cake analogy, but I do have one from American Idol. This is like the auditioners who sing so off key even a non-singer can tell, but they’re convinced they’re fabulous and that the judges don’t know what they’re talking about.

Hmm. A bit overdone.

So how do you stop going back and forth? How do you know when to trust a suggestion from your editor (whether from a publisher or a freelancer you hired), a beta reader, your critique group?

This author (not me) doesn't know what to do.

Go with your gut is often the answer. First you have to know how to trust and listen to your intuition. Do you have a good feeling? Do you just know it’s finally ready? Do you know enough about the business to have a foundation for that good feeling…because if this is the first thing you’ve ever written and/or you haven’t read a lot in your sub-genre of choice, are you basing your decision of doneness only on your own satisfaction? Like taking out the cake before doing the toothpick test? Or, on the other hand, despite your best efforts, should you put this one under the bed and start something new…bake another cake?

Other suggestions:         

      

      Consider the opportunity costs, one of two main principles that stuck with me when I majored in economics. If one task, say, searching for that font, takes two hours, you can’t be writing new pages. So is spending more time on whatever you’re working on the most productive use of your time?

·          Decide what you’re looking at your work to find. Just as there are developmental, copy and line editors and proofreaders, there are different approaches to reviewing your work that can be difficult to combine. For example, if you’re revisiting a back cover blurb, perhaps you should focus on the content instead of looking for typos. Make sure you cover the points you wanted before deciding whether to describe his eyes as cerulean or azure, for example. Knowing what you’re looking for could help you save time and frustration. 

·         Step away for a few days or a week, if possible. If not, do something else for even a few hours. You’ll return with fresher eyes, and may now realize what needs to be changed or added, or know that it’s as good or better than you remembered.

·         Be a reader, not the author. Try to read your pages/synopsis, etc. from a new, unbiased reader’s perspective. How does that change your opinion? Do you like what you see?

·         The number of drafts you’re willing to write or number of rounds of edits, of whatever kind, you’re willing to pay for if you’re self-publishing, may vary from project to project. Just because your first book(s) needed a developmental editor or your critique partner suggested a lot of changes doesn’t mean that will be the case for the next.

·         Accept that sometimes you may not know for sure and just need to make a decision. For a synopsis, for instance, you may choose to call it done after you’ve worked on it for, say, a week, or sent it to two other authors for feedback.

·         Know that done can mean different things to different people. How often have you gone to a restaurant and ordered your burger or steak medium rare (or dined with someone who has if you’re a vegetarian), but it was served either pinker or less pink than you expected? The chef thought it was done, but you didn’t. If you’re s-ping, you’re the chef. If you have an editor, you’re sort of the sous chef, because you have to get your editor’s approval to publish.

Ta Dah!

I’ve heard many say that one of the good things about s-ping is that you can try different things and make changes if something doesn’t work. But to me, that’s a double edged sword. You could spend so much time tweaking and reuploading your ms or trying different prices that you don’t produce more product. So that’s the final tip: Make your product the best that you can while continuing to produce.

What’s your biggest sticking point before you let go, and how do you resolve it?

  

 A random commenter will receive an e-book of AT HIS COMMAND-Inspirational Version.

     Ruth Kaufman is a Chicago on-camera and voiceover talent, freelance writer and editor and speaker with a J.D. and a Master’s in Radio/TV. She loves chocolate peanut butter milkshakes, singing in a symphony chorus and going to the theatre.

     Writing accolades include Romance Writers of America® 2011 Golden Heart® winner and runner up in RT Book Reviews’ national American Title II contest. Her true, short story, "The Scrinch" is in St. Martin's anthology The Spirit of Christmas, foreword by Debbie Macomber.

     She’s appeared in indie features, short films, web series and national and local TV commercials, and has voiced hundreds of explainer videos, e-learning courses, commercials and assorted characters.

     Learn more at www.ruthkaufman.com and www.ruthtalks.com. Follow her on Twitter: @ruthkaufman or Facebook: Ruth Kaufman Author & Actress.

Persistence: Profits, Perils and Plans

Janet here. I met my friend, Ruth Kaufman, our guest blogger in Seekerville today at the Romance Writers of America conference in Chicago. I believe the year was 1999. We've kept in touch ever since, chatting on the phone, sharing our struggles and achievements. Ruth is no stranger to hard work and persistence. She has completed 10 manuscripts from medievals to YA. Six have finaled in numerous contests, including runner up in Dorchester/RT Book Reviews’ national American Title II contest. An attorney with a Master’s in Radio/TV, Ruth left her sales, marketing and training job to pursue writing and acting full time. She presents a variety of writing and acting workshops including "Sales Skills for the Author" and serves on Romance Writers of America's board of directors.

Ruth is giving away a 20 minute "discuss your writing with confidence" session at a mutually agreed upon time during the RWA conference in Orlando or via phone (not as effective, but...). This includes pitching tips and suggestions for authors at all stages of their careers on how to best present projects to readers/friends/contacts. Leave a comment with your e-mail address to get your name in the drawing.
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I’m giving away a bag of chocolate covered turtles. What could be more fitting than that slow moving, hard-shelled icon of persistence? When we reach the finish line, we'll find it sweet indeed, just like this yummy candy. For a chance to win, leave a comment with your e-mail address.

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Persistence: Profits, Perils and Plans
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You’ve probably heard stories of authors who got rejected many times and finally, finally got “the call.” But we don’t hear about those who give up....winners never quit, as the saying goes. If you’ve written several manuscripts, win contests, submit and submit but still haven’t sold, how do you keep going? You weigh the profits and perils of persistence. You embark upon a persistence plan.
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The profits of persistence include more complete manuscripts, more contacts and friends for socializing, networking and support. Writing seems like a solitary pursuit, but via in person and online writers groups like RWA, we build a community that may include critique partners or just someone to lend a sympathetic ear. The more you write, the more you should learn about the craft of writing. You may earn more contest credentials.
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Perils include the time, effort and money spent pursuing publication. Most of us enjoy the process of writing, but most of us also want to be published. Even after you sell, you may have future proposals rejected, your publisher may not give you a second contract or your line may be dropped. Can you handle the roller coaster ride?
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Before you take the next steps on your journey, consider pondering this 10-step persistence plan:
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1. Time: With all the commitments in your life, do you have the quality time to devote to writing? To rewriting? Not just one ms, but several? Time to submit, promote, etc? Are years of not selling getting you down?
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2. Money: Can you afford the expenses of being a writer? A computer, printer and Internet access are givens these days. Add in paper, toner, postage for any snail mail submissions, contest entry fees, dues for RWA and/or other organizations, conferences (including registration, transportation, lodging, even food), research books, your Web site, industry publications like RT Book Reviews... and over the years you could invest quite a sum in your career without earning any in return, except maybe a contest win prize.
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3. Product: How many manuscripts do you have, and how many do you need? One ms or even one genre may not be enough in today’s competitive market. Very often I’m asked what’s next, what other projects I’m working on and even how long it takes me to write a book. It’s great if your persistence to date has been spending many years completing one manuscript, but more might be required of you.
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4. Submissions: How many is enough/are you willing to send? How many is too many? Years ago, Kresley Cole gave a workshop about having 25 things out at a time. That’s right, 25. She counted requests, queries, contest entries and upcoming appointments. Are you going to pursue agents only, or both? The time and effort it takes to research industry professionals and prepare submissions (some agencies now have online forms, and each requires different info) can put a significant dent in your writing time.
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5. Rejections: As it happens, last night at 11 pm I got a particularly harsh rejection email from an agent on a full ms. Ouch. Do your rejections feel like stabs to the heart that set you back, or can you take them in stride? Can you set them aside easily and keep writing/submitting? Is there something you can learn from personal rejections? Does the rejection have a silver lining: an opportunity to revise and resubmit, or to submit other projects?
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6. Contests: for published and unpublished. Why are you entering? If unpublished, to get feedback? To hope you’ll final and get your pages in front of the agent/editor of your dreams? To earn credentials? If published, do you believe contest finals or wins yield additional readers? Contests can be beneficial, but tweaking your entries and going through the rigmarole of entering can take a lot of time.
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7. Industry & craft knowledge: Writing great books is the most important thing, but we can’t write in a vacuum. We need to learn about our craft and our industry...so we know that, for example, very few editors if any want a 120,000 word manuscript. Are you willing to expend effort on this?
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8. Networking: Connections and building relationships can prove useful at any stage of an author’s career. Whether you’re sharing industry info or seeking a critique group/partner, you’ll want to use your time wisely...or you could end up spending the entire day on Twitter or Facebook.
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9. Patience: Long response times, slow payment, waiting for contracts, contest results...need I say more? Does waiting make you fret, or can you let it go? How do you feel when someone asks, “Have you sold yet?” or starts offering unsolicited advice about what her friend Sally did? Can you reduce the angst of waiting by focusing on your next project?
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10. Determination: What is your goal? Wanting to sell, working hard for years and not achieving the results you want unleashes powerful emotions that can run the gamut from feeling like a failure to desperation to frustration. Some may think “I’ll never sell,” while others are motivated to just work harder. On occasion I even find myself in the slippery well of self-pity.
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Sometimes I feel like a gambler: Just one more bet (submission/contest entry), and my horse will come in (the call). Sometimes I wonder why friends have sold/gone on to win awards while I haven’t. What made the elusive mix of talent and timing--both in finding the person that loves your work and what the market wants--come together for them?
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If you’re new to writing and wonder these things, analyze what you’ve written...is your ms really ready? Maybe you could improve your craft. Or maybe your stuff pushes the envelope too much. Sometimes even a great book/the book of your heart just won’t sell in the current market.
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Once you’re “almost there,” there is no pat answer. Though it’s easier said than done, we need to stop wasting our brainpower on negative, self-defeating thoughts and focus on things we can influence and control... writing new pages, revising to our best ability, and getting our work on the desks of those who can buy/represent us.
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You can decide that you’re not really being persistent, you’re actually beating your head against a brick wall...so it’s time to quit. Or you can decide to persist, and believe that every rejection means you’re one ‘no’ closer to ‘yes.’
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Learn more at http://www.ruthjkaufman.com/ and http://www.ruthtalks.com/.

© Ruth Kaufman 2010

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Janet again. Be sure to check out Ruth's Web sites. I had a blast hearing all sides of Ruth's talent on www.ruthtalks.com

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For breakfast this morning, I brought sugary, cinnamony baked apples to go with a huge stack of pancakes. I've made these apples oodles of time and they're good. Just not as good as my mother-in-law made, but hey, I keep trying. One day my persistence will pay off.