Last night was the SCBWI Great Critique. I was fortunate enough to be a group leader, and I enjoyed listening to six different, wonderful stories in various states of revision. Each story had its own voice, its own direction and imagination, its own flavor.
One group member asked me, how do you know when it's the right time to submit? How do you know when are you done revising? Excellent questions, ones I'm not sure I know the answer to. I think revision could last forever, if the author felt paralyzed enough and so insecure he or she could never submit. I certainly have plenty of stories that are, in my opinion, ready to go, and plenty more that feel to me like they're half-done. Would that I had a toothpick to stick into the plot and find out if the story is done. On the other hand, we all hear stories of editors and agents frustrated by authors who submit before their stories are ready and polished--full of loose ends and typos and continuity errors.
What do you think? Have you submitted your work? When do you know it's done and ready? What is your oven timer? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Liz
One group member asked me, how do you know when it's the right time to submit? How do you know when are you done revising? Excellent questions, ones I'm not sure I know the answer to. I think revision could last forever, if the author felt paralyzed enough and so insecure he or she could never submit. I certainly have plenty of stories that are, in my opinion, ready to go, and plenty more that feel to me like they're half-done. Would that I had a toothpick to stick into the plot and find out if the story is done. On the other hand, we all hear stories of editors and agents frustrated by authors who submit before their stories are ready and polished--full of loose ends and typos and continuity errors.
What do you think? Have you submitted your work? When do you know it's done and ready? What is your oven timer? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Liz
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Hmmm... I've only submitted two works. The first one, which you've read parts of, was definitely unpolished. The second, which you read all of, is probably not something I'd ever really want published now that I think about it. The novel I'm working on now isn't even close to ready. I feel like I might be able to submit it to a few agencies after I've had at least three people read and critique it, and after I've made all the edits they suggest. I think that it would be impossible to send a completely perfect polished piece in. Especially since I read a lot of ARCs, and they almost always have typos and other small sloppy errors. Just like I think you can revise forever, I think that some pieces of writing can be close to perfect and polished and many agencies and editors will accept them. It's just getting passed the slush pile!
