When is a Book Done?
There are a couple of different answers to this, and it depends on what you mean by 'done'. For me, there's two types of done: when you are ready to show it to others (ie, beta readers, editor, et al), and when you are ready to publish it. The latter is only really true for indie authors, as it's solely up to me when that is.
For the 'show others' category, one of two things usually happens that tells me that it's ready for other eyeballs. The first is when the book reaches the point of semantic satiation. What's that, you say? It's the point at which the words stop making sense. You can read it, but derive no meaning from the words because you've read them so many times. I distinctly remember this happening on 'Remember, November' because it was my first novel and I didn't know that such a thing could happen. But you read your book again and again, and eventually (I, at least) reach a point when you go back to the beginning to start again and your brain just gives up. It's a weird feeling, and not a good one, but it is a signal that you've reached the point of diminishing returns. Either let someone else look at it, or stick it in a drawer for a few weeks until you can make sense of it again.
The second is when you're just sick of it. You've read it so many times, always tweaking, changing, thinking, going over it again and again, until you eventually snap and just say 'Get this thing out of my house!' It sounds harsh, and I suppose it is, but every parent needs a break from their children now and again. I love my books, and I love my characters, but they really are like children, in many ways. Sometimes you just need to call a babysitter and go out for a while. But if you get to this point, never ever just palm off a book full of problems and say 'fix this for me', that's not cool. It's your story, and up to you to tell it. But sometimes you can simply no longer be objective about things and need help. I fix everything I know is wrong, but I will occasionally leave in things that I'm not sure about (more often than not it gets cut, see my other posts about cutting stuff). The whole point of beta readers is to get perspective. They will see things you don't (you use this word a lot, you already talked about this, this tone shift is jarring, why all the semicolons?), so they are invaluable. When it goes from *sing-song voice* 'My book!' to *disgruntled* 'This f*cking thing,' again, get perspective somehow (other readers, time). You're no longer objective about it.
As for when it's ready to publish? Honestly, I just feel like I know. Once all the beta feedback is incorporated and the typos (as best I can) are stamped out, it's usually ready. I'm not a perfectionist, but I don't settle for 'good enough' either. It will never be perfect, but you can be happy with it. Once you're just tweaking around the edges for the sake of it, just stop. It's done.
You may be wondering, 'Hey, aren't you working on Book IV? Are you trying to tell us something?'
It's... in one of the above stages. But since I haven't revealed the title or release date, you can probably eliminate one of them. Just something I've been thinking about!
For the 'show others' category, one of two things usually happens that tells me that it's ready for other eyeballs. The first is when the book reaches the point of semantic satiation. What's that, you say? It's the point at which the words stop making sense. You can read it, but derive no meaning from the words because you've read them so many times. I distinctly remember this happening on 'Remember, November' because it was my first novel and I didn't know that such a thing could happen. But you read your book again and again, and eventually (I, at least) reach a point when you go back to the beginning to start again and your brain just gives up. It's a weird feeling, and not a good one, but it is a signal that you've reached the point of diminishing returns. Either let someone else look at it, or stick it in a drawer for a few weeks until you can make sense of it again.
The second is when you're just sick of it. You've read it so many times, always tweaking, changing, thinking, going over it again and again, until you eventually snap and just say 'Get this thing out of my house!' It sounds harsh, and I suppose it is, but every parent needs a break from their children now and again. I love my books, and I love my characters, but they really are like children, in many ways. Sometimes you just need to call a babysitter and go out for a while. But if you get to this point, never ever just palm off a book full of problems and say 'fix this for me', that's not cool. It's your story, and up to you to tell it. But sometimes you can simply no longer be objective about things and need help. I fix everything I know is wrong, but I will occasionally leave in things that I'm not sure about (more often than not it gets cut, see my other posts about cutting stuff). The whole point of beta readers is to get perspective. They will see things you don't (you use this word a lot, you already talked about this, this tone shift is jarring, why all the semicolons?), so they are invaluable. When it goes from *sing-song voice* 'My book!' to *disgruntled* 'This f*cking thing,' again, get perspective somehow (other readers, time). You're no longer objective about it.
As for when it's ready to publish? Honestly, I just feel like I know. Once all the beta feedback is incorporated and the typos (as best I can) are stamped out, it's usually ready. I'm not a perfectionist, but I don't settle for 'good enough' either. It will never be perfect, but you can be happy with it. Once you're just tweaking around the edges for the sake of it, just stop. It's done.
You may be wondering, 'Hey, aren't you working on Book IV? Are you trying to tell us something?'
It's... in one of the above stages. But since I haven't revealed the title or release date, you can probably eliminate one of them. Just something I've been thinking about!
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