Katrine Cady asked Lois McMaster Bujold:

Hi Lois, How do you know when a novel is “finished?” Do you find yourself tweaking things for weeks after you first think you are done with a story, or are you more of a “once and done” kind of author? When I paint, once I’ve signed my work, I never touch it with a brush again. I was wondering if writing was the same.

Lois McMaster Bujold I pretty much know by gut feel when the events of a novel have come to the right conclusion on the scene-by-scene level -- although for Cryoburn I added the codicil/drabbles after some comments from test readers, to keep folks from galloping off in all directions with sequel speculation. There follows a revision pass, when I have collected and collated comments from test readers and editors, on either the finished first draft or chapter by chapter, depending, and respond to them as seems right. On the sentence and word level, I tweak till the thing leaves my hands for publication, and on the typo and polishing level, for decades after, as opportunity permits.

So, not much like painting, no.

(Although very much like sand painting in a windstorm.)

Ta, L.

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