What do you see?What do you see in this piece of art to the left? Faces? Letters? Nothing at all? No doubt we all have a different answer. Just as when we read a novel, some see greatness whilst others are bored.
When my lids descend, a world unlike the one I inhabit plays across the planes of my imagination. And when a vision comes upon me, a thought for a scene, setting, or piece of dialogue, I run with it. And what I see is most certainly not going to be what you see.
“I learned... that inspiration does not come like a bolt, nor is it kinetic, energetic striving, but it comes into us slowly and quietly and all the time, though we must regularly and every day give it a little chance to start flowing, prime it with a little solitude and idleness.” Brenda Ueland
As of late, those that circulate in my realm have asked the same question; when will you submit your MS? I thought it was done, they bemoan, asking for the hundredth time; what happens to the secondary characters? You do write a story for them, right? Done is relative term. Yes. And, no.
Yes, of course I'll submit. I have. But the answer is not always so simple. Unlike following instructions, or going to work to repeat the same repetitive tasks day in and day out, writing, whilst possessing unwritten rules, is a gift of imagination, writing skills, and mastery of the language in which you write.
I've received advice from agents and editors, judges and crit partners, and as a result, have taken their suggestions and made the best possible tale I can. I've been done so many times, I've lost count. And each time, I repeat the same mantra: this really is IT!
Well, this time, this last beta read, it really is. It HAS to be. Lets face it, some of us could continue writing the same story for years, always attempting to make it better. But this time, it will be submitted to those that requested, then 'tis time to move on.
My partners have done their job; made sure there were no plot holes, grammar mistakes, or inconsistencies. Its my turn, implement in between my other life, and get 'er done!Writers can be a bit neurotic, obsessive, pedantic, but this really is IT! Charli would kick me arse otherwise.
Its not ready because your family and friends think it ought to be, or a new crit partner does not see what others have seen, but when YOU, the author, creator are confident with the product.
How do you know when your story is ready? Do you obsess endlessly, always hoping to make it better, fearing, it just might not be enough as your reason to hold back, hold back from letting the world see, to read?
What do you see?
AJ
