Is there a completed manuscript sitting in your drawer, or on your hard drive or thumb drive? Not only is it completed, it's been critiqued by others, revised countless times, marinated, and revised one last time after marination.
Do you have one like that waiting to be submitted, but for some reason, you just can't part with it? If so, what's your fear? Is it not perfect enough? Are you afraid of rejection?
In my opinion, no matter how many times a manuscript is revised, if read yet again, it can be revised even more. I'm thankful I'm not a perfectionist! At some point revisions have to stop.
I just sent off a recently revised manuscript after a period of marination. However, if I'd read it just one more time, I'm sure I would have changed something else. But now it's in God's hands!
If you have a manuscript ready to go, but suffer from separation anxiety, can you explain why? Remember, you've written a story no one else has written that you'd like to read. And someone is out there who'll love it enough to publish it so others can enjoy it too!
Tweet me @maria_mckenzie. Thanks for stopping by!
12 comments:
It's just such a vulnerable thing to do, to send some words you believe in and that you've created into a story to someone else. The risk of ridicule and rejection is high (even though I feel like fellow writers are going to treat your work with respect), and the feeling of "I'm not good enough" is just so easy to believe in. But I feel it gets better with time.
I always think my book is awesome (though I agree you can always find things to edit) until I am drafting an email to an agent, and then suddenly I have a panic attack and wonder how awful it is. But I make myself submit anyways, because fear is always going to be there and you just have to push through.
All the best, Maria.
With me its like my perfect baby, I send it out and the chance of someone rejecting it is so heart-breaking.
Two thumbs up, Maria for getting your manuscript out the door. Go you. Rah.
GOOD LUCK with your submitted ms!! I have everything from eyes, hands, feet and ears!!! crossed for you!! Yay!!!!!!
My current wip has been marinating since 2006!! I've been revising it since last July. Oh the pain, boredom, elation, hatred, love...!!!!
Take care
x
Good luck on getting your book out there! Good job!
I actually don't have that problem at the moment, but I couldn't agree more that there's such a thing as revising something too much. Eventually it's just beating a dead horse.
Usually, by the time I'm in the homestretch (the last few chapters) I can't wait to be finished with them. I'm like a mama bird kicking the hatchlings out of the nest.
Good luck with the MS you sent out.
@Kathryn: I think all those thoughts cross every writer's mind at one time or another!
@Alexia: Great attitude:). Push through the fear!
@Nas: After all that care and nurturing, a manuscript is like a perfect baby. But it must be pushed out into the world. If a "baby" does get rejected, we can always nurture some more to prepare it for the next time around!
@Happy Whisk: Thanks for your cheers!
@Old Kitty: Thanks for keeping everything crossed for me;)! End that love hate relationship with that manuscript! Whip it into shape and submit it:).
@Melissa: Thanks, Melissa!
@B.E.T.: I agree. After a point, revisions are like beating a dead horse!
@Norma: It's great to feel that way! Push the baby from the nest so it can soar!
@Myne: Thanks, Myne!
I have lots of short stories that I wrote sitting in my hardrive (and a backup on my flashdrive). I'm not looking to publish them (yet).
I kind of consider them my training wheels in the process of learning to write. Nice blog.
Good luck with your manuscript, Maria!
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