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| Alex J. Cavanaugh Ninja Powered |
The awesome co-hosts for the October 5 posting of the IWSG are Beverly Stowe McClure, Megan Morgan, Viola Fury, Madeline Mora-Summonte, Angela Wooldridge, and Susan Gourley!
What would life be without laughter and IWSG? Answer: Kind of boring and lonely. So we can’t have that, can we? I propose we borrow the idea of Where’s Waldo and have a game of Where’s Gary. Then, when we actually find him, we can stop SEARCHING! So here’s the map. All you have to do is pick Gary out of the crowd. Enjoy.
Don’t forget to check out the guidelines for this year’s
Now about this month’s question: When do you know when your story is ready?
There are two things that signal FINISHED.
- I like the story again. Like most writers, I have a real love-hate relationship with my books. First, they’re the most brilliant things I’ve ever penned, then they stink. It’s after this phase and the love returns that I know it’s ready.
- My three crit partners give it the thumbs up. If they like it after reading it umpteen times, then my thermometer jumps to DONE! Of course, they could be telling it’s a go to get rid of me, but I hope not.
Good point on when to know your finished. Thanks for visiting blog. I survived the hurricane and moving, so doing good, back online. Got your link for Storytime, thanks so much. HUGS
Juneta @ Writer's Gambit
Good point on when to know your finished. Thanks for visiting blog. I survived the hurricane and moving, so doing good, back online. Got your link for Storytime, thanks so much. HUGS
Juneta @ Writer's Gambit
Wow, you like the story again? That's a feat. By the time I'm done with rewrites, I'm ready to kill that book. (And probably a few people as well.)
*joking
*kind of
I think Gary is somewhere on the beach. He must be. He loves beaches. I can't be wrong, right? 🙂
Liking the story again is a great point and marker to use. 🙂
I'm not going to try and find Gary. I think he's going to announce himself soon 😊.
http://www.damyantiwrites.com
What a fun puzzle… Finding Gary in the circus.. FUN…
Yes, LOVE my CP's although I haven't had anything to critique lately… but hopefully that will change soon!
Liking your work again… that's a good way to put it. 🙂
Those are excellent gauges of done-ness!
Heather
I know Gary's in Canada, but my glasses aren't strong enough to find it on the map. I usually hate my WIPs when I finish them. It's only the months that I spend waiting to publish that I get enough distance to love them again. Aren't CPs the best invention ever?
I found him! Yeah, hi, Gary! (waving vigorously) Oops, wrong Gary. Moving on. There he is, no! Darn. Over there. Oh how could I forget, he's over at the Z to A store. Oh dear, it's closed. Sheesh, this is tough. I'll come back tomorrow and start again. I know he's out there, I've seen him all over FB. I swear! 🙂
Happy IWSG Day!
"I like the story again." – Well put! Simple and true:)
Hopefully, by now Gary is happily resettled in Canada… but for the life of me, I could NOT spot him in that picture.
If your crit partners read your work umpteen times, they end up being almost as invested in its success as you are, so if they say it's ready, I think it's safe to say it's READY.
Sometimes you just have to believe in yourself and let your story go no matter what your doubts tell you. Your doubts would keep it in your computer's hard drive forever!
Check your email. You won one of the two mystery prizes for your comment on Denise's blog!
I know all about that love-hate relationship. All we can do is our best then let it go.
It's always difficult to know when your story is ready. If you're happy with it, it's gone through several rounds of editing, and you've gotten good feedback, then I think it's ready.
I'm a bit opposite on the "I like the story again." REally, I tend to get tired of it, and all the editing, and just send it out to its fate. When I send it out while I still like it, it tends to have editing errors 🙁
Hi Lee,
It is nice to hear that another experiences the same emotions with their books. I fall in love madly with my story and then somehow we start fighting with each other. Then when it is finished I find myself falling back in love with it. Then I know it is time. I feel it.
Shalom aleichem,
Patricia
P.S. Finding Gary is a trap, right?
"I like the story again" That really resonated with me. I also have that love/hate relationship with the majority of my stories.
My critique partners are usually a litmus test for me too. That's cool that the good feelings come back for you. That doesn't usually happen for me unless I take a break from my manuscript.
I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one that hates her story sometimes. Waiting for the love now. Thanks for the reminder.
If Gary is lost in that crowd, I sure can't see him, with my glasses on or off.
Knowing when you're done is tough!
I like your suggestions on how you know your story is ready. I really need to get into writing again.
Ah, you love it again? Okay, something to look out for.
Two great suggestions, unfortunately I have not been able to find good reliable critique partners (maybe it's me). The good news is…I do like my story again. Thanks.
C. Lee, thanks for sharing and it's a pleasure to be one of your co-hosts. I apologize for the tardiness; been under the weather. I go through all sorts of tortuous things: when it's done, it's done, or by word count. The truth of the matter is, I haven't written all that much fiction, so I'm still not going by gut instinct yet. Thanks again!
Without Penny at his side it will be hard to track Gary down. He may be planning on becoming a Mountie.
I didn't realise that writers did come to love their work again. How encouraging.
Yep, your crit readers are still the best judges of whether your book is ready or not. Just make sure you have CPs who you trust to tell the truth.
I think a love-hate relationships is common. Glad your critique partners give it the thumbs up.
I like that you know when your story is ready because you love it again. I'm hoping that eventually happens for me since I (mostly) hate my story right now.
I know I'm finished when I start fiddling with individual words instead of changing sentences, paragraphs, and chapters.
I love it when I get to like my story again and stop thinking it's crap. Good advice.
Yeah, that's a good way. When the crap phase goes away, good to go.
you actually start liking your work again? I am impressed! I though we all just hated it in perpetuity.
IWSG October
I haven't found Gary . . . but I'll keep looking.
I may not love my stories when I'm done, but I am back to liking them. 🙂
I have Jo Wake to tell me, "I liked it. I really don't know what you're changing." That's my cue I may be doing more harm than good with my edits.
Yup, I'm still seeking Gary. I heard from a birdie that he's in my neck of the woods visiting his parents. Wish the province of BC wasn't so large, so I could drive over and have a spot of tea. But then Penny the Jack Russell dog and internet superstar stayed behind in jolly ole England, so…
I absolutely identify with what you said about liking the story again! I go through that all the time and, you're right, when you get back to that place, you know it is going to be okay.
The love-hate thing. I know it well. I totally rely on my CPs too. 🙂
Looking for Gary is like me thinking a story is ready! It's take forever and/or maybe it'll never ever truly BE ready because I can't find Gary!
Yay for critique partners! We all need that additional validation, eh?
Yep. Thumbs up for crit partners. I cannot go without mine. I should do a story with characters based on them. Then kill them all off.
I still like my characters, but I'm currently at the hate stage with the writing, so….
It's great that you have 3 reliable crit partners and I love your calm approach. It's so important that we actually like our own stories 🙂 I haven't read that one in any blogs I've read today, including my own :)Have a super month.
Love your writing — no getting rid of you. 🙂
I also have love and hate feelings for my books while I'm writing.
Where's Gary…??
If I find Penny, is that close enough?
Good that you have a way to gauge that.
I'd find Gary, but I would have to search all of Canada at the moment…
Haha I've been searching for Gary for so long now I'd almost given up. Maybe this map will finally be the help I need to find him. Cute!!