It depends.
So many things factor into it. I know many writers who have the best first drafts: clean, consise, great pacing, lovely emotion, blah, blah, blah. Most of those authors are multi-published, so it could be that they've gotten their writing process down perfectly. I also know of writers who puke out their first drafts, send to their agents or editors who suggest revisions, they do said revisions and the 'second draft' is pretty much book ready.
Other writers puke out the first draft, layering the emotion, description, characterization during the subsequent X number of drafts. Blake Snyder had a blog about this.
So when is a story done?
When it is. It could take one draft or ninty-nine. It needs to be as perfect as possible before you start pimping it.
I had hoped to be finished with draft #2 by today. Uh, it ain't happin', people. I'm about half way through MOGG and will be the first to acknowledge this story will need to go through numerous drafts to get it to the point that I think it has the potential to become.
Will I make my Delacorte deadline at the end of the month. Probably, but without input from my beta readers--unless they are super duper fast readers and I wrote a damn good book that doesn't need input . . . ye-eah, ri-ight.
I may spout a lot of bull, but I really don't believe it no matter what I tend to say.
All I can ask is that my readers hang on. I'm working hard and I hope you'll help me when it becomes crunch time!
Write on!
I haven't much experience with editing--but I already don't like them. As much as I love the idea of saying the end on my current work, the idea of editing has me gagging.
ReplyDeleteI know. I know. It's all part of it.
But don't give up, girl. I'm here behind ya pushing and being an overall pain in the ass. :P hehe
Hey, it's what I do.
My creative thoughts spew out far faster than my ability to craft artful sentences. I have to get the general ideas down (so my old, senile brain doesn't forget them) and then go back later and make it read the way I want to. Usually this involves completely putting the first draft away for awhile and coming back to it with 'fresh eyes.' I'm a stickler for finding just the right words for things and for text that has a nice natural flow and rhythm.
ReplyDeleteI'm not making my self-imposed deadline either. It will take at least another week, which means about two weeks from now. I decided the 2nd half of my book needs more layering. It's not as good as the first half.
ReplyDeleteFor me, it's more important that I be good than fast. I'm not feeling bad about that. Look at Therese. It took her years to write her book, and it sure paid off! It will pay off for us, too!