5 Ways to Know Your Novel is Finished

When is your novel finished and ready to send out into the world?

Your words are never set in stone until the novel goes to press. Up until then, it’s a decision only you can make, but here are some points at which others send out a mss.

  • When the characters start to bore you, or you start talking to them instead of your friends.
  • When you’re sick of every single word on the page.
  • When your deadline appears and your editor can’t delay it any longer (Too easy of an answer!)
  • When every critique group to which you belong agrees that it’s ready (like THAT will ever happen).

  • When you’ve done your level best, your creative best, your editorial best, your literary best, and you can’t think of anything else to do. And if you try anything else, you’ll just be tinkering and possibly messing up. Then — let it go.

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