Is it Done Yet? — Oct. 3, 2025 (Copy)
Congregation of Common Terns, Monterey Bay
“Writing without revising is the literary equivalent of waltzing gaily out of the house in your underwear.” – Patricia Fuller
The big question for me is, which edit of my “soon-to-be-novel” will be the last one? I edited along the way when my writers’ group came up with suggestions on my 1000-word weekly submissions. I honed, I polished, I made each section shine.
Done, I said to myself. Finally. Time to share with a few select people to see what they think about this as a complete reading experience. I signed on some friends and acquaintances, people who would see it with fresh eyes.
Their insight gave me the energy I needed to tackle it one more time. I addressed some critical points that I’d managed to overlook in the early drafts. When I’d finally wrestled the thing into submission again, I printed a spiral-bound manuscript at Kinko’s, so I could see it and feel it. A book! Then I met with an author friend to talk about next steps toward publication, and she mentioned a professional editor. Huh? Really?
It made some sense. I’d invested so much already. Years, really. With much hand-wringing I went ahead and hired a professional. She had some good developmental and structural suggestions. I hated slashing into the manuscript again but I did it. Part of the agreement I’d made with her was that she’d read it one last time, with the changes I made based on her critique.
That’s where I am now, waiting for her final feedback. That last edit made me think hard about each plot point, and I’m still not sure I made all the right choices for the book. But at some point it has to be done. Doesn’t it? One thing I know for sure, I’m the one who’ll have to decide.
