So, as some of you may know, I've been working on a project. The deadline is the 31st to submit it. How do you know if it's ready? I wrote it, edited it, had it beta read, did more edits, more beta reading, more editing, edits, edits, fixes, edits.. I even ran MS Grammar Checker just to see if it saw something I didn't (There were a few >.>)... So... I've composed the query letter, the synopsis, assured myself that everything matched the submission guidelines to a T and a half. I'm just rereading everything over and over, unsure if it's safe to say "I'm done. I did everything I could." I'm not even nervous about getting rejected... I'm just nervous I have huge flaws that I am blind to...
I never feel like anything I write is ready or perfect even with a what-I-believe is a finished draft. There's always something else I could've done or changed or fixed. For me the final draft is still like a flawed jewel that I've cut down the best I could. I don't know if that will ever change. What makes me stop and consider something a final draft or ready to enter a contest are two things -1. if I don't stop tinkering with it, I'll start to hate the story. 2. I would like someone to read it.
At some point you just have to take a running start and take the leap. Given the deadline, I'd say post it tomorrow. You really don't want your submission in the huge pile of "down to the wire" submissions.
If earlier is better/safer, for example if you have to mail it and it must arrive on time, I agree that it's time to just send it. If earlier doesn't matter (if, say, you're going to walk it in anyway), I think I'd let it sit for about three days without touching it, thinking about it, doing anything with it, and then read everything one more time, out loud, and then submit. Edited to add: I do not make this suggestion from any relevant experience, except the experience of seeing errors in things that I've let cool down for a few days.
@ChickenFreak I've been working on it since July, been taking breaks on and off. Don't think I can possibly put this out of mind at this point. It's too.. in there. Thanks for the advice, everyone else, I think I just may have to take a last glance at it and see what happens...
What have you got to lose if you submit it now? Also, do you have to submit a query letter and the manuscript? If only the former, or a part of the MS, you still have time to work on the latter and fix stuff it something comes up. It's ready when all the plotholes have been fixed and the characters showcase at least a resemblance of psychological plausibility, I suppose. Depends on what you've written though; maybe there's no danger for huge plotholes or some such.
You've done what you can. It's unlikely that you'll make the work appreciably better in five days, so I would just let it go now.
Its hard to let go I guess. Suddenly, it feels so much more real and there's no stopping or changing the outcome. it's easier to dream reality than let dreams turn real. ill do it. One more glance and ill do it.
Personally, when I feel like I'd rather stab myself repeatedly in the eye than read that story one more time, that's when I know it's finished. To me, when a story is done, even if I really love it, it's easy for me to know when to quit. Good luck with your submission.
Possibly redundant, but I doubt that anyone really reaches a point where they're like: "Okay, it's done!" In college I took a class on audio recording, and the professor said: "The last words uttered by every engineer working on every major project are: 'Well, I guess that's good enough.'" Always more that can be tweaked, and so forth. Personally though, these sorts of decisions stress me out too. I've adopted the coping mechanism of denying the existence of free will so that I don't have to take responsibility for my choices, which helps a lot. I mean, I'm joking about that. Mostly.
