How Do You Know When Your Story is Finished?



Writers know that, in truth, a story is never finished, and if given a choice, they would tweak and rewrite ad infinitum. That’s because we’re never satisfied – we can’t help ourselves; we have to keep rewriting until we think it’s perfect. Of course, there must come a point when the story has to finish and reach a point where there is nothing else to write and you have to let it out into the big bad world for others to read.

But how do you know the story really is finished?

The answer is all down to the process of writing. There’s a logical flow to how stories are constructed. It happens in gradual steps, so the finished product comes as part of the last few steps in that process, rather than when you write ‘the end’, because ‘the end’ isn’t the end at all.

This process begins by writing the first draft – the bare bones of the story. New writers believe that’s all it needs. They’ve written the story, so it’s finished. But it’s far from finished – it’s barely written. The first draft is followed by a read through, which highlights plot flaws or major problems with the story. Writers have to be objective when they do this. They need to see whether it reads well, has pace, or makes sense. They need to check whether it has enough tension, drama and conflict. It can provide an insight into characterisation (or lack of). It will also show whether there are recognisable story themes. Above all, it will show up weak areas of writing.

The next step is to rewrite the story, the second draft. Parts are cut or expanded, and plot holes are plugged and so on. Ideas can be developed and incorporated into the story and the writing tightened so those weak areas are eliminated.

By the third draft there should be a tight, cohesive and exciting story that has pace, conflict, atmosphere and tension and has fully rounded, believable characters. The story should be a smooth, uninterrupted read. It should also be believable and enjoyable.

By the fourth draft there should be no spelling or grammar mistakes and no plot problems. The story should be as near perfect as possible and ready for professional editing and/or beta readers who will provide valuable feedback. Also, at this stage, the writer will know if the story really works; it’s down to instinct.

Depending on the feedback, there could be some rework or tweaks, so the writer could end up doing a fifth draft to tie up those loose ends, but after all that – each writer is different, remember – it should be apparent that there is no longer a need to write any more. The story is the best it can be. Nothing else can be added. If the writer keeps adding and tweaking, there’s a danger the story could be ruined.

Not every writer will feel this, but many know when they’re finished because they can’t bear to read another word. They’ve read, re-read, edited and edited again and they’re sick of it.  That’s because it’s finished. It’s ready. There are no more steps in the process, except to send it out into the world.

That moment of knowing it’s as ready as it will ever be is down to the writing process, gut instinct and the ability to let it go.

Next week: How to stay inspired

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Chapter & Novel Lengths

Just how long should a chapter be? What’s the best length? And does a novel have to fit into a set amount of words? These are just two of the most common questions asked by writers.   They assume they have to work to a strict template of X amount of words and X amount of chapters, usually because most novels have around 30 or 40 chapters and around 80,000 words.   Novel Lengths Firstly, let’s dispel a few myths - novel lengths are dictated by the story itself, not the writer or the editor or a specific written formula.   Secondly, writers don’t have to fit their word count into generic set amounts.   Again, the story will dictate how long the novel will be. It’s also worth knowing the different types of novels that work well with different word counts.   Uncomplicated stories containing minimal characters tend to be short – usually around 20,000 to 60,000 words.   These are called novellas. Longer, more complex stories, which contain a handful o...
Read more

What Makes a Story Dark?

If you’re a horror writer or you love to write dark, psychological stories and thrillers, or moralistic tales, this is the one question that needs an answer. Wanting a dark story and writing one are two different things, so how do you actually make a story dark? To answer that you first have to understand what is meant by ‘dark’. We usually define ‘dark’ as quantifiable elements that we know and are familiar with, but it’s more than that. Dark doesn’t necessarily mean scary or gory with a crazy psychopath going around chopping people into bits. Instead we have to think of ‘dark ‘as anything outside our accepted rose-tinted reality. Dark is the underbelly of our society; it’s the handling of ideas, themes, social issues and behaviours that would be seen as morally unacceptable. It’s less about fictional monsters but more about the real monsters that lurk in the shadows, something that is underscored by our fears and anxieties. It’s the unknown, because the things we don’t know ...
Read more

Modifiers, Intensifiers and Qualifiers - Part 2

Unlike modifiers, which modify words or phrases, an Intensifier is a term for a modifier that amplifies the meaning of the word it modifies. An intensifier is used exclusively to modify adverbs and adjectives and is placed  before the word it is meant to modify.  In simple terms, the intensifier emphasises adverbs and adjectives - it makes them more intense . The word is derived from Latin, meaning to “intend or stretch”. In grammatical terms, the intensifier lends no weight to the meaning of a sentence other than to give it an additional emotional nuance to the word it is modifying, however, since they modify adverbs and adjectives, they should be treated in the same way adverbs adjectives – used little and sparingly wherever possible within your writing. This is where learning to spot them will benefit your quality of writing. Intensifiers are attributive and serve only to fill space, so unless there is a valid reason to intensify the meaning and emotion ...
Read more