Knowing When Your Book is Ready

We spend all this time writing and editing our manuscripts, but when do we know that it’s ready to be sent out into the world? How can we tell when our story is ready to be read by others?

Well, we don’t want to rush into things and send our manuscripts out too early because it will make us look unprofessional. However, we don’t want to spend decades editing and revising and rewriting our manuscript a hundred and one times because then it will never get into the hands of readers. That’s why it is so important to know when your book is ready.

I personally know when my manuscript is ready after a few things have happened. Number one: I’ve gone through my entire editing process once. Every author has their own editing process that they go through when they’re done writing, but mine usually has me going through the entire book three times with heavy edits the second and third time. Sometimes, I’ll feel the need for another pass depending on how the rough draft was. I also edit some during the writing process, so that helps keep things easier in the actual editing process.

Number two: I send my manuscript to one beta reader. This is my most trusted beta reader. After I’ve adjusted my manuscript accordingly, I send it off to the rest of my beta readers and await their feedback. Sometimes there are necessary changes that need to be dealt with, but by this time in the process, it’s usually nothing major.

Number three: I send out query letters to literary agents. Although the majority of agents do not request the entire manuscript, I know that when and if they do, my manuscript is ready. It’s very important that you don’t start sending queries to literary agents if your manuscript isn’t completely done, and that includes editing.

The most important thing when deciding if your manuscript is ready, is to be content and confident with your writing. You’ll come to a place where you know there’s nothing more you can do to perfect your manuscript. Have self-assurance in your writing. There’s no reason to doubt yourself and rewrite your book a hundred times trying to reach some unattainable end point. Follow your editing process, take the advice of beta readers and critique partners, and you’ll be ready for your book to be in the hands of readers everywhere!

Just write!

Jordan