Ten Ways toi Tell You've Finished the Last Draft of your Manuscript...

You’ve been working on your book for weeks, months, even years, and it feels like it might be done…but you’re not absolutely sure. Maybe it needs another read-through? Another draft? Another polish? So how do you really know when it’s time to let your baby go face the cold cruel world of publishing? Well, here are ten ways to help you recognize it’s time to step away from the manuscript.
1.     You’ve read your book so many times, you have it memorized and have recited it verbatim to your long-suffering family.
2.    You family has moved out of the house and you didn’t notice they were gone.
3.    Your hands are numb, you have no fingerprints left, and you’ve worn away the letters on your computer keyboard.
4.    You’ve included your grocery list, your college thesis, and your will within the body of the manuscript.
5.    Every time you rewrite the manuscript, you add another 90,000 words.
6.    Your editor has passed on and the publishing house has closed.
7.    Your agent has forgotten you name and has asked you to stop calling her, whoever you are, or she’ll get a restraining order.
8.    You’re starting to wonder if you should add recipes to your story.
9.    You can’t remember what you’ve written and don’t care anymore.

 

10.    You’ve run out of alcoholic beverages.