Ways to Gauge if a Story is DONE

Regarding my last post about how I'm still developing my mining skills regarding character development — go deep, deeper and deeper still — writer Erin Kuhns writes:

It truly does feel like the never ending quest, to get to the bottom of a character, when, really, there is no bottom there. I know I have a ways to go, in order to better grasp my characters on a much deeper level and this post was a fantastic reminder for me to keep on digging...especially when I think I'm done.

Those last six words hit the jackpot question:

We think we're done, we want to be done, we talk ourselves into being done, but are we? Do we have to rely on gut instinct, or are there other, more analytical ways to determine if we're done?

I just answered this question via the last Art of Rewriting class lesson I posted this morning. I provided what I thought was a good answer, but then got to wondering what other writers think about the subject.

So the floor is officially open. Feel free to post your methods for determining when you're done done with a manuscript and I'll post the results in a week or two. If we combine our brains, we'll no doubt create a great list I'll be happy to circulate.

Thanks for your comment, Erin.

And to everyone, happy writing!

So Much More Than We Expect

Sara Campos, who recently attended my character development class at Book Passage in Corte Maders, CA, said:

It struck me as I was in your class on Saturday and in the ensuing days since, that this business of building characters is pivotal to a story and requires lots of of digging and searching.

Sara has hit that proverbial nail on the head. To drive the point all the way, I'll demonstrate the depth of what she said.

When I started writing fiction some 16 years ago, I thought I knew how to create characters.

But then I learned how to dig deeper.

Six years ago when I wrote an article about character development, I thought I had the subject licked.

But then I learned how to dig deeper.

Four years ago when I wrote a book about character development, I thought, surely I understand the topic now.

But then I learned how to go deeper.

Two years ago when I started my most recent novel, I thought, come on! Now do I graduate from Character Development School?

The answer was no, because I've since found methods — via books, experimentation and lots of thought — that have allowed me to take character development to a whole new level.

It occurs to me I've been looking for a bottom to this character development well, when I now suspect there is none. With every character we write, we learn a new facet of a tremendously complex machine, the human being.

Though while writing my character development book I believed the concept that if we follow our characters, they'll tell us everything — what they feel, what they must do and why — my conviction has increased a hundredfold. If our plots go askew, it's not because we're terrible at plot, but rather we haven't followed our characters closely enough.

Besides Sara's very insightful comment, she also suggested female writers check out a writing residency at Hedgewood on Whidbey Island, WA. The best part of this gig is that writers stay for free.

Happy writing!