This sign from the Saint Nazaire Basilica is peculiarly appropriate!
Here's a papal question:
why does the pope wear a yarmulke? a.k.a. a kippah, or if you must, a skullcap.
Jewish men wear them to cover their heads during prayer.. but i've never been able to find an explanation for the pope's under-miter headcovering.
Only send it out when you're sure it's ready.
I'm not sure I agree with this, simply because I know too many writers who battle perfectionism as a character flaw and as an excuse.[...]I'm all in favor of multiple sets of revisions, some with feedback and some with just internal personal progress. [...] If you're doing it right, you will keep learning. I think that learning when to move on to the next thing, when to decide that a book has gone as far as it can go right now, is a very valuable skill. [...] but I think asking early writers to wait for absolute certainty is not such a great idea.
Coming from the other side of the business -- you certainly have a point regarding the perfectionists. Unfortunately, most writers that I hear from are NOT perfectionists;
I get all too many queries that have errors in their own names or addresses, let alone that have been proofread and revised multiple times.
If I see your first draft, and you haven't taken the time to tighten the dialogue or tidy up loose ends - or fix your its vs. it's - i'm going to say no.
If your third draft is written compellingly and tautly, then I will be much more likely to pay more attention -- whether I ask to see more of your work or turn it down anyways.
Take the time to make your work the best that YOU can make it; have your friends and family and writers' workshops read it; take their comments to heart in your next revisions - and then revise it again. it'll make a difference once it goes to an editor or agent.
| Year | Number of comments posted |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2004 | 1 |
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