When It's Time to Say Goodbye to Your Manuscript

You ever have that perfect pair of jeans you simply adore--or that's a perfect fit? For my two oldest daughters, it's shoes. You know those ones with the tiny heels that click-clack across the floor or leave thousands of sparkles in their wake. They wear them until they're no longer wearable, or sometimes even grow out of them, and have to say goodbye. They don't want to, sometimes there are even tears, but when the sole falls off or the shoes don't fit anymore, Mommy knows best. And what she knows is that it's time to say goodbye to those shoes.

Just like with those shoes or our favorite pair of jeans, we have to know when to say goodbye to our stories. Sometimes temporarily, sometimes permanently.

We all do it. We get attached to a story we've created and have high hopes for it. It's sparkly, like those shoes, a perfect fit, like those jeans. We want to see it through to publication, through all the edits and all the way to the end, where we see it in reader's hands, getting rave reviews. But there are times when it's better to set that story aside, even if we feel it's very special.

From a lot of years of experience and hanging onto novels too long, I've come up with some good indicators that it's time to move on from your novel.

When Feedback Isn't Where It Needs to Be

Whether your feedback is from beta readers, critique partners, or even contest judges, if you're getting consistent feedback that a lot of your story needs work, take a step back. If knowledge of the craft is lacking, step back. Put your manuscript aside, do some study of the craft and some research about topics you need to improve on. Then you can either return to your story or start a new one if the old one isn't salvageable.

When It's Your First Manuscript

Before I get in trouble, let me just say this is a general suggestion. Sometimes someone will write that first manuscript and it's awesome! Agents love it, editors want it, and there's no problem. But for most writers, that first manuscript is a starting point. A tool to learn and see where your skills are, or even to see if writing is for you at all.

When You Can't Read Through the First Few Chapters Without Skimming

Once you've received feedback or are working tirelessly to edit, sometimes it's hard to see your story with a clear eye. If you find you're skimming paragraphs or chapters, you're not going to be able to edit your story how it needs to be reworked. Take a break and return to your editing later.

When the Thought of Editing Another Few Times Makes You Cringe

If you're seriously tired of editing, you've hit that point like, as I said above, it's going to be hard to edit your story how it needs to be edited. Again, take a break. A few weeks, sometimes even a few months, gets the story out of your head enough that you can return to it with fresh eyes. And in the meantime, work on something else that will help you. Study craft books, learn from agents or author blogs, even start plotting a new story so you have something else to work on once those edits are finally done.

When You're Too Close to the Manuscript

I have to put this one in here because I've done it before. I've gotten so close to the manuscript, it's hard to see that anything might be wrong with it. It's hard to realize that extensive editing, or at least some editing, might be necessary before trying to submit it. You need perspective here. And sometimes when you return to that manuscript, you realize it's not ready, and maybe it's time to step away from that story for good.

When the Market, Agents, Editors, or Your Heart is Calling For Something Else

I'm not saying you should be swayed by trends or stop a manuscript dead in the middle of writing it. But I am saying that once you finish a manuscript, find that perspective. See if it will fit in the market. See if you have passion to work and rework it. Pray about it. Also, don't be afraid to acknowledge that your book might just be a stepping stone to get you to something bigger and better, whether it be a new genre, or even a new outlook on the way to craft a book.

Have you had a hard time stepping away from your novel or novels in the past? What helped you do so, and was the separation permanent?

***photo by andygeers

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Cindy is a Colorado native, living near the mountains with her husband and three beautiful daughters. She writes contemporary Christian romance, seeking to enrich lives with her stories of faith, love, and a touch of humor.

To learn more about Cindy, visit her at her personal blog, www.cindyrwilson.blogspot.com

Why the Rejection?

Most of us are either preparing to enter that query/submission stage, are in it right now, or have been recently. Agents and editors know what they're looking for, and when they don't feel a connection or they see something missing, the end result will probably be a rejection. And, while rejections are hard, most can ultimately help us to reach our goal of being agented and getting published.

So what are some reasons our manuscripts might be rejected?

Weak Queries

One of the prominent ways of submitting to agents or editors is through queries. Yes, some of us will get requests in other ways but for the most part, we will still, at some point, have to send out a query letter.

There are a number of things that weaken a query, including too much showing not telling, poor grammar or addressing the query incorrectly, sometimes even being too long-winded. And the list goes on.

So what can be done to help this?

* Study other query letters - there are a plethora of good ones on-line or at agent sites (including and endless list on QueryShark)
* Have a critique partner, other writers, or even some kind of query help service look over your letter for feedback
* Follow the rules agents and editors give you when submitting (plenty of times they'll tell you exactly what to put in the query letter or give you some examples)

The Agent/Editor

Sometimes it's not so much about what we're doing on our end, but what's going on at the other end.

Sometimes agents are inundated with clients right now or too busy to look at your work right away or even within a few months. Sometimes they don't have a connection with your work, or if they do, they aren't certain they can sell it in this market. While a rejection still feels personal and really hurts, we can still consider (especially if we're getting interest elsewhere) that there may be other reasons for the rejection.

So what can be done to help prevent rejections because of this?

* Research agents or publishers and make sure you know what they're looking for
* Attend conferences if possible and give an agent or editor more of a reason to take a look at your query or submission
* Research what's hot in the market, or at least genres that are more popular, to give agents and editors more of a reason to be interested
* Make sure your manuscript shines in every way possible

The Manuscript

There are times when an agent or editor will ask for pages of your manuscript either with the query or after reading through the query. At this point, they get a chance to see your writing, get a chance to be hooked, and have that opportunity to decide whether or not your work will go anywhere. Unfortunately, they might make their decision within the first page or two. And if they're not interested? One possibility is that your opening isn't strong enough or, there isn't a distinct voice, or overall, your writing is just not ready.

So what can we do to help this?

* Don't submit or query until the manuscript is as polished as it can be (as well as completed), also don't query too soon. If it's your first manuscript, of course there's a chance it will get snatched up, but usually there's more to learn and writing more than one manuscript is a great way to get that experience
* Utilize critique partners, beta readers, contests, or even an editing service if you can afford it to make sure you're going in the right direction and your writing is getting stronger
* Follow the rules. Not just the guidelines agents or editors lay down but basic rules we hear as new writers, such as not using too many passive verbs, showing not telling, etc. Yes, there is a time for breaking out of that comfort zone or wowing agents or editors with unique techniques but for the most part, especially if we're seeking an agent or editor for the first time, we need to try to follow the rules

There will always be other reasons for being rejected, but for the most part, the major ones are outlined above. Some of the best things we can do as writers looking to get published are research the industry, agents, and the craft, act professional, and get ourselves out there. Don't be afraid to learn from other writers or even agents. Whether it feels like it or not, many of them do notice if you're trying.

So where are you all at in the submission process or what have you learned from your own experiences?