How Do You Know When It's Finished?

Is it finished now? No? What about now?

I was recently asked how one knows when a piece of writing is done - both novels and short stories. This is a hard thing! Like cooking, you sometimes have to go a little on vibes - does this feel done - while also acknowledging that there is in fact a correct level of work to put into, say, a meringue, and that it is possible to go over and end up with an eggy mess. And honestly, the way to tell is experience. I can’t tell how hard you’re whisking. But here are some guiding principles - 

- Work until it feels finished - maddeningly vague, I know. But when you read it and you only want to change tiny things, rather than huge things, seems a decent starting point.

- Seek feedback - from trusted sources. This might not be someone you know particularly well! It might be a writer you met on  a forum or something. A fellow writer is best, or a friend who reads very widely in the genre you’re writing in. 

- Set time limits on how long you have to implement it - important to avoid spending 10 years on each novel. Appropriate revision times for a long piece range from 1-6 months. I wouldn’t go over that per draft. For short pieces it’s not the revision time per se but the resting time, and how many more it needs before another round of feedback. Perhaps 3 is the limit here (for a piece you think MIGHT ALREADY be ready) until you submit.

- Know yourself - how do you work? What are your strengths and weaknesses and habits?