On Writing : How do you know a story is ready? by Kat Spencer

As a screenwriter, I plan for the story to end between 90 and 120 pages. After I type "The End", I let it sit for a week or if my readers are already hyped, give them the raw draft. Then I go back, read it over and make edits and corrections, then let my editing readers have a go at it. Edit and polish and finally, send it out to contests or producers.

The story is already ready, you just have to sit down and tell it. Put your own voice in it and spin on it. The idea is the seed, exploring the possible paths are the stems, fleshing out the characters are the leaves, and a satisfying conclusion is the flower. Water your talent.

Hi, Kat Spencer. Sometimes I know a story is ready after getting feedback, and sometimes it's a gut feeling.

Very nicely put Anthony Moore

Kat Spencer If I feel nervous, laugh, or even cry just reading the synopsis – and I can already sense how it might move the audience – then maybe the story is close to ready.

But when I find myself truly caring about the characters as if they were real people – when I feel responsible for their fate, their emotions, their journey – that’s when I know the story is ready.

From that point on, it almost feels like the script writes itself. I truly believe that.

Hard to explain but not as crazy as it sounds. After the re edit/write phase (days to months) the story suddenly reads richer plot point/reveals I didn’t consciously write. (Different to all the planned plotting.) Maybe cos I studied characters backstories, relationship time lines Etc is reason that later on unexpectedly yet naturally the script falls into place. However at other times the material yields a bonus from left field & with its own third dimensional voice it tells me it is done with me.

Thank you for your responses and unique perspectives Patrick Kovács and Debbie Croysdale!

No clue. Seriously. Every time I think I know... I don't know.

I would get opinions from people to see what they felt about your story.

I would also trust your own judgment by reading it yourself.

Hi Anthony I do roughly the same, but my aim is for 98,000 words, per novel rather than pages.

When I have no more detail to add.

I’ve learned that if I wait until I’m “ready” I run the risk of not actually getting anything done because I can always realise some obscure plot detail that’ll bug me if I don’t catch it early… and that’s if I get the idea at that time lol (life loves trolling me like that). I call it the “creator’s curse” and I’m at the point where I’ve accepted that unless something I create is deeply personal, there’s no real reason to wait to share it as long as it’s not a hot first draft. There’ll always be some slight imperfection that only I or someone else can see regardless of what stage I’m at so I’ve learned not to get too hung up on it.

Until there is nothing to revise anymore. Can take weeks or years.

Rutger Oosterhoff - Revisions could go on forever, IF we keep looking at things. At some point, you just have to walk away :)

Deadlines.

I think someone else's opinion, for sure. Us writers, we can see it so clearly but it's so hard to get somebody else to understand that vision in your head.

In my opinion-and it's just an opinion--the story is ready when I love it so much I don't want to change anything and it's been reviewed by some sort of executive and they said it's definitely good, too.

I try to ignore the other ten execs who said it stinks lol

There's a nice quote from the writer of "The Little Prince" that says, "perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away." (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry).

As we build a story, we initially tend to add scenes, characters, and dialogue, but there comes a moment when we need to start deleting things that aren't relevant. It's like letting a shrub grow to then cutting it to its finest form.

It’s rough how subjective feedback is for creative writing but two tricks I’ve learned is never send out a first draft for anything serious.

And rewrite until feedback stops picking on your story’s foundation. Once that story starts hitting it’s ready.

Well said Ismael Kralll - even in our complicated written worlds, we need to remember less is more.

I feel it is done! It feels complete, all boxes are ticked, and storylines are tied.