If Writing Manuscripts were like a life Cycle

Writing a manuscript is known for being a massive undertaking. Much like journeying through the various phases of life, manuscripts change, grow, and evolve over time. With each pass of the metaphorical pen, the maturity and richness of the story deepens. When you view your manuscript as developing along a life cycle, this positive perspective helps you see the writing process for what it is – long and arduous, but also, well worth the time and effort.

Pregnant with Ideas

The gestational period of story ideas is exciting. One after another, ideas seem to sprout like weeds, and often, you can’t get the ideas onto paper quickly enough. This is typically considered a favorite phase for many writers, as they tend to feel confident, creative, and inspired during this time.

Although this can be a favorite stage for some, other writers may be intimidated by the prospect of a blank page. They may feel apprehensive, questioning each idea that surfaces. These writers will likely gain confidence as they write forward and work out their ideas on paper.

Drunken Toddlers

Once you have a few pages of ideas, your job is to wrangle those cute, chubby, and directionless little people onto the paper. One idea may want to go one way, and another idea may want to go the other. When you have several ideas and are unsure which direction to take, start mapping out the possible story routes you could follow.

For those who don’t like to outline and prefer to “feel their way through,” these writers will have to hold onto their chubby little handed ideas until it feels like the right time to put them down on paper.

Tween Years

Now that the ideas and general story direction have been formulated, it’s time to begin building three-dimensional worlds with well-rounded characters and believable dialogue.

Currently, characters may sound similar, making it unclear who they are. At this stage, the characters are reactive instead of proactive, or they may appear to perfect, lacking any credible flaws.

The end of the very first draft might look loosely held together, but it has taken on a definitive shape. The temperament of the book and its personality has been established, but there is still much living, learning, and development to be done. We get a glimpse of what this story could be, but we still have a long way to go before we can conceptualize its full potential.

Adolescence

You may be on your third draft by now. Things are starting to hold together. Your major plot points are in the correct order, and your story structure flows smoothly. However, things still feel a little two-dimensional, and each chapter could benefit from some refinement in terms of heightening emotions, conflict, and tension, as well as enhancing the overall flavor.

Your teenager is excited and passionate; they have a lot to say and a lot to prove. By now, you know your characters well. You know how they will react in any given situation, how they will feel, and what they might say.

At this stage, with the energy and vitality of an adolescent, you might feel like you could write forever. But before things become too uncontrolled and impulsive, now is a good time to hand your work to a few reputable readers who can offer feedback about your story thus far.

Young Adulthood

By now, you may have completed 6-8 revisions and made alterations based on the feedback you received. Your story holds together; the pacing maintains good momentum, the characters are distinct, and the goals and conflict are clear.

Your manuscript has been to a couple of Beta readers, and you have taken your work as far as you can on your own. Now, you pass your work onto a developmental editor, make changes, then to a line editor, make changes, and then to a copy editor. Finally, the last step is hiring a proofreader.

Your manuscript is as polished as it can be, and it’s now ready to be submitted.

Adulthood

Your manuscript is as close to perfect as possible, and you have researched the agents you want to pitch. You have written your query letters, synopsis, and logline, and you have put together an engaging marketing plan to promote your book.

This is the real deal now, and agents will start reading and reviewing your work. This is when the rejections come in, and you have to take them on the chin like the consummate professional you are.

This is the time to take a step back and make adjustments if needed. Too many rejections? Perhaps you need to work on your pitching materials. Have you received numerous “revise and resubmit” requests? If so, that means the project may need a fresh pair of eyes to offer you guidance for further revisions.

AARP Membership Candidate

You have an agent, and the two of you are like bread and butter. Skipping through a wildflower meadow hand in hand, the two of you are taking the publishing world by storm. One Big Five publisher after another is blowing up your phone with offers for movie deals, merchandising, and foreign translation rights.

Okay, that might be a stretch. More likely, you have a date marked on your calendar as to when you can reasonably contact your agent without making yourself look like a psychotic stalker. You’re not desperate enough to hide behind bushes to eavesdrop on your agent’s latest meeting, but you may have opened a fake Instagram account to spy on them from afar.

You have made the recommended changes to your manuscript as suggested by your agent, and now everything is out of your hands and out of your control.

You feel frustrated when you don’t hear any news and wonder if your agent is taking your project seriously or if they are pitching it with the necessary enthusiasm.

Social Security – If It’s Still Around

Congratulations, you have been offered a publishing contract. After meeting with their editors and your agent, you have done another round (or several) of revisions. You have met with the marketing team and have a better understanding of the time and attention required to promote your book and yourself as an author.

Your book is now in stores and on Amazon, and it has made its debut on the New York Times Best Seller list. You are working your marketing magic and selling books like hotcakes. Your hard work and effort have been rewarded, and you start to believe that maybe you could make a living as an artist.

Quantum Physics – In the Great Beyond

Your story lives forever. Your story will outlive you, your kids, and your grandkids. It is immortal.

Out of your head, onto the paper, and into the bookstores – you can finally breathe, relax, and enjoy your success. Be proud of yourself for doing something as crazy and as brave as writing a book. Celebrate the enormity that is the manuscript journey.

Full Circle

Writing a manuscript is not an easy feat. As your manuscript evolves and grows, so do you as an author. Just as with life, time and perspective are everything. The next time you sit down to write a novel, just think, it’s only the gestation period, imagine what my full-grown adult human will look like when I’m done.