Some of you may be disappointed to learn that I will not be looking for Beta readers for my completed manuscript nor will I be posting teasers here about it.  Why, you may ask?

Honestly, there are several reasons:

1.  When I began writing this story, I wasn’t sure it was what I really wanted to write.  I wrote it because I had the idea and I liked my main characters.
2. I was never really excited about writing this story.
3. When I was almost finished with the story, I rushed to the end because I thought I wanted to submit it to a contest, but then I missed the deadline.  Then the holidays came and I was too busy to write or worry about that manuscript that I had completed, but wasn’t happy about completing.
4. After letting the manuscript rest for a month, I went back and did a read through.  I found my timeline was a mess, there were holes and the ending was rushed and I didn’t like it because it wasn’t the ending I had originally planned because I had rushed it.
5. I had given it to my closest writing friends for them to read and give me feedback.  I have only received feedback from one so far, and she pointed out that I misinterpreted a key piece of information to my story.

So, what am I going to do with this sad manuscript whose characters I still love?  I will finish going through my one friend’s edits and will also go over the feedback I may still receive from a few other friends, but for now I am content to chalk this manuscript up to what it is — my first completed manuscript since I was a teenager, a manuscript that will one day require a lot more hard work and time to make it something I will be happy with.

Why won’t I do that now?  Because while I was writing that story, I had a story inside me bursting to come out with characters who wouldn’t leave me alone, constantly wanting to know when I would begin working on their story.  This is a story I am excited about!  I already have other stories that can become a series from this story!  It is a different genre than the one I completed at the end of November, a genre that I think I will enjoy much more.

I have learned much by writing a complete manuscript, letting it rest and going back for a read through, as well as having someone edit it.  I have learned what NOT to do with this next manuscript, as well as some things to do that I didn’t do with the first one.

I began writing this new story last night after completing quite a bit of research.  I still have a bit of planning to do for my characters, but that won’t take too long.  I also have a pretty good plot outline to work from, and I am excited and I LOVE these characters and this story already!

What about you?  Have you ever finished a story and then decided you didn’t really like it enough to improve it and try to get it published?  Have you completed a story you like better and want to get in the hands of your fans?