i knew i was done with this first draft because the plot of the FMC was more or less solidified. she didn't know who she was at all at the beginning, but knew exactly who she is and what she wanted by the end. as for the development of other said characters who disappeared into thin air, and messy subplots that run into brick walls; those can certainly be improved over the next two or three drafts.
another note stories and storytelling as a whole: i think flaws are what really humanize // bring a degree of realism to characters, development of plots, writing, etc. a lot because nothing and no one is ever born or ever will be inherently perfect. nothing will be perfect as long as human's have different takes, views, and perspectives on life.
some characters come full circle, others don't or have longer timelines to their journey's. since any sort of fictional writing is subjective, it's ultimately up to the author's discretion to decide when a story can or cannot be finished.
i guess the question you ask yourself is where does the need for satisfaction in your writing come from? at least for me, it's when i can see a character's gain the perspectives and tools they need to push them through to their own growth and desires.
i knew i was done with this first draft because the plot of the FMC was more or less solidified. she didn't know who she was at all at the beginning, but knew exactly who she is and what she wanted by the end. as for the development of other said characters who disappeared into thin air, and messy subplots that run into brick walls; those can certainly be improved over the next two or three drafts.
another note stories and storytelling as a whole: i think flaws are what really humanize // bring a degree of realism to characters, development of plots, writing, etc. a lot because nothing and no one is ever born or ever will be inherently perfect. nothing will be perfect as long as human's have different takes, views, and perspectives on life.
some characters come full circle, others don't or have longer timelines to their journey's. since any sort of fictional writing is subjective, it's ultimately up to the author's discretion to decide when a story can or cannot be finished.
i guess the question you ask yourself is where does the need for satisfaction in your writing come from? at least for me, it's when i can see a character's gain the perspectives and tools they need to push them through to their own growth and desires.
hope this helps!