People massively underestimate how much work it takes to turn an idea for a story into a working novel with a coherent plot and characters A common piece of ad

People massively underestimate how much work it takes to turn an idea for a story into a working novel with a coherent plot and characters A common piece of advice often repeated for fiction writing: when you finish your novel, leave it untouched for a few months (e.g. six months). When you return to read it again with a fresh eye, you'll spot all the clunky passages, clichés, and poorly written characters you didn't spot when you were immersed in the writing. The space of a few months gives you a more critical eye. That's the advice. Whether writers actually heed it I don't know. (A pause of some months might feel too long for some writers itching to be published.)