After Firsts

So we talked about firsts.

Some of you are still neck-deep with your first novel, whether writing, editing or querying. Many haven't looked at their early manuscripts in ages. Others have worked and reworked with potential still looming; others yet have already found success with numero uno. Further proof we all have our own paths, yes?

But one common thought gleaned from Monday's post was that we learn incredible amounts from our first attempts. Lady Glamis said it well: "No writing is ever wasted writing." I dare say we shouldn't regret any step we've taken, any word we've written.

Another prevailing thought was, there's a next stage. We've a reason to move forward, to keep going: We write. More. Better. There are other stories to be told, and we want to tell 'em.

Great news, isn't it?

You know what else? I've never been part of such a sincere and supportive group of people. Your encouragement is somethin' else. If you're in need of a good dose today, visit the comments from my Firsts post.

Now write on!

A Personal Case of Foreshadowing

On the way home from church and errands yesterday, amid family talk about trucks from China, plants vs. animals, and Santa's elves (we covered a lot), I made a random comment to my husband.

“I hope if Avalon doesn’t accept my book, they at least offer some constructive criticism.”

I hadn’t spoken with him about my manuscript in awhile...

Fast-forward to our road, when I said, “Let’s stop at the mailbox. I didn’t get yesterday’s mail.”

The second the flap came down, I gasped. One lonely letter lay inside, post-marked from New York. And I knew.

“It’s too thin to be good news.” I clutched it in my hands, not ready for its message.

“So open it,” my husband pressed.

The second of grasping hope, when I thought Maybe it's a letter asking me to call them, didn't last long.

It was short and to-the-point: Bliss Lake isn't right for them. They felt pacing was slow at times, and that the "religious undertones" weren't in line with their more secular preferences. (Terri, this answers a question you and I had once...) For anyone curious about what they consider religious, characters in Bliss Lake attend church a few times (with brushed-over details of a particular sermon's message), God is mentioned, and the main character prays in thought, though no overt Christianity is presented. I myself thought it was all indirect and minor to plot. So now we know.

The editors also had concerns over the presence of a stalker. While he created an ambience that didn't fit with their "family-friendly guidelines," his existence didn't present the right kind of tension between the hero and heroine, either.

So what does all this mean to me? I don't know yet.

I know I'm really disappointed. Really. I feel like my sails have lost their wind. Now - instead of a writer being considered - I'm just a writer. I feel less validated. I have to start all over again. And I have some decisions to make. Do I try to tweak pacing (if I end up agreeing) and find Christian markets, to see what they think of Bliss Lake? Or do I chalk the whole thing up to practice and experience? Many do that. It is my first novel, after all. And I tried the agent route, too. No takers.

I don't want to say I give up. Because I won't. Not on this dream of writing and being published at the novel level, anyway. The first thing I said to my husband was, "I'll keep trudgin'." So I'll strap on my boots and push myself onward.

Here I go.

HOLY SQUEE!

In the mail this afternoon was a FULL manuscript request (on spec) from Avalon Books! Can you believe it? I can't believe it! I know this means nothing significant quite yet, but it still means something, you know?

Ohmygoodnessgivemeachillpillandcallmegood, I'm SO excited!

For now I have to calm myself enough to read the letter in its entirety, but I'll fill you in more later. I just had to come deliver this rockin' news!

SO excited!

And was it Terri who suggested I submit to Avalon? Thank you, thank you, thank you!

A Job Ends

I've spent the last few months - a pace upon which the client and I agreed - professionally critiquing a manuscript. (See my writing and editing business.) I finished my final review this evening.

I'm pleased the work is done, for now I can (until the next job comes, that is) focus on my own manuscript edits. But I'm also sad to see it end, because assisting another writer with their work proved envigorating for me. I loved throwing myself into their manuscript, playing a professional role in figuring out how to make the story better and, maybe most importantly, building a rapport and gaining a friend.

I hope to do it again soon.

Edits: Best With A Dose Of AW

Can I tell you something? Come closer.

AW (the network for writers) deserves a fair size of my devotion. Why? Because as I've been editing my heart out this week, the forums have been crucial to my progress. But it's not what you think. It's more than the wealth of knowledge, the leagues of support, found among the threads.

Scenario:

My Word doc window is up; I'm fine-tuning the narrative and tweaking the flow. But then an awkward phrase sneaks up and I'm stuck. My brain can't work out the proper edit, not just yet, and my thoughts have to stew for a bit. But to stare at the words in front of me, willing the right changes to appear, would be a bad thing. I have to redirect my attention while my writer's mind figures out, subconsciously, what to do. So I jump to another window, the one with AW. I check my subscribed threads, banter with my buddies and peruse the boards. I recheck my manuscript, thinking almost there, and hop back to AW again. But during the next minute or two spent in Office Party or Novel Writing (specific threads), something clicks. My brain begins to whir, my juices start to flow, and I can face that icky part of the manuscript again. I pull it up and watch as unfolds before me. The appropriate words come to me and the story moves ahead, better than I could have imagined.

Thank you, AW. Thank you.

Edits Abound!

I'm one of those goobs who actually enjoys doing edits. I really like diggin' in to polish things up, and find great satisfaction in doing so.

It's going pretty well with edits on my manuscript, if I do say so myself. But I'd have never figured so many edits were needed! I know that sounds presumptuous; that's not how I mean it. It's just that I've always been the kind to edit as I go, as much as I can, and I'd been pretty happy with the first several chapters at each one's completion. I assumed it'd be quick to breeze through 'em. But, man, was I mistaken.

I've been surprised at how much needs tweaking - or just plain deleting. Having been away from those early chapters for so long, it was with completely fresh eyes that my official edits began. And I've been seeing so many ways to make everything better. I only hope it continues to go well, with a smooth flow to the end!

Business Is Booming!

Okay, so perhaps it's more like squeaking. Oh, how I love the sound of squeaks in the afternoon... But word of my services is getting out, and I've been approached for a smattering of jobs. (To view the details of my business click here or use the link over there -->, under important sites)

One exciting project is the critiquing of (part of) a mystery/suspense manuscript. I've kept busy with it the last couple of days, working on its format and flow, and hope to get my final review done this evening. The client has been great to work with, which makes my job that much more enjoyable.

I'm also stoked about creating a business name and slogan/tagline for someone. My ideas have been met with enthusiasm thus far, and I'm eager to give her my full list of suggestions later this week. She also plans to use my services down the line, for editing of pamphlets and other forms of advertising. So fun!

On another front, just yesterday I received the novel I'll be reviewing online in April. It sits next to me right now, begging me to pick it up. Soon, paperback, soon...

Then, of course, there's my own WIP, individual of Something She Wrote. I didn't get the chance to work on it at all yesterday, but I'll pull it up later and see what I can do.

*squeak squeak*

ETA: Anybody know what the deal is with the format on Blogger? Sometimes it chooses to double-space me, other times it's single-spaced. My post about Sally, my new Alphasmart, included both. *shrugs* By golly! It just did it again!

How Much is Too Much?

Seems like my days are filling with more and more writing. And there's nothing wrong with that. But I'm wondering at what point will I take on too much. Maybe it's not even the time I devote to writing that concerns me, but rather the time I devote to other things while plopped at the computer.

I have no less than four windows minimized on any given day. My personal MySpace page (and blog) is an important one; it's switched out through the day with my business page, also on MySpace. Yahoo is typically up, and again I bounce between my personal and business inboxes. The forums at Absolute Write have become a standard for me; I've learned endless new things and have made connections with great people. (I love the ongoing banter.) And here's this new thing for me, Blogger. LOVE it! I think it's going to prove great for networking, as well, and what more could I ask for?

The thing that concerns me is that, though each of the sites mentioned above have to do with writing on some level, there's a whole lot of messin' around to do and fun to be had on each, as well. A girl could waste massive amounts of time doing little piddly, fun things, instead of, say, working on the stagnate manuscript that's been staring her in the face for over a month. Many times I rave about how things such as MySpace surveys and AW forums get my brain working and exercised, ready to take on whatever mental block I'm trying to get past. It's worked that way before, honest! But now I fear I've become comfortable with merely playing around on these sites, and I'm avoiding the real work to be done.

I have been busy with small writing projects: I've sent off several article subs in the last few weeks, and (as mentioned yesterday) have begun writing as a columnist for a local paper. Those things keep me busy, and I love it all. I think, though, I've been - subconsciously, maybe - putting off work on my novel. I'm in chapter 13, which is pretty darn good. I know what my ultimate destination is, and even some of the routes I'll take to get there, but I'm stuck and I just don't know which way to go.

So, after all this rambling... what I guess I'm wondering is... have my other writing projects (and playtime) taken away from my most important goal and dream, that of completing my novel? How do I get back into the groove of my ms? Do I have to leave all the other windows down and closed until I've written something - anything! - on my WIP?

And then, of course, I didn't even mentioned the two precious preschoolers I'm responsible for day in and day out. Or the household I have to run. How to Spaghetti-O's and laundry fit into all this?