The story of The Kindrily barreled into my world like a Mack truck. I wrote the whole thing (plus parts of book 2) in two months.
After it was written came the real work. The editing, the revising, character developments, etc. Many of the great changes were because I had honest and fantastic beta readers that helped strengthen the story.
Now it's sooo close to being done (I think). I've got two more betas that still have to read through until the end. Once I hear their critique I know it will be even stronger. I wish I could wiggle my nose and voila! Finished. Ready to send to agents. Instead, I must practice patience. I know this--my father has told me I need to learn to be more patient at least 8,000 times in my life.
So I stare at this new truck, the one that feels like it's moving impossibly slow. I want to honk my horn, swerve around it, try to illegally pass over the double line, but instead I repeat, "Patience, Karen, patience." Then I take a deep breath.
Then I remind myself this is just the beginning. The Mack truck is long gone. I miss its flashing lights. I miss the deep loud horn vibrating the walls of my house. The future will be one slow moving truck after another (if I'm lucky). Query Truck. Agent Reading MS Truck. Editor Truck. Publisher Submission Truck. etc etc.
There is no room for road rage in the world of an aspiring author.
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GRASPING AT ETERNITY SOUNDTRACK
Uh-oh. Right now I'm that old person in front of you, driving 40mph in a 55 zone. And I hate slow drivers.
ReplyDeleteI've been using the beginning of my Unplugged Week to catch up on household chores (cutting my grass and the field next to me to weed out the snakes is not something I relish). But I promise that I will have the rest of my notes by tomorrow. I will learn to be a faster and more competent beta. And I will stop reading and commenting on blogs since I'm supposed to be Unplugged. :)
You hit it on the head here. I thought having my novel finally agented and under submission would mean open waters and smooth sailing. But what is it really? work. slow, methodical, never ending work. We'll get there...it's just baby steps, and slow ones at that.
ReplyDeleteYou know what kills me?
ReplyDeleteThe letting it sit part. Putting my manuscript in a drawer for a few weeks so that I can give it a fresh read?
I'm like a kid waiting for cupcakes to be finished baking.
Are they done yet? Are they done yet? Are they done yet?
Oh I feel this way too! I HATE REVISING! It takes forever and it never really feels done. And I constantly have to fight the urge to query. I find my brain saying, "just send one--just to see if the new query works and if the new first pages will get someone's attention." Most of the time I'm able to talk myself down from that ledge... most of the time. I'll get your pages done soon so you can be off and running. It sounds like we're on schedule to start querying together in a few weeks. :-)
ReplyDeleteGreat analogy!!! Sometimes you just have to keep driving, no matter how difficult the terrain.
ReplyDeleteVery clever and perceptive post, Karen. Until someone tries to write a novel they haven't a clue how much slow-moving revision is involved. It seems if anyone could wiggle her nose and fix it, it would be you!
ReplyDeletePatience is so hard, but it will pay off. I'm right there with you, in the same boat, waiting.
ReplyDeleteActually, you are pretty lucky to have had a Mack truck at all. I'd love for one to come barreling into my world.
ReplyDeleteAwesome last line! Yep, patience is what we need. Things will happen. I'm excited for you! Did you ever hear back on that partial request from the agent at the conference?
ReplyDeleteThe last time a mack truck came barreling anywhere near me was in a dream. I woke bolt upright, grabbed a notebook, and wrote the most fabulous poem ever conceived by mortals! Then I went back to sleep. In the morning I eagerly snatched up my notebook to read that beautiful poem again . . . and it made absolutely no sense whatsoever. Like it had been translated into Japanese and back into English a few times.
ReplyDeleteI admire you and your talent and your trucks that make sense, however fast they're going.
Great post! I think we all know exactly where you're coming from. At least we aren't alone in the slow lane. :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like many of us are on the same road. Except Tess, you're merging onto the highway! lol.
ReplyDeleteTricia, are you impyling I really am a witch? lol. Hope it's teh good kind. :)
Becca, I'd love to read that poem. Might make sense to me considering all the pain meds I'm on for my back.
Corey, yup. The Mack truck was fun. I miss it. :(
Jessica, agent requested the full but she's waiting until my revisions are done. (Makes me that much more antsy to get it done.)
Megan, no apologies neccessary. You've already been such a huge help. Take your time (but hurry up about it. lol)
I zoomed past that truck. Big mistake! I querried too soon. Lesson learned, though, and I'm driving much slower now. Good luck to you!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree. I'm a decent merger in general. Need to translate that to my writing "career."
ReplyDelete