Rejection Woes

I’ve moved into the phase of my writing career where I need to start sending out query letters. What’s holding me back is the fear of being rejected. I know it’s all part of the process. I know I can’t get better unless I get good feedback. I know an editor or agent isn’t going to magically appear on my doorstep and offer me a contract. If you don’t submit you might as well quit, right? LOL

I need a magic cure for all the doubts circling in my head. It’s not polished enough. It’s not good enough. The storyline isn’t original enough. Ah! I’ve worked many long, hard years on this manuscript and to think that with one glance it could, and probably will, end up in the slush pile makes my toenails curl.

Yes, I need a thicker skin. I understand that a rejection is only an opinion of the person reading it, but it doesn’t make the feelings disappear. This is the year I’ve promised myself I will send it out until there is no one else to send it to. I’ve made my lists. I’ve checked them twice. I’ve even made a pretty little box to hold all those wonderful rejections. Now all I have to do is get up the nerve to press that send key, or make that long daunting trip to the post office.

Wish me luck!! :)

The Waiting Game

The conference in October was wonderful. I've never been so nervous in my life, but I made it through the pitching process and ended up with three requests. :) That's the good news. The not so good news is I'm still waiting for a response. It's been five months now since I sent of the requested material. I know it takes time, but the waiting is the hardest part.

In the mean time, I have gone back through the entire manuscript and added new layers and details. I feel like it is even stronger and will have a better chance of being published. Now all I have to do is find that one agent or editor that feels the same way. They're out there, I just know it! LOL

While I wait for those, I've started collecting names for my next queries. I must submit. No chance at all if it sits here on my computer. But dang it's hard!

The End!

Wonderful summer so far. Vacationed in Florida. Loved the white sandy beaches. We don't have those here in Texas. And even though time has flown by I've made progress. I'm so excited to have the edits on my first manuscript complete!! Next step, get ready to pitch the story to an agent at the October conference. I'm hoping to start sending it out before then too. See what kind of feedback I get.

This is a hard step. I'm nervous about what will be said or not said. Form letter or personal note. LOL Rejection is never fun, but part of the process. :)

Goals

I've accomplished a lot since January. Now my goals are:

Polish and tweak the two manuscripts I've finished according to the wonderful information I learned in Margie Lawson's Workshops-
Send out query letters to agents and editors -
Finish Young Adult manuscript my daughter is dying to know the ending to, polish and send out query letters.

I want to have all this finished before school lets out for the summer on June 4. That way I can sit back and enjoy the kids, start something new and relax after a year of pushing myself to the edge. Whew!

But it's been a fun ride. : )

Merry Christmas!!

It's been a busy holiday season. November was a big blurr. Writing a novel in one month takes alot out of you and then throwing Thanksgiving, food and family in the mix really tests your commitment. But I did it! : )

My goal for the coming year is to get all these stories in tip top condition and send them out. Can't get them published if they never make it into the hands of those who can make my dream come true. I know rejections are a part of the process so I'll be getting a thicker skin and take each for what they are. Opinions. Take what I can to make the story better and let the other stuff go. I think that's the hardest part. Letting it go.

Wishing you many Blessings and Wonderful Memories!!

NanoWriMo

Deep into my story for NanoWriMo. Only stopping for a second to write something other than this story I "will" finish before the end of November comes around. There. Now I've made a commitment in writing. Gotta finish now! : )

Still editing and revising with my critique partners as well. I never thought I'd ever be this busy writing. Wow! I'm loving every minute.

Back to work!

Finished!

At last, the Fast Draft story is finished. I have a beginning, middle and end. Now to let it sit and work on other projects for a while. Then I'll go back and edit, revise and add. The writing is the easy part. It's all the hard work afterward to make the story the best it can be that brings out all the sweat and tears.

I'm about half way through getting the first book critiqued. I've learned so much since writing that first manuscript. It's really exciting to see how my craft has improved over the years. You've got to keep writing to get better. I can see that fact so clearly now.

And Nano starts November 1. So I'm plotting out the book on paper this time. Trying to make it easier for myself to stay on track. We'll see what happens. : )

Friday at last. These weeks seem to drag. At least for me. And I still don't get as much done as I'd like to. Organization! That's what I need. Maybe someday I'll come up with a schedule that works. Right now too many things pop up out of the blue on a daily basis to make and stick to one. I know, I know, my life would be so much easier. : )

Working to find the time to finish WIP and revising everyday. But no new pages. And that really bums me out. :( NaNoWriMo will start Nov. 1. So I need to be finished to focus all my creativity on something brand new for a whole month!

Time Gets Away!

September came and went and I'm still trying to figure out where all my time was spent. : ) Kids can sure keep you busy.

Still working on revisions with my critique partners, finishing up the story I started in Fast Draft, and getting ready to take the NaNo WriMo Challenge. A book in a month shouldn't be that hard after Fast Draft, right? 7 pages a day for 30 days should do it. Getting all my research sorted out so I can just focus on the writing.

As soon as I finish up with revisions it'll be Agent Query time. Yikes!