I don't think I ever grew up. Seriously. Does one every grow up and out of anticipation angst? If so, I haven't.
I've had a proposal at Love Inspired for exactly a week and I'm already pacing the floor like a kid waiting for Christmas or my birthday. I'm quite excited about this as I always am when I send in a new proposal. Will my editor like it? Will the senior editor offer me a contract? I hope so. I so want to write this book.
But, since there is always a chance they may NOT like the story, I hold myself back from continuing too much on the story. Why finish a story that ultimately will never be published? (Let's hope that's not the case, but just suppose for a minute.) If I spend all my time writing this book and it's a no go, I may be wasting one to two months of writing time for something that will never see the light of day. Been there. Done that. Just because I'm published doesn't mean I never see the R word anymore. I do. And I have the bruises to prove it.
But, alas, sometimes it's hard to tear myself away from a story I've fallen in love with. So what do I do?
1. Keep a file and give myself an occasional day to work on that story just so I don't lose the passion for the story and characters, but not enough to keep me from writing other things.
2. Work on my next proposal. If this one is a no-go, I want to be ready with something else. That's not always possible. But if I can do it, it makes life easier down the road. If the story IS a go, I have my next story already started.
Does this help the waiting? Sadly, no. I still obsess. And I will keep obsessing until I get feedback from my editor on the story. Luckily for me obsession doesn't keep me from writing. And I have a vast many writer friends who are in the same boat as me so I can vent and whine. (Bowing head in shame. Yes, I occasionally whine about my writing.) And my agent is always good to me, so all is good on that front.
Rest assured, as soon as I know the status of my proposal. So will you! You'll just have to live with me obsessing until I do.
Until next time, many blessings...
Lisa Mondello
http://www.lisamondello.blogspot.com
Christian Romance Authors with Fictionalized Tales of Intriguing Edginess
5 comments:
LOL, we are all the same.
Keep your head up! You're doing great! :o)
I hear you, girl.
Since I'm still unpublished in the fiction field, it feels good to know that the seasoned fiction writer feels like I do. I can breathe easier. Now I can two breathes for every three. Thanks.
Yep, my writing mentor told me long ago the best thing to do when you mail off your proposal is start writing your next book!
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