I've found that oftentimes when I set a writing goal, especially if I happen to verbalize it, external conflicts pop up. Like magic! Evil magic!
Case in point: Get my completed, fairly pretty, wip to my agent by Feb 8. This isn't a random goal, btw, my birthday is the 12, my kids have that entire week off, and I had hoped to have the mss finished and to Steve by the beginning of the year. So...
Because external conflicts also present in the lives of Da Peeps, my lovely crit partners, instead of sending the mss entirely and expecting them to turn it around with their amazing insight included almost overnight, I sent them the first 3rd, and will send the remaining thirds as I finish. The 2nd third should be going out on Friday. Will it?
Since last Friday I have been beset by external conflicts. Bank errors, BPTeen issues, kids home for holidays, kids home sick, kids with friends over. What was a clean house is now a... yucky, messy house.
And if I let my mind dwell on it, I get cranky. I feel put upon. Why can't they be sick during that week in Feb when they're OFF school? Why is there nowhere else in the house my office can be, other than the eating area/kitchen/walk in the front door and there you are?
Why don't I own a laptop so I can ESCAPE and write, even if it's just to sit in my car? Why are we this old and still too poor to afford one? Why does my normally calm and even possibly lazy Lab suddenly have to be on my lap or in my face every 5 minutes?!
All external conflicts. All either out of my control or in need of my attention. So do I throw up my hands and say, okay, another goal I won't achieve, another self-imposed deadline I won't meet?
Not really. See, although this isn't an editorially imposed deadline, I know that these same external conflicts will arise when I have one. Sure, by that time I'll at least have a laptop and be able to move away from the more... slobbery, persistent ones, but I'll still have to dig deep and find the zone, the inner peace, and that wellspring of creativity and ambition to drive me forward to meet that goal. For myself. Because like our mc's, fighting those obstacles grows us. And because it is okay to succeed. Even if you do it with a messy kitchen, and dirty windows.
Good luck fighting your own external conflicts this week!
- Location:Desk
- Mood:determined
- Music:SKILLET: You Are My Hope
One of the things I'm MOST looking forward to upon finishing up THE BROWN SHOE DIARIES (other than getting back to work on book one of my ya apocalyptic thriller series) is working with my agent on revisions.
Yes, you read that right, stop spewing your beverage of choice. See, here's the thing. We've never done revisions together, yet. He signed me for LIFE'S TOO SHORT and immediately started subbing it. And though we've had a few rejections, none have said anything specific, AND Steve feels so strongly about the novel he's simply pressing on to find the editor who loves it as much as we do.
So, I keep thinking how interesting and exciting it will be to see how the revision process goes between the two of us. I've done agent-recommended revisions before, in fact, LTS was made immeasurably stronger by the suggestions of several agents, which I distilled and pondered and worked against the weaknesses I already know I have to battle with each novel.
But that is a post for another time. And yes, I know many people would caution me to lock this post tightly away from any editors who might chance by, and decide that since LTS has been rejected elsewhere it's not for them, but ya know, I figure editors possess their own style preferences, market savvy, and opinions about the mss they read and want to acquire. Sure there might be some hesitation about a mss that's been shopped all over and back again, but still, the right editor is the right editor. And she or he will fall in love with the novel, regardless.
Plus I always hope when I blog about writing, and publishing, and the process, that someone who needs some insight, or encouragement or just maybe a "yeah, I feel you" will happen by and find a bit of that here.
That can't happen if I lock this post because *gasp* it mentions that LTS has received rejections. It has. 6, in fact, if you're counting, and I believe each one simply brings me one step closer to the PERFECT editor for it.
So hey, you know, if you're reading this, and you're an editor, forgive the multiple commas, unedited thoughts (it is a journal, after all) etc. and ask yourself if you're looking for a ya novel that's hip, funny, unique, and moving (with fashion design, celebrity impersonators, actual celebrities, and a smoking hot romantic subplot).
If so, hie thee over to JDlit and contact the marvelous Stephen Fraser. You know you want to!
And if you're thinking, yo, this blog really isn't all that and a bag of chips, why should I read this chick's book? Trust me, I save all my best material for my novels.
Speaking of stepping in it and saying wtf? I'm not a huge tv watcher, but we happened across The Janice Dickenson Modeling Agency *reality show* last night and watched for several hours in morbid fascination. (in my own defense, it was WAY late, and I was brain dead at that point) BUT OMG is this the JERRY SPRINGER of reality shows OR WHAT?!!!!! A trainwreck, really... Oy!
More later no doubt,
Have a great day!
- Location:Desk, of course
- Mood:Ready to get back to work!
- Music:Sophie Hawkins: AS I LAY ME DOWN
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allycatophile- Ally Cowee
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