The Waiting Period

Well, I've gotten the latest version of Wielder to Stan and now comes the dreaded Waiting Period.

Here's what's going to happen: Stan is going to read it and offer a few suggestions. I will adjust the manuscript accordingly and he'll send out the first round of queries. Some will be interested, some will not, and some will never reply at all. He'll send it off to the interested editors and then we wait.

It could be up to three months before we hear from anyone.

So, the big question is--what to do with my summer? According to my husband I should take a break. From what? Breathing? Eating? Writing isn't a hobby--it's a vital part of my life.

I will, however, concede that I need a break from the Holder series. Instead of working on an outline for book 2, I'm going to treat myself to one of my mystery novel concepts.

I've got an outline, a fabulous new set of characters and I'm arranging an interview with a police officer for research. Looks like it's going to be an interesting summer break!

Wish me luck!

Here We Go Again...

It seems to me that the editing process is endless. In fact, it IS endless until the book is actually on shelves waiting to be sold.

I've been writing and editing The Wielder for almost five years now and since it isn't sold yet, I've probably got more to do.

However...

I just finished a very big edit that might have done the trick (hopefully we will find out this summer!) Basically, in the last month I tossed out half of the book and rewrote it. I changed two character names, three plot lines, and tossed out half of the end.

Whew!

The plus side: I LOVE IT!!!!! I think I may finally have hit on just the right characters, plots, and wrapped it up with the perfect ending.



I've said many times before this that I was sure I had it right, but there's a big difference this time. Before I welcomed criticism--now, it's a book I'm willing to defend. (That's not to say I won't listen to critiques, but I would fight any serious changes)

We'll see, of course. There's no knowing until an editor calls with an offer. Still, I'm sending this new draft to my agent tomorrow (after one final read-through) and we'll see what happens.

Epiphany!

You know, the first draft of this book took three years to write. Great job, everyone said. The first draft is the toughest part!

Turns out the editing process comes a close second.

First draft: 3 years
Editing: 2 years...so far!

Wow. Am I that bad a writer?

And every time I finish a big edit, I think "Yes! I finally have it! This is IT! It's done!" And the thrill lasts about five minutes...until someone else reads it.

Ouch.

I want to defend my work--I really do. I want to look the reader in the eye and say "HA! What do you know? You are missing the point and the big picture! I'm not changing a word!"

Why don't I?

Because, all to often, they're right. They know it. I know it. I'd be stupid to ignore their criticism. How else could I get better? How is my book supposed to become "great" if I can't take good advice?

It's bitter sweet, really. I want to be a great writer--who doesn't? I want to be good enough that I don't care what everyone else thinks. I want to say "Who is writing this book anyway?!"

But I also want my books to be the absolute best they can be. Which means, when someone edits my book--no, rips it apart--and I know, deep down, that they're right--I HAVE to fix it.

I suppose it's a mixture of ego and humility. You have to have a certain amount of ego to believe you can write something millions will pay to enjoy. But you also have to be able to take the criticism that goes with the job.

Heck, I'm not even published yet and it already hurts!

Yet, in spite of the pain...here I go again--Epiphany! I couldn't quit if I wanted to. I can make it better. I have to make it better than better.

I'm not going to quit until it's the best it can be.

The One Thing

I am learning that while publishers will forgive some weaknesses (pacing, length, even a few technical errors), the one thing they cannot work with is poor character design.

And it makes sense really.

As a first-time novelist, I have many thousands of things to learn about writing a book, and I can take criticism--I can. But as my many (very patient) editors have torn The Wielder apart, the one thing they couldn't really help with is, you guessed it, character design.

How could they? They had no idea how to 'fix' the people I wrote about. It isn't their job. It's MY job to people my little world with likable, believable personalities.

It's odd, really, because as a mystery writer, I'm usually very good at characters. But I think when I wrote Wielder I made the 'New World' my main character. Oops. The setting should never be the main character--unless you're writing a travel-log.

The moral of the story? If you can't write a good character--don't bother. That doesn't seem like a positive, encouraging moral, does it?

Okay, let's try this: characters drive the story--end of story.

My book is a YA fantasy about jewelry and "magic" powers, right? Sort of, but that's the filling. (yummy cream filling, but still just filling)

It's really about three young cousins, each with their own neurosis, who learn to trust each other and understand that if you don't choose your path, life will choose it for you.

Good to know.

But do you see why, if the characters are poorly written, everything else falls apart?

And this is why I just spent the last month and a half painstakingly rewriting each of those three cousins and giving them life and sparkle.

Now I just have to cross my fingers that I can write interesting, likable characters.

Here we go again. :)

Still Waiting

It hasn't been a month yet since the book went out and (of course) we're still waiting. It took me a few weeks to stop thinking about it constantly. Another few days after that before I could really feel the creative juices flowing. And now I've finally reached the point where I can enjoy writing again.

You know, I've read writers' accounts where they say "Just keep writing through the slumps!" or "write every day, even if you don't feel like it." That's fine, if that helps you.

That didn't work so well for me.

I write because I love to. In the weeks following the submission, I didn't love to anymore. I needed a break.

I did, however, do a lot of reading. I DO recommend that. Reading keeps your thoughts on the written word while allowing you to rest your brain.

I'm back to work now, but I'm working on other projects:
Three other novels ideas and the outline for Book 2

I'm excited to hear about The Wielder, but life goes on. I'd rather the Editors took their time and made a thoughtful decision about my book (even if it means rejection), than rushed through and rejected it without a decent reading.

The your time, Editors! I've got plenty!

Submission--Round 2

Well, the manuscript fell into the hands of editors at five exceptional publishing houses yesterday and now begins the big wait. Last time we sent it out we waited 2 months only to find out none of them had read it yet!

So, here we go again.

You know, the minute I found out my agent had sent it off, I just KNEW the book was garbage. I KNEW I had no business submitting anything. It didn't matter that my agent was in love with the book or that only 24 hours before I was very happy with it.

This self-doubt disease drops in every time I commit myself to something. It lasts about a day.

So now, having recovered from that temporary pity-party, the question is what to do with myself for the next few months.

First, I think I'll take a few days off and nurse this blasted cold!

Then, when I get the writing itch again (expected in the next few days) I'll begin a first draft of book 2 "The Healer". Of course this means research, outlines, character reviews, and deciding on a fabulous, irresistible beginning.

I love my job!

With luck, I might be able to get a good start on book 2 before we get the next round of replies. Heck, I might even have a full draft before we find a publisher.

The most important thing to do these next few months is keep busy and remember why I write--because I have to. I'm addicted.

Death of the Research Babies

One of the most painful parts of the editing process is cutting what they call "your babies".

For some this means sections or scenes that they love. The writer enjoyed creating it and believes it to be the best work they have ever done--yet some critic wants them to cut it for the sake of the work as a whole.

I don't mind that. I cut the scene without regret--saving it elsewhere for another project someday in the future. No problem.

For me "babies" are the parts I researched. And I don't mean thirty minutes of Googling. I mean weeks, if not months, of reading, interviewing, and detailed note-taking.

Hundreds of hours of my life spent learning about the Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London, plus military protocol and modern weaponry. Why did I learn all of these things? For a prologue that was scrapped because it "had nothing to do with the rest of the book." True? Yes. Was I right to toss it? Absolutely!

But I am left with a slight ouch when I think of the time I put into it.

Other topics I lived and breathed for no reason at all?
Photography
French grammar
The Louvre

The funniest part? As painful as these lost "babies" seem, it's so worth it when you see the finished product and realize how much better it is without the researched gunk.

My manuscript is still, yes STILL, doing the rounds with publishers. But I just finished trimming it down and we're sending it out fresh and new this week. I don't know if it'll sell this time. You can't know for sure until it happens.

But I'm proud of my book. It's beautiful. It's magic. Before I cut the "babies" away, it was good. Now it's something special.

Let's see if we can convince a publisher that I'm right!