There is no doubt in my mind her suggestions are flying onto Track Changes as we speak. I also have
no doubt my work will be cut out for me—pun intended—when she is finished with
it.
Still, getting that final page clean typed and released from
my computer was a huge relief.
Only If You Dare is
my second effort for the Dearly Beloved series of The Wild Rose Press, Last
Rose of Summer line. Albeit a yet to be contracted effort, this one had been a
struggle from day one. First of all, I totally discarded the original proposal
I sent to my editor, then a few completed chapters, characterizations and story
arcs that just didn’t work in the final product were also axed.
No more of that to
have to deal with.
No more days of five, six hours or more re-writing, editing
and the like. No more carrying the zippered case containing the manuscript
and a blank spiral notebook everywhere I went just in case I had the slightest opportunity
to work on it. No more turning on the light on my nightstand and picking up the
pen and paper I keep there because plot points, dialogue and other minutia that
had eluded me all day suddenly crashed and tumbled into my brain the moment my
head hit the pillow that night. No more half listening to what someone in my
family was relating to me (sorry, guys) because a small part of the story was
taking up a major part of my mind. No more stressing out because I missed, yet
again, a self-imposed deadline.
No more of my husband making dinner (bless his heart)
because I’m busy working. Whoa! Wait a minute. Forget I said that as we move
on.
For now, my life is full with or without more writing—isn’t
everyone’s? For now, I’m enjoying not feeling compelled to get to that
manuscript no matter what else is going on. For now, I’m taking time to simply read without
having to edit and or write a review. With apologies to my writer friends, a
real luxury for me. For now, I can allow myself to spend time mindlessly
watching television without feeling guilty about it. For now, I’m catching up
on some long neglected housework.
Whoa! Wait again. I said some. No sense going crazy overboard
there either.
You know what though? I’m starting to feel somewhat lost, at
loose ends. Bored, even.
So what’s next for
you? Jannine asked that in the e-mail acknowledging she’d received the
manuscript.
What? I don’t know.
Are you going to start
something new or rework an old manuscript?
Lord knows I have plenty
of those. Still, I’m sure which way I want to go just now.
That was when it dawned on me. Ah, the possibilities. Which
project do I want to tackle next? Ah, the possibilities. Limited only by the
confines of my imagination and yours.
Ah, it’s great to be a writer.
Also, visit me at my
Website or
Blog
3 comments:
Hoping my suggestions and changes are helpful! Having a little break is nice - as long as the break doesn't stretch too long.
Always helpful, of course. I know. I know. It'll be back to work before I know it.
I'm late in reading your post. Too involved in my own writing and also going over a final galley. I recently finished a project and because of a deadline was nearly brain dead when I finished it. I don't know if I liked the ending or not...I don't remember the ending. My agent's reading it now and she will do as Jannine does for you...send it back full of track changes and questions as to why my character behaved thus and so. But for two weeks I did as you're doing. Living. The first week was great and, quite frankly, very needed. The second week I forced myself away from story ideas until I couldn't bear not working anymore and opened a document to write Chapter One. I love the possibilities of a new document. Great post, Margo
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