Give it up for the cat. LOL. 🙂
Have you written a book and now find yourself slogging through that lengthy submission process?
Are you trying to find an agent? What about cold-submitting to publishers? Perhaps you’re self-publishing?
It’s a battlefield, isn’t it? And no matter which avenue we take, it’s also a very long journey. So why do we keep at it? Ultimately it’s our passion to write, and we just can’t give it up.
Who understands us? Hopefully our closest family members, but more than them, other writers who know what we’re going through. It’s like the old saying, you don’t know what’s it like to be a mom or dad, until you’re one yourself. You can attempt a guess, watch other parents in action, but until you’re there, feeding those little mouths and cleaning up after them, you don’t really know the extent of the commitment.
That’s why only writers can truly understand other writers. We live the commitment.
This week I’m deep in my writing. I’m just a few days off completing the first draft of my current WIP, and I can’t wait to get it finished and see how the story ends. Yep, no matter how much I plot, the pantser in me still shines through. She’s going to have some fun, and I can’t wait to let her at it.
Today I’ve also received another round of content edits from my editor. I love learning, and my editor’s a fabulous teacher. I have a hardcover notebook and as I work through the edits, I record to reinforce the lesson.
So, once you’ve written a book. What do you do? Perhaps you’re waiting to hear back from a submission, and if you are, you’ll write another book. If you’ve decided to self-publish, you’ll still be doing the same and beginning your next project. If you have a contract like me, again you’ll be working on your next project.
Yep, what do we do once we’ve written a book?
You got it. WE WRITE!
I’m such a gem of information, aren’t I? 🙂 Hey, if you enjoyed today’s post and want to tell me what you do once you’ve written a book, let me know. Perhaps your answer is different to mine. I must say, I also go cook, clean and tidy up after four very energetic kids and a hungry hubby. My kiddies are a bunch of rascals, and aged 8, 10, 13 and 14. I also have a puppy aged 2, and I’ve mentioned him because he’s just as much hard work, but I completely adore him, because he never argues back. 🙂
Also you’ll find Protector’s book links below. All that hard work needs to be read. Catch ya later.
PROTECTOR–BUY THE BOOK: Amazon Kindle / B&N Nook / iTunes / Lyrical Press / Kobo.
Hi Joanne! 🙂
I usually write my novels during National Novel Writing Month (or Camp Nano) – so the first draft is always finished in 30 days – which can mean there are some days crammed with writing and nothing else, so once I’m done, I tend to take a break, I clean the house, I catch up on my reading (for some reason I find it hard to read fiction while writing a novel!), spend some time refilling my inspiration tank before I start again. I also have an almost 6 month old puppy, and yes, he is definitely just as much work as the kids!!
Hi Heather, I find it hard to read while I’m writing, too. Particularly a first draft when I just want to live and breathe my characters. When I’m hitting the subsequent drafts though, I head back to reading others’ books. I wonder if others find this happens to them.
Thanks for dropping by. Love that.
Hi Joanne, I always enjoy your posts. Once I finish a book, I usually have one day off and then I have to start writing again because I can’t not write.
I am the same as you, Rochelle. One day is the most I can have off after finishing a book. Even when I go on holiday, I’m writing. If I don’t I just feel lost.
Reblogged this on Kid's Ministry: God's Word in rich soil.
Thanks for the reblog. 🙂
You’re welcome Joanne
Hi, Joanne! Once I finish a book, I let it sit for a while (usually 1-2 weeks), then I go back and give it a final proof/polish and send it out for submission. By then I’m already feverishly writing the next one. If I take a break at all between manuscripts it never lasts more than a week!
Hi, Mae. I love the idea of letting a manuscript sit for 1-2 weeks. Your mind would be nice and clear for the final proof. And feverishly writing–oh, that is so me, too. I actually have a word count goal for the end of each day, and I don’t stop until I meet it. 🙂 Love that you dropped by.
hey Joanne 😀 great post. Lately I have a tendency to toggle back an forth between clicking away on a WIP, and revising drafts of other manuscripts. I love giving a draft a breather and then coming back to it when I’ve been deep within another project. It helps me to find areas that need work or don’t sound right after taking a step back, and I enjoy the story more because I haven’t read it in a month.
I love what you said about the lessons you learn from your editor. I feel the same and find it so interesting! I always go back to my other manuscripts and implement them into the new drafts, haha:)
Hi, Tera. Thanks for dropping by. I love giving a draft a breather, too. It’s amazing what you find yourself fixing when you do. It’s like what? How did I not see that? LOL.
Oh yeah, I love the lessons I learn from my editor. They are the most amazing second set of eyes. I actually reworked an old manuscript I entered into the “So You Think You Can Write competition from Harlequin 2011,” using everything I’d learned from my editor, and came away with a sparkling new ms. I then submitted it to Lyrical and it was contracted (and releasing January 2014.) That was the best feeling in the world. 🙂
So cool, Joanne! you are doing awesome with working until you find your books good homes! 🙂