Waiting For Publication Is Hard To Do
Ain't that the truth. If you think waiting for your muse to strike you with the best novel idea ever (read evah)--well you are in for a huge surprise when and if you decide to publish that bestselling novel. Not only is the road to publication (whether novels, magazine articles, or a newspaper byline) long and twisty (finding contacts, submitting, revisions, and then of course deadlines)--it is painstakingly slow. Sure there are exceptions, but the bulk of us--wait a really long time to see our name in print under or labor of words.
Firs there is the writing the first draft. You love it. Cuddle (and coddle it). Treasure each and every word. Or if you are like me, painstakingly sit down almost every day and write with as much fever as possible (you never know when you'll get another minute). And that is if the muse is with you. If not, I still sit my ass down at the computer and try to write something (anything) to make it to the next day. Not only is that a long process, but when you try to reach near 300 pages--it can be grueling (not to mention daunting when you are on page 1).
But then the inevitable happens (well, if you are writing each and every time you can)--you finish the first draft. And boy, if you've never reached that point yet, let me tell you, it is the BEST high one can imagine. I would compare it to sex if my husband doesn't read the blog. Your work is complete. The hours, days, weeks of your time finally in form of a book.
For me, I was in the fiction writing closet for so long, I have a weird counter-action to it, wanting to share my writing immediately. I mean, right then when I type The End. Sure there is that one scene near page 45 that I didn't quite finish, but I have note right there that says what will happen then. And yes, I know the protagonists boyfriend's name changes half way through to James (because Jim was too informal). Believe me when I tell you, going back to only fix those little errors? It isn't enough. No one (and really there isn't) can write a decent first draft.
So what does one do (especially when they really--and I mean really--want to share and start jumping the agent/editor search, like now, since the idea is so HOT? You wait. Honestly, give yourself a break from the work. Some people say they can give it a week and revisit. For a novel, I can't do this. I have to wait a month (if I can). I've lived with these characters for months, I can't just forget them in a week. Hell, they are still talking to me, questioning some of what they did. Bothering me that I didn't represent them right on page 124 because they would never (and I mean never) say such a mean and snotty thing to their mother (but trust me, they did and do... it is called character remorse). But everyone is different. You need to leave the writing alone. Get it out of your head. Enjoy your family, the weather, some good old movies. Anything that can get your mind OUT of the book, for a change. And when that finally happens, then go back and start rereading with the critical eye. Rework, revise, revamp, and rewrite. It is the only way to polish your work.
For novels, it takes me a month or more to get a fresh perspective on the storyline and characters. For articles? Maybe a day or two. But that isn't what matters. Revisions make the writing better. I know that, you know that, we all know that. Hell, I taught that when I worked at The Writing Center in college. But, they really are damn hard to pull off. Especially write after you spent your blood and tears getting it on paper in the first place. But don't think otherwise -- you MUST rewrite. There is no other way. And rewrites--you guessed it--take time.
For me, about 4 rewrites (at least). My last novel that took 9 rewrites. And then another to top the cake (and now no one will read the thing). You'll know when it is of the caliber to show your prospective agent or editor. It will make you proud--you'll smile just thinking about. And criticism will slide off you back. Want to know why, you know that book is the way it is because you purposely wrote it that way--intentional and with entire abandon.
But don't let the importance of first readers go un-noticed. You need those too. The people you trust (not your husband or mother or sister) to read your out-of-the-gate first draft readers. Likely another author you trust to take a look and tell you if there is a real story in there somewhere. And those first readers? The minute you type The End, you sure as hell send them an e-mail--literally hot off the presses. Because that is what they are there for. And then wait for them to read it. (see? Waiting. The theme of this post).
Now onto my favorite topic, the agent/publisher search. This is where it gets even harder. Response times in publishing are slow. Really slow. You search for an agent, you get your top 10 list. And then your top 65. And if you are really still persistent a top 100 list. Then submit, following all the rules listed on the website, Writer's Marketplace books, or e-mail. And wait. As in weeks and weeks of waiting. Sure sometimes you get a fast response (by fast it is usually a week or two), but most of the time, it is near 2 months. And even more if you get a full manuscript request.
But hey, this gets better if you and your agent and submitting to editors too. Editors have day jobs too--that are what they are paid to do, edit books. So, reading another manuscript. You guessed it... takes time. It is all about waiting in publishing. If you think you can sneak by with easy and fast yeses from an agent or editor--don't expect to see your book on a shelf in under a year either. The waiting will get to you eventually. This time it is about 18 months on average before you just contracted book hits the shelves. It is just the way of the business. Not that in the meantime you won't be waiting for revision letters, edits, cover images and copy, author photographs to come back, advanced reviews, oh and of course release day. It is waiting, waiting and more waiting.
It's okay though, right? We spend hours writing our novels. Figure it takes just as long (and longer) to actually get that writing out into the world. If you want instant gratification, sign yourself up for a blog (or go get one). Write to your hearts content, and then press PUBLISH. It's instant. And sometimes you even get instant feedback.
Firs there is the writing the first draft. You love it. Cuddle (and coddle it). Treasure each and every word. Or if you are like me, painstakingly sit down almost every day and write with as much fever as possible (you never know when you'll get another minute). And that is if the muse is with you. If not, I still sit my ass down at the computer and try to write something (anything) to make it to the next day. Not only is that a long process, but when you try to reach near 300 pages--it can be grueling (not to mention daunting when you are on page 1).
But then the inevitable happens (well, if you are writing each and every time you can)--you finish the first draft. And boy, if you've never reached that point yet, let me tell you, it is the BEST high one can imagine. I would compare it to sex if my husband doesn't read the blog. Your work is complete. The hours, days, weeks of your time finally in form of a book.
For me, I was in the fiction writing closet for so long, I have a weird counter-action to it, wanting to share my writing immediately. I mean, right then when I type The End. Sure there is that one scene near page 45 that I didn't quite finish, but I have note right there that says what will happen then. And yes, I know the protagonists boyfriend's name changes half way through to James (because Jim was too informal). Believe me when I tell you, going back to only fix those little errors? It isn't enough. No one (and really there isn't) can write a decent first draft.
So what does one do (especially when they really--and I mean really--want to share and start jumping the agent/editor search, like now, since the idea is so HOT? You wait. Honestly, give yourself a break from the work. Some people say they can give it a week and revisit. For a novel, I can't do this. I have to wait a month (if I can). I've lived with these characters for months, I can't just forget them in a week. Hell, they are still talking to me, questioning some of what they did. Bothering me that I didn't represent them right on page 124 because they would never (and I mean never) say such a mean and snotty thing to their mother (but trust me, they did and do... it is called character remorse). But everyone is different. You need to leave the writing alone. Get it out of your head. Enjoy your family, the weather, some good old movies. Anything that can get your mind OUT of the book, for a change. And when that finally happens, then go back and start rereading with the critical eye. Rework, revise, revamp, and rewrite. It is the only way to polish your work.
For novels, it takes me a month or more to get a fresh perspective on the storyline and characters. For articles? Maybe a day or two. But that isn't what matters. Revisions make the writing better. I know that, you know that, we all know that. Hell, I taught that when I worked at The Writing Center in college. But, they really are damn hard to pull off. Especially write after you spent your blood and tears getting it on paper in the first place. But don't think otherwise -- you MUST rewrite. There is no other way. And rewrites--you guessed it--take time.
For me, about 4 rewrites (at least). My last novel that took 9 rewrites. And then another to top the cake (and now no one will read the thing). You'll know when it is of the caliber to show your prospective agent or editor. It will make you proud--you'll smile just thinking about. And criticism will slide off you back. Want to know why, you know that book is the way it is because you purposely wrote it that way--intentional and with entire abandon.
But don't let the importance of first readers go un-noticed. You need those too. The people you trust (not your husband or mother or sister) to read your out-of-the-gate first draft readers. Likely another author you trust to take a look and tell you if there is a real story in there somewhere. And those first readers? The minute you type The End, you sure as hell send them an e-mail--literally hot off the presses. Because that is what they are there for. And then wait for them to read it. (see? Waiting. The theme of this post).
Now onto my favorite topic, the agent/publisher search. This is where it gets even harder. Response times in publishing are slow. Really slow. You search for an agent, you get your top 10 list. And then your top 65. And if you are really still persistent a top 100 list. Then submit, following all the rules listed on the website, Writer's Marketplace books, or e-mail. And wait. As in weeks and weeks of waiting. Sure sometimes you get a fast response (by fast it is usually a week or two), but most of the time, it is near 2 months. And even more if you get a full manuscript request.
But hey, this gets better if you and your agent and submitting to editors too. Editors have day jobs too--that are what they are paid to do, edit books. So, reading another manuscript. You guessed it... takes time. It is all about waiting in publishing. If you think you can sneak by with easy and fast yeses from an agent or editor--don't expect to see your book on a shelf in under a year either. The waiting will get to you eventually. This time it is about 18 months on average before you just contracted book hits the shelves. It is just the way of the business. Not that in the meantime you won't be waiting for revision letters, edits, cover images and copy, author photographs to come back, advanced reviews, oh and of course release day. It is waiting, waiting and more waiting.
It's okay though, right? We spend hours writing our novels. Figure it takes just as long (and longer) to actually get that writing out into the world. If you want instant gratification, sign yourself up for a blog (or go get one). Write to your hearts content, and then press PUBLISH. It's instant. And sometimes you even get instant feedback.
Labels: author, publishing, writing, writing life
