Writing this novel was pure joy - I finished it in six weeks, not because I was rushing, but because I actually wanted to write for two to three hours a day (even on weekends). I'm proud of this one, which is what makes it so scary to send it to my "beta readers." If they hate it, I'm not sure what I'll do. Of course, I've upped my odds of success by choosing my twin sister and one of my best friends as readers - they know how I write, and they know just how critical they can be without sending me into a shame spiral which eventually leads me to cutting off my own ear, or leaves me rocking on my heels in a corner, peeling wallpaper off the walls and licking the glue.
I have no idea where all that came from.
Anyhoo, after I get their feedback and incorporate what I agree with (or what they both agree on, which means I'm generally overruled), I'll send the novel to a few more friends and get their feedback, incorporate that, and then probably begin the long and soul-crushing querying process. I'm aiming for November but it will depend entirely on the feedback I get. With Jack in preschool, I'll have more time to spend with this baby, so hopefully the edits will be relatively quick.
But what all this means, really, is that the honeymoon is over. I can no longer live in my little dream bubble where my novel is wonderful and bound to impress all who see it. What this means, in short, is that the hard work is only about to begin. Now is the time to steel myself for the inevitable criticism, for the moment when some cruel person (most likely Sarah) tells me that my baby, while not exactly ugly, isn't nearly as cute as I thought it was.
It's a good thing my REAL baby is freaking adorable!
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| Jack's new pet snail, courtesy of Charles - thanks Charles! Also, note Jack's horrible nap hair. |
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| Jack's new hat, purchased to cover said horrible nap hair |
3 comments:
So cute, good luck with novel
I love all your babies (but I like Jack best - he's the only one that calls me Sha). Now stop worrying and focus on becoming a magazine columnist for the time being :)
I love Jack's nap hair, he is so cute! Love his new hat too. Excited to hear the feedback you get! I'm sure it will be great! xoxo
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