I have been busy going through manuscripts that have been sitting in the filing cabinet too long while I wrote on my WIP. They called to me, accusing me of neglect and abandonment, to the point that my WIP said, "Oh, all right, go take care of them, I'll still be here when you get back."
Well, actually they didn't say any of that out loud, but they do have the silent nag thing nailed.
So, I've spent recent days rewriting, polishing, and then... doing query letters. That has been an adventure in itself, reading agent interviews, agent blogs, Publisher's Weekly announcements, and I get the Guide to Literary Agents Newsletter regularly. I think I found good matches for "all my children" (soap opera music in background). Cross fingers.
The good news is that now I can concentrate on the rewrite of the middle grade historical novel I've been working on for about five years (mainly due to the research needed). And I think I'll do a better job focusing on it, knowing the other manuscripts are off the shelf and in the mail. And I can get back to blogging, which I've really missed!
How about you? Do your manuscripts compete for your attention? Do some distract you from others?
Congrats on getting some work completed. I need to slow down long enough to get some stuff out of the way. The WIP is calling, so too the mss that I need to edit. One day...
ReplyDeleteThat's exciting news, Mitty. Now that my Donner manuscript is being circulated to publishers (and a lot of nail-biting is going on here at home because I haven't heard anything), three ideas have been actively competing in my brain for my second book. I finally made my decision this morning before I got out of bed, and I'll be diving into the first draft of book two today!
ReplyDeleteJ. L., I know the feeling so well. How can the writing life be so BUSY! Hope you get to those mss soon. It's such a schrunchy feeling at the back of your brain.
ReplyDeleteNancy, so glad you are starting a new book! That's great. What age is it for?
I keep saying I'm so done with revisions so I can start on the second book--but all these weak areas jump out at me again and again as I reread the mss. Why can't I see them all in the first or second read-through??? But I did enter two contests recently, so I feel better about that.
ReplyDeleteGood for you, Mitty. I have out of town visitors and other distractions (although these visitors are welcome distractions -- people I love dearly), so must get back to it as soon as they're gone. You are a rock star! I admire your discipline. And I have missed your blogs.
ReplyDeleteKeeping my fingers crossed for you, Elizabeth. I am sure you will find an agent and publisher soon.
ReplyDeleteMy manuscripts are really nagging creatures; they scream for attention and start bugging me if my mind deviates from them.
They try, but I can only work on one at a time, so I do my best to hold them off!
ReplyDeleteKenda, I keep reading that one should enter work in contests, but I haven't yet. Good for you that you went ahead and did that. Keep us posted, and good luck.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the vote of confidence, Rosi and Rachna!
Talli I did my best to hold them off, but they overpowered me! :-)
Oooh, how exciting! I wish you much luck on those submissions. Fingers crossed.
ReplyDeleteYes, I have two manuscript revisions competing for my attention right now. Yikes!
Good luck with querying! And yes, my stories compete quite a bit. I have to decide which I'm going to focus on and ignore the others.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Julie, for the good wishes. Julie and Alexia, it is tough to decide, I know.
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