April 29, 2010

Thursday Authorial: To Everything There is a Season

As a woman who's book has been written, critiqued, edited, looked at, critiqued, re-edited, re-read, tweaked, re-submitted, and finally, FINALLY HALLELUJAH, accepted, I now have the strange and wonderful opportunity to... WAIT. SOME MORE.
And I'm okay with that. Annette Lyon gave me some insight on Twitter yesterday. Those of you who follow us may already have read, or Twead, our little conversation, but it bears repeating.
I told Annette I feel like a wallflower. I've been invited to the ball, but I just don't get to dance yet.
Her brilliant and somehow reassuring, and yet all the more tantalizing summation of getting published?
"The industry really is, 'Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. CRAP! DEADLINE! NOW HURRY UP!'"

I can't wait to yell, "CRAP!"

In honor of all of you author's waiting on that first book, I recognize you with this beautiful symbol of patience and long-suffering for your art.

So, for M. Gray, Andrea Pearson, Tamara Hart Heiner, L.T. Eliot, Ali Cross, Elana Johnson, and all of you working, waiting, and wondering... there will be a time to dance.


And to yell, "CRAP!"

11 comments:

Mary Gray said...

lol, thanks for including me in the club, Krista. I can't wait, too. I keep sitting and staring today while tending the kids. Waiting. Waiting. I work on the other book, but still... waiting, waiting even for the chance to write. Maybe tonight.

nephite blood spartan heart said...

You're awesome Krista and yeah the "OH crap" moment does bring its won reward.

Annette Lyon said...

Another hard part is when it's your EDITOR going, "Crap!"

(Recently it was the design director on a call apologizing in advance for what she was going to say and telling me to sit down. Didn't bode well.)

But in the end, wait is worth it. Holding your "baby" in your hands for the first time? Priceless.

(WV is "belator." Sounds like someone who is waiting!)

Kimberly Vanderhorst said...

Ha...love it! Well, I love it NOW when even the initial waiting bit is fairly far away still. It's fun watching from the sidelines and seeing in advance all that I hope to suffer one day...

Josi said...

Ah yes, the W word. Get very, very, used to it. Reminds me of a cop who once told me that his job consisted of 90% pure boredom and 10% absolute fear for his life. Writing is a little like that...but not really.

Don said...

Yup, this sounds familiar. And since writers tend to be a neurotic and imaginative bunch, that waiting can lead us to fear the worst.

Since I will have absolutely no time for edits during all of May, I expect my CRAP moment to come sometime next week.

Good luck on the waiting and writing and all that follows.

Stephanie Black said...

So true. Nothing happening, followed by a panicked rush!

Elizabeth Mueller said...

And I can't wait to dance the night away!!!

Andrea said...

You've definitely pegged it! Grrr... The "hurry up and wait" principle is far more applicable in getting published than I'd thought it would be. Sigh. Some day it'll all be over, right? In, like, twenty years. :-)

And Don: it's soooo true! My imagination goes WILD trying to figure out the reasons behind the wait! Ask my editor - sometimes I call for the most random reasons, just to get my worries taken care of. :-)

Elana Johnson said...

Annette gives some killer advice. This is so true. I love hurrying to wait. Not.

And did I miss something? Did your book get picked up somewhere? I feel soooo out of the loop. :)

Krista said...

You guys are great! There is strength in numbers, even in the waiting game.

M., congrats again on your title! It's another step, isn't it?

David,YOU'RE awesome.

Annette, kind of fearing the "Crap" from the editor on the 2nd book. Yeesh.

Kimberly, I am sure you will suffer!

Josi, you cracked me up.

Don, I wish you all the luck!

Stephanie, I would guess a Whitney helps! ;D

Elizabeth, dance 'til we drop!

Andrea, see my answer to Annette? Going a little nuts.

Elana, at least now I feel better about fearing I plastered the news all over my blog, ha ha.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...