The Next Circle of Hell

Sounds like you've made a very wise decision. Gads, if I could afford it, I'd have all of my manuscripts edited before they went to my agent. I've made some blunders recently along those lines.

tri

Hello all.

Long time lurker who thought she'd join the fray to offer RRK and TaintedBoo submission sympathy. I've been out on submission since mid-January with my MG and we've heard nada. No offers, but also no passes, which I suppose is good, right? Right? RIGHT??

My agent (who is also JoyMC's agent) did say last week that an editor requested a longer author bio, so we did that. And now, the waiting continues.

Also, I am finding it harder to concentrate on my WIP, which still confounds me. I mean, I was able to write when I was querying and waiting for an agent, so in my mind I should be able to concentrate now too. Who knows!

Pass the spezna!

Owlie said:

Also, I am finding it harder to concentrate on my WIP, which still confounds me. I mean, I was able to write when I was querying and waiting for an agent, so in my mind I should be able to concentrate now too. Who knows!

Pass the spezna!

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Welcome!

I'm the same way, had no problem throwing myself into something new when querying. Find it harder on sub. It's like I still have one foot in the old ms. But, the longer I'm on sub, the easier it's getting to distance myself and get into the new one.

Owlie: I think my brain got stuck writing for the next contest, the next Twitter pitch event, or to start querying because the current MS was no longer getting requests. I forgot why I started writing to begin with: because I love it.

I signed with my agent, and my motivation to write disappeared. Which is funny, because I always assumed it would be more relaxing to write once I signed.

Rather than force it, I took some time to read a few of the books on my TBR list, something I hadn't done for the past year.

Recently, I've rediscovered my love of writing (phew), and I'm about 1/4 of the way through a new MS.

Maybe you just need some time to adjust.

Welcome, agent-mate Owlie!! Sympathetic submission hugs!

Welcome, Owlie! Fingers crossed for all of us. Writing sure is a suspenseful game.

One of my potential editors just posted that she's going on vacation soon, so there's some more delay! I know it's too early to be impatient, but it's hard not to be

Agh! Winter has kicked in down under, it was an especially blustery windy day, was all dressed up to ride my bike and then the howling maelstrom of doom that is a low-pressure atmospheric weather cell descended upon my side of town.

I think i've reached peak nervousness about my book. It doesn't help that someone on another forum who went out the same time I did has since recieved replies. SIGHHHH.

I think the first rejection will be the worst.

Well, my impatience has been answered. I woke up to my first TWO rejections, which is pretty much like getting a one-two punch to the gut. One was extremely complimentary, the other somewhat so, and the things that didn't work for them were completely different (of course!).

I guess now I REALLY belong in this particular circle of hell, eh?

Here's hoping for some good news to come for all!

RRK said:

Well, my impatience has been answered. I woke up to my first TWO rejections, which is pretty much like getting a one-two punch to the gut. One was extremely complimentary, the other somewhat so, and the things that didn't work for them were completely different (of course!).

I guess now I REALLY belong in this particular circle of hell, eh?

Here's hoping for some good news to come for all!

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Oh NOOO! They were quick at least? AT LEAST? (Trying to find something good in it!)

Treehouseman said:

Oh NOOO! They were quick at least? AT LEAST? (Trying to find something good in it!)

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It's true--if it's gonna be an R, I'd rather know that sooner rather than later :-/

I knew as soon as I saw the subject line that it would be an R...but then to open it and see there were TWO rejections inside...yowza! I have a feeling I might develop a negative Pavlovian response to emails from my agent.

Hi, Owlie!

Sorry about those R's.

My agent sent me an update e-mail, which is awesome because I expected radio silence for a few more weeks with her going to Bologna and all. She said she would finish my third MS this weekend (I assume on the plane) and we'd have a submission plan for which book to do first and what needed to be done when she got back. Now that I'm not expecting to wait longer to hear from her, the nerves have started again. I'm never going to make it through actual submissions.

Thanks for the welcome, everyone. That's what I think is going to happen to me, RRK. I'm going to wake up and find an email from my agent (she's east coast, I'm not), and in it will be rejections from everyone we submitted to.

It'll be like, "You want responses? Well then here, have some rejections!"

Sorry to hear about the Rs, RRK. Two in one go is pretty rough. Hang in there!

To continue our debate over the effect Bologna would have on response times, one editor just tweeted the following: "I'm so glad all ya'll are leaving for Bologna. I can finally read some submissions!"

Welcome, Owlie! An editor seeking a bio sounds potentially promising (though it's all still such a mystery to me how they do things...).

Argh, I'm sorry to hear about the Rs, RRK! Have a spezna and keep those spirits up.

Well, I just sent my agent my final revision (minor tweaks), synopsis, bio and pitch! She's on vacation the end of the month, but when she returns . . . I'll truly be in the Next Circle of Hell.

I had to fill out an author question sheet, complete bio and artwork suggestions, blurb, tagline, short description and all else in sundry, before the contract was drawn up. Three attachments in all. The contract is going straight to my agent first, which I like and prefer. I told this publisher that I wasn't promising anything but I wouldn't waste their time, and they were fine with that. So, we'll see.

chris

Welcome Owlie!!

(((hugs RRK on the Rs)))

Yay Martina! The next step is approaching

I just gave in revisions. Hoping this is it but we will see. I really like revisions and joke I could do it forever

ETA: Just found this great blog post about being on submission/what submission is: http://betweenfactandfiction.blogspot.com/2011/06/what-to-expect-when-youre-submitting.html

Wheee, Martina, good luck with the next step!

My agents told me they'll have the next round of notes ready by early next week. This is going to be a looooong weekend. I love revisions too, Smiley. I think it's my favorite part of the process. I know the characters well and I know what needs to happen...it's just so much easier than writing from scratch. Although having said that, I hope their notes won't be: "CHANGE EVERYTHING."

My agent submissions are winding down somewhat on my YA urban fantasy, so I'm hitting some of the medium houses and reporting back to her. The Thriller's up next.

chris

Good luck with revisions and getting those notes, everybody! I'm enjoying revision, too. I had a plot-related problem with a character that I originally solved in a way that made him less likable; my editor has a different way to solve it, which seems to be working. Basically, as long as a revision is a better way to do something I wanted to do, I'm all for it.

On the minus side, I've been spending so much time at the computer that eye strain is becoming a problem. Can't wait till the vacay from my day job that I'm taking specifically to revise.

Good luck w/that thriller, tri!

Know what you mean, Fuchsia. I did so many edits and revisions that my thumbs and fingers hurt for days. Early signs of arthritis, I'm guessing. We writers really need to remember to take a break from time to time. Occupational hazards!

Hi everyone. My agent said she was sending my novel out on round 2 three weeks ago and that we would talk the next week to confirm and then...She promptly fell off the face of the earth. No responses to emails or anything - and she usually responds quickly. In my paranoia, I am wondering if something happened to change her mind about the project? I am already worrying over what to do if I have to leave my current agent and shop my novel around to another one. I hate this extra stress!!

Well, a lot is happening in pub-world at the moment, so hang in there. I'm not getting much feedback either...