Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Come Commiserate With Me



Every time I think there might be a little bit of smooth sailing in this journey towards publication

Whammo!

I'm proven wrong.

Each summit I think I reach is really just a ledge....with more mountain to climb towering over me.

What am I getting at?

Well, my novel was out on submission. It passed the initial round, went on to follow up readers (sorta like the acquisitions committee) and then semi-died. I got some good feedback and a request for revisions. It's not the end of the world, but...




it's mountain I face and not a glassy lake.



It's okay. I'm up for the challenge. I've had a good discussion with my agent and we have a plan in place.



Whenever my kids whine and complain that I've asked them to do something difficult (music lessons, homework, pulling weeds in the yard...) I say, "Yes it's hard, but do you know what? You can do hard things!"



If I believe that to be true for them, it must also be true for me.


It is hard. But guess what, friends? We can do hard things.


I'm going to start tomorrow. Today I'll just sit here on my wide butt and take a good dose of Ben and Jerry's therapy - double fudge brownie being the choice this time *sigh*.

*

34 comments:

Unknown said...

It's all good. Ben and Jerry's now (YUM) and hard work tomorrow. You've got this. You can do it!! Just make sure you don't fall off one of those ledges - that would be very bad. Good luck!

Anonymous said...

You can do it, Tess! I know the mountain sucks rocks but by the time you climb it, you'll have your own banner waving from the top for everyone to see!

JKB said...

You can do it, Tess. I'm in the same boat. *sighs and reaches for the Ben and Jerry's, too*

Mind sharing? ;-)

Nayuleska said...

*yearns for B&J's*

You can do this! Definitely enjoy a break before you get on with it though.

Martin Willoughby said...

Getting a response is great news. One more step and you're there.

Wendy Paine Miller said...

"It's a mountain I face not a glassy lake"-- nice! Ben & Jerry's = good therapy. :D

We can do hard things. Go. Fight. Win!!!
~ Wendy

Scott said...

Step away from the Ben & Jerrys!! Have you tried the Chocolate Therapy??? Yum, Yum, Yummmy!

Okay, now that you've binged on ice cream . . . get back up and start writing. Nobody, not nobody, said the road to publication was easy . . . which is why so many of us blog! You've obviously written well enough to impress and get an agent. So, do the whole revision thing, and keep writing. I know you can do it!

S

Unknown said...

An important post. So many of us think that an agent is an end to our worries, a dream come true. In reality, that is the only the second or third step of a really high climb.

You will get to the peak of this mountain. But you know what? When you look out over that amazing vista, and you throw down your spoon and empty carton of ice cream to enjoy the bliss, what you will see are the higher mountains in front of you. (other books, other stuff, whatever...)But at least you will have time to rest, right? Before the new journey? Time to catch your breath and say... "Okay, that one was doable, so are these..."

XO

Jeannie Campbell, LMFT said...

my prayers will be with you during this time! you're right, though. not the end of the world. and YES...YOU CAN DO HARD THINGS!! go get em, girl.

Charlie Rice said...

I can't believe what I just read. For an intelligent woman, you should know better! Shame on you! Double Fudge Brownie? Creme Brulee is the real deal! :)

Oh, about that other thing. I love your positive attitude. We CAN do hard things. Your agent loves your writing so keep climbing.

Michelle said...

Go, Tess! Go, Tess! And thank you for telling your children they can do hard things. It will serve them well in life.

Tess said...

Thanks, guys. You know how to make a girl laugh just when she is feeling a little bit of weight on her shoulders.

You don't even know how much the encouragment (and laughs) help.

Christy Raedeke said...

Tess-the exact same thing happened to me. The first round I got nothing and was dev-a-stated. But after a little tweak here and there, we resubmitted and found the right house for the book. It will happen for you!

So today, I nominate you for the Kreativ Blogger award! Come by and snag the icon if you'd like.

http://www.raedeke.blogspot.com/

Stephanie McGee said...

Karmel Sutra is the best Ben and Jerry's! You should be eating that! Not that mound of chocolatey detriment!


Good luck with the revisions! I know you can do it!


Novice Writer Anonymous

Amy Allgeyer Cook said...

Tess, you skinny-butt thing...did you know they make "Cake Batter" Ben & Jerry's now? TDF!!

Once those Newberry-worthy revisions start chaptering up, you know where to send them. :) xo!

Tina Laurel Lee said...

I can relate to your disappointment. It always takes a little while for feedback to sink in. You know, process, process, process. I guess that is what we are supposed to do as writers. Look at all the validation your writing has already received! How great to have an agent and make it to a second round of readers.You have accomplished so much.

Tess said...

Scott, Charlie, NWA, Amy ...why are you guys hating on my chocolate fudge brownie? True, I'll admit Coffee Heath Bar Crunch is the most superior of the B&J flavors, but the local grocery was out of that kind. Man, I thought you guys had taste ;)

And, all good advice given here. Christy, I love hearing your story. It helps and Tina is right....process,process,process.

Jill Kemerer said...

Woman, you aren't alone! It may take me years to get my craft to the level an editor or agent wants. I pitched my book to my dream editor last Friday and although she's looking over the partial, she was very clear about reasons it probably won't work for them.

It's great to get honest answers but disappointing to see the mountain looming so high above.

We'll get there!

Jody Hedlund said...

I hear ya! We face many more mountains that glassy lakes, that's for sure! I'm sure I'll be climbing right behind you. I'm waiting for feedback too.

Kate Karyus Quinn said...

Oh, Ben and Jerry's therapy is the best kind of therapy out there;) And when you're done with that - good luck with the revisiosn!

superpaige said...

I'm sorry!

Shelli (srjohannes) said...

just got mine back too - back to work! you can do it!

Anita said...

I like your take on this bump. You want your novel to be the best it canbe, and if the revision requests sound on target, they probably are...and the whole time you're writing, you're becoming a better writer for the next project. Spoons up! Dig in!

Charlie Rice said...

Creme Brulee

Charlie Rice said...

I looked it up. Yes, I have a little too much time on my hands today.


1. Vanilla 29.0%
2. Chocolate 8.9
3. Butter Pecan 5.3
4. Strawberry 5.3
5. Neapolitan 4.2
6. Chocolate chip 3.9
7. French vanilla 3.8
8. Cookies 'n' cream 3.6
9. Fudge ripple 2.6
10. Praline 1.7


Source: International Ice Cream Association

Danyelle L. said...

*hugs* Good luck with the revisions--you can do it. On the bright side, I have an award for you over at my blog. :D

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

The thing about mountains--one step at a time, breathing deep... and when you reach the top the world in all its splender is at your feet.
Your journey is on track and amazing.

Corey Schwartz said...

Here to commiserate. It sucks, but it's encouraging that you made it through the first round and got a request for revisions. You can do it!

Jennie Englund said...

Wait! Look what you have: an agent, an editor, and oodles of potential!

And I can totally vouch for Christy's frustration-turned-elation.

Hang in there!

Corey Schwartz said...

Tess, I wanted to write you off-blog, but couldn't find your email address. Could you send it to me if you have a chance?

Thanks,
scubacor at aol

Tess said...

How fantastic, I went away for the night and came back to lots of support from great writing friends...thanks!


Charlie - what? Neither creme brulee NOR Coffee Heath Bar Crunch mad the list? shocking!

kah said...

Mmmm Ben & Jerry's save some for me. It's okay, just keep putting one foot in front of the other. I know you'll be at the top pf that mountain in no time. :)

Michelle D. Argyle said...

Tess, I'm so sorry to hear this. I know you will make it eventually as long as you don't give up. Just look how far you've come! *HUGS*

Stephanie Faris said...

Ah yes. I've been close so many times it's ridiculous. Once I had an editor so interested she sent me four books from their line that she wanted me to read. I read them, wrote my heart out for her, sent it to her...only to find she'd left and I couldn't find her at any other publishing house. That's why there's really no such thing as "close" in this business. It could happen for any of us, literally, overnight.