The Good, and the Suprisingly Not so Bad...

I got my first critique back from the literary agents, and while there are things that need to be fixed the overall tone of the feedback is positive.

My strengths were labeled as:

• Good writing (booyah!)
• Intriguing heroine (woosh goes the bullet I feel like I dodged)
• Engaging voice
• Interesting premise (whoo!)

A couple of the issues are mechanic related, but completely re-workable; such as the fact I use too many similes. I know this is a problem of mine, but I blame being raised in the south, where every situation has some kind of simile a person can pull out of their hat.

Some of the things she takes issue with get explained in the very next chapter...but I can see how they should be incorporated in the first ten pages; since most literary agents don't go beyond that.

My brain is already brewing on how to change the first chapter, and I'm so excited I can barely type!

I took a five hour right before getting the message in my email, fate, maybe? Should I try to type out some of the new intro tonight, or wait until I'm not running on four hours of sleep, adrenaline, and a caffeine high?

We'll see... Right now I want to do nothing more than jump up and down and scream my somewhat success to the rooftops, hah!

That Twist in your Gut and Hitch in your Breath

"Because I get nervous all the time. It's weird but I think it's fun and it's refreshing. It's always good to be that way. That keeps me appreciative of everything."

- Christina Milian

As most people who enjoy reading do these days, I subscribe or favorite various authors whose books I love reading. Then there are moments in life where it seems as if things fit perfectly, like pieces of a puzzle falling into place. 

As each day progresses toward my writing class tomorrow morning, (which by the way I discovered I have to be on at six in the morning, not nine, gah!), I find myself even more nervous as each hour passes. When checking my Facebook feed, I find one of the authors on my favorite list posting how nervous she is going into a business meeting about her books. Well she uses the word stress, but in my mind a person is stressing out partially due to the fact they are nervous.

While it doesn't do anything to reduce the level of nerves I'm experiencing, it makes me feel a little better to know even extremely successful authors still get that way. As I said, some things just happen with amazing timing and seeing her post this week was one of those moments for me.

 

Writing can be a little like falling in love with someone. You are putting so much of yourself into the 'relationship' it can be somewhat devastating when rejection occurs. It is as if people aren't saying, "Your work isn't good enough", but, "You're not good enough." It hurts. With enough rejection, it seems as though you'll never find the one. 

However, these feelings running through me like a pack of excited puppies lets me know I haven't given up an ounce of hope yet; but I'm still worried about the outcome. That being said, I don't think I'd ever want the feeling to leave. As nerve-wracking as it may be, the quote gets it correct. 

Wish me luck! This is not what I want to see Saturday:

Something from Nothing

Major philosophy aside, there are times in life where a person must put themselves, and their wallets, out on a limb to get what they desire. Those of you who know me, know that I truly despise spending money on myself; and it can make me feel a little sick to my stomach at times. It sounds a little more extreme than it is, but it certainly doesn't make me feel good. Now, my husband and daughter are a completely different story, but that is beside the point.

I broke down and purchased a 'class' through Writer's Digest. In this class, a literary agent will review and critique the first ten pages of my manuscript. As anyone who has submitted a query knows, you're not going to get a reason why your query was rejected. It is a short, 'No, thanks!' In my previous post, I stated how this can be a little nerve-wracking; because you don't know if it is an issue with how you presented your manuscript in the query, the content is horrible, or if that agent isn't looking for something in your genre right then.

Having instant access to a literary agent who is actually going to read the manuscript would be all words synonymous with 'amazing'. The hitch in this, however, is spending the money for the class. As a lot of people in the world do, I tend to pull my punches in certain areas to keep from being disappointed too badly. Spending the money for this means I am taking a step in the direction of becoming far more serious about my writing. It can be a little scary, and I don't want to feel like I wasted the money. Right now, it's just time I'm spending.

I'll close with a fortifying quote, and try to get over it. In all honesty though, I probably won't feel any better about it until after the class; so wish me luck!

"I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying."

- Michael Jordan












-source-

I Bet it all On a Good Run of Bad Luck

"Destiny is a good thing to accept when it's going your way. When it isn't, don't call it destiny; call it injustice, treachery, or simple bad luck."

-Joseph Heller


Sometimes in writing, or anything that a person puts a lot of themselves or their passion into, you come across moments where you think, "Is this really what I'm supposed to do? Am I actually good at this? Am I deluding myself?"

I'd like to say that my faith in my writing is unshakable, but I'd be kidding myself. Who doesn't have those moments of self-doubt lurking behind every corner? For writers, it is the waiting period after sending a query out. Then when you get rejected you try to keep a smile, say thanks for your consideration, and move on. They say the project isn't right for them, and not what they are looking for. Then you begin to wonder; "Is it right for anyone?"

Bring on the pity party!

 
-source-

Any way, enough with the depressing thoughts. They extended the deadline for the Writer's Digest Annual Competition, so I submitted another short story. A lot of times when I listen to music the song will give me an idea for something to write; that was this one. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that one of them places, and October seems so very far away. Yeah I know, it's only a few months, but everyone has experienced that feeling of waiting and hoping for something. It takes for freaking ever!

In between now and then I'll keep writing and keep hoping; what else can I do?

The Crazies

"If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance."

- George Bernard Shaw


After reading a humorous family situation (funny only because it is not my situation) on a forum I frequent, and the fact that Nyx will soon be confronting her own lovely family, has me thinking; why in the world do people put up with so much crap from some of their relatives, a.k.a. the crazies?


Yeah, okay, so they're faaaaaaamily. That doesn't buy you a lot of points in my book. Family do not automatically get to crap on other people just because they have the same DNA, or are married to people who have the same DNA. That just won't fly. 


I'm not saying throw down the gauntlet for every infraction, but geez, some of the things I see tolerated purely because of blood relation makes me shake my head. This is my thinking on the subject; "Would you tolerate this from someone not related to you? No? Then don't tolerate it from them." Lack of respect is lack of respect; no matter who it is coming from.




Any way, Nyx hasn't become as enlightened as me yet, and persists on punishing herself for the sake of family. Just like with any other family, there are a few people she would really miss if they weren't in her life, but do they truly make up for all the garbage slung her way by the others? Probably not, and like everyone else she'll have to come to this realization on her own. 

Until then, a few words of advice:

Don't feed the crazies! It's like giving a Mogwai food after midnight; nothing good can come of it. In fact, feeding the crazies will just spawn little gremlins, but instead of killing you through normal means, (like catapulting you off of your stair lift), they slowly wear your soul down with guilt and passive-aggressive comments at every family function.

Memorial Day

Kneel Where Our Loves Are Sleeping
Words by G.W.R.
Music by Mrs. L. Nella Sweet
published 1867

Kneel where our loves are sleeping, Dear ones days gone by,
Here we bow in holy reverence, Our bosoms heave the heartfelt sigh.
They fell like brave men, true as steel, And pour’d their blood like rain,
We feel we owe them all we have, And can but weep and kneel again.

Kneel where our loves are sleeping, They lost but still were good and true,
Our fathers, brothers fell still fighting, We weep, ‘tis all that we can do.

Here we find our noble dead, Their spirits soar’d to him above,
Rest they now about his throne, For God is mercy, God is love.
Then let us pray that we may live, As pure and good as they have been,
That dying we may ask of him, To open the gate and let us in.

Kneel where our loves are sleeping, They lost but still were good and true,
Our fathers, brothers fell still fighting, We weep, ‘tis all that we can do.

As a writer, sometimes words will strike a chord in my soul like music, pictures, and even real life events could never hope to touch.

You don't have to agree with war or politics to recognize those who have fallen in the service of a belief that is greater than them as individuals, but made greater by those individuals.

There are times where grand words are needed, yet others where simple ones will do. In honor of those who have passed; I offer my thanks to all of you.

~~~Memorial Day History~~~

Life Happens

"All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on."

-Havelock Ellis 

Has it really been so long since I made a blog post? My goodness. May has been one of those months that sweeps a person away and doesn't give them much choice in the matter. Between my various obligations and, well, sleep, I haven't had time for much else. Sure, I'll occasionally indulge in some games. Who doesn't want to own some undead creatures with zombie dogs and jars full of spiders?

 

 

But for the most part I find that time is just slipping away while I take care of my never-ending list of priorities; on which writing has fallen dangerously low.

Then, of course, when I do find the time to write my mind goes blank! What a treacherous little thing, the imagination. Is it too late in the year to make a New Year's resolution?

On the back of all that, is my story any good? Should I write to be published, or write for only my enjoyment? Will those two things be at opposite ends, or can I find a good balance between the two? Its enough self-doubt for a person to drown in, I'll tell ya.

Either way, I'm making a goal chart (a realistic one), because I seem to work far better under deadlines; which any of my college instructors could tell you. 

Nothing worth doing is ever easy, and oh, the truth in that! As the quote in the beginning says, living life means finding a balance between letting go and holding on. Sometimes we have to let things go for a while before we're ready to catch them and hold on.

Tell me what's the word, the word count: