Six little morsels to wrap up the week …
1. Have you ever had one of those weeks during which your hair is always on end, you’re never quite sure whether or not your shirt is fully buttoned and you’re constantly feeling as if you’ve just stepped out of tornado? Yeah. I’ve had one of those weeks. Big time. But I swear it’s when life gets most hectic that the best opportunities emerge from the shadows to say, “hello.” It’s when you’re thinking of ten gazillion other things that progress really happens. It’s during super-hectic-tornado-weeks when we move one step forward — hopefully in the right direction.
2. As I wrap up this particular super-hectic-tornado-week, I can’t help but to hope that I’ve moved at least one tiny step forward. I’ve had an opportunity to work on two fun little freelance gigs that — cross fingers — will lead to even more. And I officially have one partial request and one more full request on SIAC (that’s my newest novel, The Secret Island Adventurers Club, for any late party guests).
3. Which brings me to a Queryrama 2010 update. Here are the current stats:
41 Queries Sent
23 Still Out
1 Partial Request
2 Full Requests
15 Rejections
That’s a 7% positive return with 56% of my queries still out in Agent Land. Trust me, it makes for a lovely pie chart.
4. To wrap up super-hectic-tornado-week, I spent the afternoon in the comfy living room of my dear friend, Cindy — happily wrapped up in the cocoon of my inner-sanctum writer’s group. I like to think of these talented writers and good friends my “Writing Besties.” They are the people I trust most when it comes to critiquing my writing — they are well-read, accomplished writers themselves and I value their opinions without end. These are the people who tell me straight, who talk me off the Ledge of Second Guesses and offer invaluable insight. I only hope that they realize how important they are to my writing, to my life … and to my sanity. Look for a post later this week about the importance of a good critique or writer’s group. Because for writers, few things could be more valuable.
5. I guess I’m waxing poetic so much because I had a serious case of Writer’s Remorse over the course of the past week or so. I’d second guessed my intuition. I’d revised the first two chapters of my manuscript. And, I’m glad I held off on sending it out to those two agents who recently made requests — because my Writing Besties slapped some sense into me today. And now I have an overwhelming sense of relief — and peace — about the state of things. Super Agent #1 has the version of my manuscript with the best beginning and now Super Agents #2 and #3 will, too.
6. I have no idea what the coming week will bring. I have a feeling it will involve more hair-raising tornado rides. And that’s fine. Completely fine. Bring it on — because if a blustering wind storm needs to blow open a few new doors, I’ll take it. Just let me restock my supply of hairspray first.
