[Writer Blog] Revisions, Collaborations, Mortification

Time to get back on some kind of track – and to totally knuckle down and time manage. I will soon have four major projects on my desk. Yes, I said, FOUR. I knew it was going to happen – everything hitting, though honestly I thought it was going to be back in October. Yeah, it’s NOW.

My novel edits are about to hit – along with contracts. I talked with Selina last week for about twenty minutes about what’s coming my way. And honestly, I’m more than embarrassed… I’m mortified by what I’ve apparently been sending out as a novel. I admit it’s an “early” novel. I admit most of my experience is in shorter fiction. I admit I have lots to learn in general – but dude… MORTIFIED.

Now, she’s quick to say the story and characters are strong (my execution, apparently, NOT SO MUCH). But thank goodness I have an editor willing to work with me – in this day and age, that is RARE. And when I do this astonishing amount of work, it’s going to be SO MUCH STRONGER AND BETTER because of this process. I know I’m going to learn SO VERY MUCH and hopefully gain some new skills.

And you see this reaction here? It’s a good one, I think. I’m totally acknowledging I am so very not brilliant. I think the quote goes something like: “Your short fiction is so tight and clean. This was NOT.” She warned me about everything up front so I wouldn’t be mad when I saw the Red Ink of Doom… Honestly? I am a little angry…but not at SELINA, at myself for turning in something I didn’t look at for a long time, had God knows how many blinders on about. That’s not cool – and that’s totally and completely on ME. I have learned stuff since I wrote that novel, but it’s not reflected in what I’ve been sending out. You have no idea how grateful I am that I didn’t throw up my hands and say, “Publishers don’t get me, I’m going to just put this out myself.” Wow, that would’ve been… several magnitudes above BAD.

So what now? Well, first off – to all those other publishers I sent it to first? I AM SO SORRY I sent you such a poor example of my work – that’s not what I do or intended. I’m going to lay in some chocolate – maybe open the bottle of wine Julia Mandala gave me for Christmas – and pull up my Big Girl Pants and DO THE WORK. Because I want Yard Dog – and you – the best possible work I can give you – the readers. It’s what all writers should aspire to do.

Maybe that’s what one of these blog post days will be – my journey through the rest of the novel process (oh, yeah, and I also have to finish two collaborations and a Christmas Play for 2015). I’ll come up for some air at ConDFW. See you there.

Tags: editing, embarrassment, Four Redheads of the Apocalypse, Julia Mandala, professionalism, Selina Rosen, Writing, Yard Dog Press