Thursday 14 January 2010

I Am So Impatient!

I've never been good at waiting for things, or uncertainty. My book has been out for critique since a week before Christmas. It's due back by the end of next week, which is only an interval of a month or so, but it feels like aaaaaaaages. I want my baby back! I want to tweak it, and chip off sticky-out bits, and add enhancements to make it more beautiful. (Do you think it might be a good thing I never had an actual baby?)

It's supposed to be good to put a book down for a few weeks, inbetween drafts. Sometimes I've been perfectly content to do this, aware that I needed the rest. I know I needed a break this time, too, but I've had enough of one now. This is partly because I feel excited about my book again, which is lovely. I'm not worried about what my critters will say - yes, their feedback is bound to lead to more work, but I'm ready for it; I really feel as if I'm getting somewhere this time.

I have cheated a tiny bit: I sorted out my synopsis over New Year, with help from some of the lovely women in my short story group (you know who you are, and thanks again!). Writing synopses makes me sweat and swear, but at the same time I've always found synopsis-writing to be a useful exercise for helping to clarify the story's priorities. Plus it helped with the withdrawal symptoms. I hope Debi won't be cross with me...

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

ooh ooh! not good a patient waiting either. Hope the week flies by and that the feedback is inspiring and energising...

And the synopsis? Your secrets safe with me....

Elizabeth Bramwell said...

oh my, how freaky! I just blogged about this, too!

I am very impatient. Ilve learnt to be outwardly quite calm and okay with delays, but in private I freak out totally. I'm waiting on a couple of things to come back and I'm at a loss of what to do until I get the responses back.

Oh well, what doesn't kill you, and al that :-)

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

I have no patience at all and have to keep busy especially when I'm waiting for something that means so much to me.

I find writing a synopsis helps me too.

Carol said...

Sometimes I can be very patient and other times I feel like I have ants in my pants and can't settle!!

At the moment I'm waiting for the results of my Community Profile...(I only handed it in on Monday) and every time I think about it I feel a bit sick...the worse thing is that I don't even know when we find out if we've passed or not!! It's worth 50%!!

Ok, going to have to stop talking about it....

I'm very glad that your looking forward to your baby coming back and that your all excited about it again!!

C x

Karen said...

It's so hard to be patient, but hopefully it'll be worth waiting for :o)

Debi said...

How could I ever be cross with you, dear Queenie???

I'm really pleased that your connection to this baby is so strong and that you're so completely and utterly engaged with the process.

She's gonna be gorgeous.

Pat said...

I seem to be following in your footsteps but lagging behind and not nearly so well organised with back up etc. Must plough on.