Thursday, July 19, 2007


PUBLISHING FREAKOUT

Because you can never be too insecure, I'm now worried about what to send in and how. I've had a website for about two years, but now that two agents are interested in material, I'm suddenly seeing every blemish for the first time. I'm convinced that if I don't have it all ready and perfect now, now, now, that I'll never get another chance.
It's odd how prepared I am to write, and how totally unprepared I am for the business of submitting and publishing. There is this idea floating around that publishers only want polished shelf-ready manuscripts. But the agents I spoke to said they would be willing to work with authors to polish the work before submission. Still, I hesitate to submit any but the most finished work lest I put a bad foot forward. But I laugh at myself becasue I always dreamed of this moment, the moment where I had agents I was interested in and who are interested in me. And now that it's here, I'm second guessing every decision, losing sleep, and generally freaking out. Hire an editor? Let the agent see the rough manuscript? Buy runstones and cast them before the full moon, or wait for Mercury to leave retrograde?
Either way, I'm moving forward and it's exciting to know that at least what I'm pitching verbally is interesting enough for an agent to request. Now for synopses of books, polishing of short stories, and the redux of a website that took me months to build. Maybe simpler is the way to go. All the sold authors have are the books they've finished. One page with a few pages describing each book. But as an unsold novelist, I'm trying to gain readers. Still, maybe it's overkill. Oh to have one book and just sell it. Variety is not really helping at this point. Wah! Panic! Maelstrom of doubt!

Tuesday, July 17, 2007


NEW YORK DECOMPRESSION

The second International Thriller Writer's Conference is over, but it's shockwaves will be felt for months. Ok, that's the thriller writer talking. But seriously. I planned for a year, saved for six months, and all to prepare for one intense week of New York. I met a couple of agents with a promising interest in pitches I gave, met more writers, saw some great panels and learned more than I could cram into my brain; hence a very full notebook, the notes from which I vow to type up before the week is out. (Confession: last year's note are still in a notebook somewhere.)

My search for an editor for "A Night in the Park" was very mixed. Some people asked why I'd need one, others recommended doing whatever it took to get the book out, and one agent said that most agents will edit as part of representation.

I'm daunted, overwhelmed and inspired by return. My house seems messier, my life more complicated, my writing less accomplished. But the dishes and bills and dust can wait. I'm writing as soon as I log off this entry.