"The profession of book writing makes horse racing seem like a solid, stable business."
--John Steinbeck
--John Steinbeck
I don't know about all of you, but there are times when the publishing business makes me want to beat my head against a dead horse. Well, you know what I mean. ^_^ So today we are celebrating our victories.
First of all, I got my wish for 200 followers for my 200th post. How cool is that?
And to celebrate, I'm giving away a copy of Megan Bostic's NEVER EIGHTEEN to a follower who answers this question:
What is the nicest thing anyone has ever said about your writing?
Don't be shy. Today I'm giving you permission to share those encouraging words. Here are the words I recently received from an editor that made me feel like I can keep hoofing it around the publishing racetrack:
"It's a book that greatly deserves publication. . ."
Okay. Your turn. ^_^
And how was your week?
And how was your week?
The nicest thing for me isn't so much the words, but the situation. When people ask me what I do for a living and I mumble about my paying job (which is non-writing), my husband will cut in and add, "She's a really talented writer, too." His support means the world to me.
ReplyDeleteI had another good WIPMadness week of editing. Only 50 pages left before beta readers! The last 50 are, of course, a mess, but I've jotted notes and can hopefully have it done by the end of the month.
Supportive husbands are a great blessing. Excited about your progress. Go, go, go!
DeleteIn my last round of subs, an editor at Little, Brown said that I had an excellent voice and was obviously a very talented writer. Even though they passed, it sure felt like a win to me.
ReplyDeleteI'm steadily working on revisions for Through Hiker - I'd like to finish this round by early June so I can send it off to betas before I head south for my high school reunion in Alabama. If anyone's interested in beta'ing an edgy raw YA contemporary (sex and drugs, be warned) - I'd love to have a couple of readers in early-mid June.
Post those words on your wriitng wall. ^_^ And enjoy those revisions.
DeleteOoooh, what a very nice post. It's so important to keep the positive feedback we get in mind, especially in the face of rejection. You guys have such inspiring lines of niceness!
ReplyDeleteAs for me, my favorite lines of late are things like, "I'd love to read the full manuscript." *coughs*
JRo, you know I'm up for reading your full when you're ready, right? I loved the beginning I read months ago, so I can't wait to read the whole thing.
I am forging ahead with my Shiny New Idea I started on over the weekend. OMG I <3 working on a new manuscript. This is my first truly high concept story, so it's quite different from anything I've ever written. I still want to get back to my Sci-Fi, so I might end up juggling the two, but for now, I'm happy where I am.
Have a great week, all!
Kip
Oooooh. We like to hear those words. ^_^ And how wonderful to be distracted and happy with a New Shiny.
DeleteGreat Kip!
DeleteThe nicest thing ever said of my writing is that it hooked them and they want to read more.
ReplyDeleteI skipped a day yesterday but I'm still over half done my read through of the whole book! And also done 51% of May's goal. Still set to finish early :)
Hooked and left wanting more is very nice. ^_^ Yay for being ahead of the goal.
DeleteAt 2010's SCBWI conference, Editor Elizabeth Law told me that she enjoyed my story and said, "You know what you're doing, so go get yourself an agent!" She is not known for pulling punches, so trust me, I lived on the thrill of that comment for over a year!
ReplyDeleteRegarding WIP -- I am polishing a picture book. It's almost there!
You're right. EL tells is like it is. Have fun with the polishing so we can throw confetti when it's done.
DeleteSomebody told me once that my writing reminded them of Laurie Halse Anderson. Still pinching myself over that one! Congrats on your 200 followers!
ReplyDeleteGoing crazy with things that need to be worked on this week. Had a great conversation with editor and agent last week, but suddenly feeling like NEVER ENOUGH is coming out SO SOON and I have so much to do!!
That is one of the best compliments EVER!
DeleteGo crazy, Denise, in a fun away, okay?
Soon we will still have to go for a hike! Esp with this weather.
DeleteI think the nicest thing might've been one of our own WIPmadness fellows who beta'ed for me and emailed me a month or two later saying she'd been thinking about my book and had even told someone about this book she'd read with a "cool premise."
ReplyDeleteLast week's goals? Not met. Only 1 query sent (not 3); only 12 pages edited (not 30); only 25 pages read (not 50). No matter. I will try anew. Mostly, it's because I got carried away reading Ella Enchanted. *sings* LOVE!
This week, I want to hit my goals from last and tack on: 15 pages of WIP revision; 1 more query; 25 more pages of reading. We'll see!
Congrats on your 200, Angelina!
Progress is progress. And Ella Enchanted is so lovely. ^_^
DeleteWait, I set goals last week? *checks* Oh, yeah. Um.
ReplyDeleteBeta-reading? Yes, I got 7 chapters of published author fracquaintance's WIP beta-read. I still have a lot more to do, but by the end of last week I retreated into my shell and wanted to work on my own stuff again.
It's been a quiet week, though. I *did* manage to get more notes up on my blog, thankfully. :)
Just got back from the dentist's. In serious pain despite the requisite freezing. Will be napping now. Later, work on my own stuff, since I got nothing done this weekend. And a write-in tonight, perhaps. (Depending on how I feel.) Feeling good about this coming week, at least.
Happy napping! Hope you're feeling ready for some #wipmadness action soon. ^_^
DeleteThanks! Feeling a bit better now. And as for the nicest thing I heard? Hm. Well, there are a few things. One was an agent telling me that she thought I was an excellent writer, but wasn't looking for the genre in which I write.
DeleteI still remember one agent telling me that if I'd come to him a year sooner, he would have jumped at a chance to sign me. Or the email out of the blue from an agent asking if I wasn't signed with an agent yet, to send her a project.
ReplyDeleteI think it's been so very close for me more than a few times. That's why it's been so hard and at times frustrating. The big thing though is to be persistent and not give up. I keep telling myself that when I feel like saying, "To h*ll with this."
Yes. Keep entering the race and one day you'll hear a big, loud, "Yes!"
DeleteHurray for the big 200! The day job has been taking more of my time right now, but I did manage to scrape a few Mother's Day minutes together to cut 20K words from my WIP and start the process of re-imagining the arc. It's all good. The juices are starting to flow and i will get it together. Hope all you moms enjoyed your day!
ReplyDeleteLet's go, wipsters!
May the new words come as easily as the old ones went!
DeleteI'm not an aspiring writer, so my feedback has been limited to stories I've blogged or sent to friends. Once I was told that an antecdote "had perfect comic timing". That Totally Made My Day.
ReplyDeleteI have also been known to type up a very informative email about the ins and outs of health insurance. :-D
Angi - Congratulations on post #200, and follower #200. You make your writing community a fun and welcoming place.
Your blog makes me laugh out loud, Eden. Thanks for the encouraging words.
DeleteLove this post! And it's so heart-warming to hear all the great compliments everyone has received.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first started my path to publication, I began keeping notes of every nice agent rejection I received. I edited out the bad parts, and I ended up with a nice, long list of compliments--which I consulted every time I started to feel down. I repeated this process for editor submissions. (We got THIS close with my first manuscript, but not close enough!)
I especially treasure a rejection letter from Random House that closes with, "I hope we can connect on a project in the future.”
If that's not motivation to keep trucking, I don't know what is! ;)
Speaking of trucking, thanks again to everyone who cheered me on with the completion of my WIP this week! I'm going to blast through some revisions that have been bothering me, and then I'm going to let it marinate for awhile while my beta readers have at it. Good luck, all!
I did the same thing, editing out the "bad parts" to create a list of compliments -- a very good pick-me-up for whenever I'd get discouraged! ;)
DeleteWe're all SO PROUD of you, Lisa! Enjoy the revisions and thanks for sharing that great idea of what to do with rejections. ^_^
DeleteAnd forgive me LisaAnn for leaving off the Ann. I'll try not to do it again. ^_^
DeleteThanks so much, ladies! And no worries, Angelina! I actually go by Lisa in my every day life... Lisa Ann is hopefully going to be my writing moniker someday! (Although--jokes on me! There's apparently a porn star named Lisa Ann already... Needless to say, my blog gets a LOT of unexpected traffic! ;))
DeleteI love this! Such a good idea to remember and celebrate those little (or big) encouragements that really make a difference on this difficult road. I'm loving reading all the comments!
ReplyDeleteAn agent who recently read the full of my latest ms said it was "lovely and heartbreaking". He passed on it, but those words went a long way to taking the sting out of the rejection!
I think I should compile a list of my own. Thanks for the encouragemet, Lisa and Shari!
DeleteUgh, did I miss the boat again??? *sigh, hanging head*
ReplyDeleteI did send out 9 ms queries on a picture book last week, so my fingers are crossed I get at least a helpful rejection out of the stack!!! (Of course, I wouldn't turn away an offer either!)
Oh! And my nicest comment was just a few weeks ago. I had the pleasure of having my current picture book I'm sub'ing critiqued by an author. Her comments were "evocative & beautiful".
ReplyDeleteIt was difficult to climb off Cloud 9 and get it ready for submissions! I gave myself a week to sit on a few other suggestions before I revised. :))
Proud of you for sending out the queries. We'll eagerly await your good news, Candy!
DeleteWhat a fun post, Angelina!
ReplyDeleteA review of my first play in New York called the dialogue "loquaciously reminiscent of Stephen Fry." I love Stephen Fry, so for me that was pretty much the best thing the critic could have written. =)
I've had a houseguest all week, so I haven't done much work on my WIP, but my brain's been working on it in the background the whole time!
Hooray for critics and yay for brains that work on stories even when we're otherwise occupied. Thanks for stopping by.^_^
DeleteA sooperdooper agent once said to me, "You're a fine writer" and requested the rest of my ms. Then three days later he came back and told me how disappointed he was with the rest of the book. So it kind of took the edge off. I don't know that that is the nicest thing anyone's said, but maybe the most memorable.
ReplyDeleteOwn the "fine writer" part and let the rest be a source of motivation. Thanks for celebrating with us.
DeleteYour book "deserves publications"!!!! Would you like me to order a t-shirt with that printed on it, my friend? That's the best compliment ever! And I loved reading everyone's replies today. So encouraging.
ReplyDeleteMy best compliment was seeing a reader with a blotchy face after reading a sad section. SWEET!
Progress on my end is just plugging along -- aiming for daily word counts, but am not exactly setting the field aflame. Turtle timing it, I guess.
Watching someone read your work is crazy-making! ^_^ Seeing the reaction must have been very rewarding. We love turtles around here, too. ^_^
DeleteJoining WIP madness mid-month. What fun!
ReplyDeleteFits right in with the "writing bubble" friends who attended SCBWI Eastern PA retreat have been entering daily ever since (entering week 4) Or Bubbling in the Bubble, as I like to say.
"...on the verge of something great," wrote agent. Though that verge sometimes feels like an ever-retreating horizon. Still, those and other encouraging words keep me going -- sometimes flying, sometimes "turtle timing" as Girl Parker wrote.
Welcome to the #wipmadness, Ann. You can find many of us on Twitter, too, using the hashtag. On the verge is exciting. It could happen at any moment, right? ^_^
DeleteSomething to cling to... my agent once told me that my writing was "beautiful." Just that one word is enough to keep me going. Let's hope she has the same opinion when I'm done with this one.
ReplyDeleteSweet simplicity ^_^
ReplyDelete