You guys are so sweet! So many people came by and left the sweetest comments on my blog about me winning Cherry’s Nationals trip. So thank you so much for your support and kind words. I love you guys!!
So I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately. What this means, this gift I’ve received. I went to Nationals last year, but it was quite different. I gave myself permission to just have fun and take it all in. My pitching appointment got cancelled and instead of trying to find someone else, I just let it go. But this year it’s going to be different. With this gift I’m going to really make it worth it.
I want to see results from this Nationals. I’m going to hold myself to a higher standard, for myself and for Cherry. Cherry has enough belief to financially back someone on a trip to Nationals, I want to be able to show her the results of that backing. I want to come away having gone to a lot of workshops, with ideas and information exploding in my head. I want to have pitched a damn good book that leaves the editors/agents eyes alight with interest as they ask for the full.
Sooo that would mean I need to write that book first. That’s my goal, and I wrote it and put it in Cherry’s goal box again. I plan on getting the bulk done during NaNo next month. I’ve come to realize something. I have two longer books that I think are pretty good, but have two big flaws. The first one they both have: They’re not long enough. I wrote them before I knew about ‘the format.’ So my two books which I thought were single title, are about 20k short of being so. The second flaw: I wrote these both almost two years ago. This was before I knew about deep POV and wasn’t as strong on showing, not telling. I’ve gone through and updated them, but I’m still not sure.
The point is I obsess over these two books. I want to find them a home. I haven’t worked on another single title book for a year, because I want to sell these first. And I just realized it’s holding me back. I have one last NY link with these books, and if it comes back rejected, then I’m subbing them to epubs. It’s not that I don’t think they’re good enough for NY, because I think they are. But NY is tough to break into, and the length is already a big strike against me. Epubs are there and waiting, and are open to all lengths of books. And I’d rather focus my energy on writing a new book, rather than going back through two books and flushing it out to add 100 pages to each one.
Does anyone else have this problem? Have a book that’s ‘holding them back’ from going on to write the next one? Because we all know that with each book your writing improves. What’s holding you back?
Anyway, here’s my Halloween pic of the day. This is about how I felt before I gave my workshop on Friday. (Nervous)
Whoever came up with the idea of that puking pumpkin is a genius. Too funny…
My first full length book is holding me back too. I haven’t written a full length since - and I haven’t even sub’d this one cos I don’t feel confident enough about it. Plus it’s about 20k short too. It has some wonderful moments but it’s not good enough and I know it.
I plan on getting something done with Nano too. I need another full length under my belt and I need to submit the thing. I feel the same way that you do about Nationals. I really want to go this next year and I want to make it count.
Good luck! I know you can do it!
What’s holding me back? Besides myself and paralyzing mind numbing fear?
I’ve decided to finish TDSOH and get that puppy polished and ready for Nationals! I got such great feedback from the FF&P judges. 2 out of 3 wanted to read more. The third one hated the hell out of it, so I figure I must be doing something right. :D
I’ve got another chick-lit novella that’s been on the back burner while I wrote Five Pyramids.
I can either dig into it and finish it, or start my new psycho novel.
I just know my nasty novel will win!
:o)
LOL on that pumpkin picture }:)
And congrats on winning the nationals trip, Shelli!!!
The only thing holding me back at the moment is the daylight hours I need to devote to something full length.
I used to worry over making it to NY years ago, now not so much. I’d like something of my own in a print edition, but I’d be just as happy to see it over at Ellora’s as I would Berkeley. But then that’s probably just me.
If the format of your books falls short, I’d epublish them and move on. You’ll love the book regardless. You’re setting up mental blocks for yourself by dwelling on it. If you are bent on print for them, instead of shooting for traditional NY, maybe try a Harelquin line?? Some of their books have smaller word counts.
All the best!
Wow - so awesome that you won an all-expense paid trip to Nationals! How cool is that?
I sometimes think the fear of success holds me back - and it sounds completely irrational, but when you stop and think about it, after you’ve been an “unpubbed” for so long, you sort of get comfortable with it. And when (not if!) you get the call, it will completely change your world.
I just wanted to congratulate you on the trip to Nationals! What an awesome gift, and it couldn’t have happened to a nicer girl!
Love the picture! Too cute!
I’m holding myself back. My insecurities and all. Gotta kick myself in the ass every now and again.
With Love,
Tara M.
You know, I think I know what your getting at. For me it’s that I put so much effort into those two stories and love them even despite the lack of writing ability at the time that I have a hard time letting them go. You are right though, I think moving forward is the right step…so much so that that is what I’m going to do to.
Thanks for the insight
You have an amazing talent that I know will be shared with the world because I know once you set your mind to something, you accomplish it. I mean look what you’ve done with your writing so far?!
You know that I would tell you all this verbally but I’m still outta comission with laryngitis!
LOL - I love the pumpkin!
Shelli - I find it much harder to rewrite books that are already written, and I think the couple that I have rewritten, I’ve invested too much time in. It would have been quicker and much more fun to write something new.
Yes, yes, yes! My current WIP is driving me nuts. I hate it - it’s the worst thing I’ve ever written but I have a request for a full so I’ve got to finish it. I hit 80,000 words today and have around six chapters to write. The only thing that’s keeping me going is Nora Roberts words about fixing bad pages. I have to believe that I can fix this…this thing that I’ve written!!
Oh, I hit post a bit quick. Best of luck with your goals. I KNOW you can do this!
Fear was holding me back. I’m trying to get over that. I kept going for shorter stories because they are “easier”. I just decided to make some changes too. I’m working my novella into a full length because its my dream to have a full length novel under my belt that I’m proud of. I really want to do this and do it right. I actually think I was holding myself back more than anything. I’m chugging along trying to re-work GLWL. I’m starting at the beginning and re-writing and keeping some stuff from the novella. Its a long process but will be so worth it in the end.
Hahahaha!!! Love the pumpkin.
Totally relate to obsessing about a novel.
I haven’t written a single title book in 18 months *cough* not since the book that almost sold which I’ve decided to give away. Maybe it’ll exorcise that demon on my back =(