Word count (to the nearest
thousand): 44,000
Status: Almost finished!
Attitude: Calm
After much weeping and wailing and
gnashing of teeth, I’m happy to report that Clyde is pretty much done (for now,
at least). He even has a title! (It’s DUEL/DUET.) You KNOW my manuscripts are
almost ready once I come up with one of those:)
This manuscript has made me dig
deeper than perhaps I ever have, not because I had problems with the
words but because I had problems with myself. There were days and even weeks
when the last thing I wanted to do was stick my butt in that chair and write,
when my own voice annoyed me and all I wanted to do was roll over and admit
defeat. But writers write (especially if they want to get published someday),
so I powered through it. I hope I’m stronger because of it. I
hope Clyde is, too.
Someday, I’ll write a
summary to stick up there with Steve’s, but right now, I’m kind of busy. (Also, I’m still basking in the knowledge that I don't HAVE to write a summary if I don't want to.)
In the meantime, check out this post for a few more details if you’re curious.
I have no idea if Clyde will
sell. As this post from Bryan Bliss and Boys Don’t Read so eloquently puts it,
the publishing industry owes me nothing. Sometimes I’d like to think they do,
but they don’t. So I’ll trim my fingernails (the writer’s equivalent of
rolling up your sleeves), stick my butt in that chair, and write another
manuscript. And some days I’ll think I’m a talentless hack, and other days I’ll
wonder why no one’s handed me a million bucks for the honor--nay, the
privilege--of putting my words into print (wink, wink), and hopefully, I’ll get
there. I’m still not sure where there
is yet, but I’ll know it when I see it.
Or maybe it’s been all around me
this whole time.
16 comments:
Go Krista! So excited to see all of your books on the shelves someday. :)
Yay for finishing! (Almost, any way.) I hope Kate can find a home for it!
Congratulations, and good luck with the next step!
For now be happy the finish line is in sight! :)
erica
I love your middle paragraph. I have moments like this too--I'm glad to know I'm not alone in alternately hating/loving my work.
Wouldn't that be nice, Elaine? :)
Me, too, Kayeleen! (And we need to catch up! How have you been since adding Baby Number Four to the mix?)
Thank you, JeffO! I hope your projects are coming along, too.
Great point, erica. If we can't be happy where we're at, we'll never be happy when we get somewhere else.
Rosalyn, I think ALL writers must go through that cycle, since so many of us talk about it. Why does self-doubt have to be such a part of the creative process? (Of course, if anyone out there has figured out how to bypass that part, let me know!)
Woot, woot! Good luck with it!!
I approve of the title. (Not that you need my approval.) I like it a lot.
I like the title, too! :o)
It's great to hear you're almost finished. The title is wonderful - really unusual and fun! Good luck! :-)
I could sing you Don't Stop Believing. I'm sure it would completely inspire you. :)
Heh . . . been there, done that. I feel your pain on that whole "Okay, maybe I am just a hack." Especially when I read a super good published book and think "Yeah, nobody is ever going to squeal over my stuff the way I just squealed over this." But you're right. Writers write. I hope you never stop!
Congrats on finishing! That's such a great feeling! I wish you all the best with it. :) :)
Hooray for DUAL/DUET! That title looks great in print. :) I'm still envisioning the cover.
And good job powering through. You are an inspiration to me. I'm having to do my own powering through on my verse novel right now, so I understand. <3
Good job on almost. I am a few layers back--still trying to figure out how to start the next one, what's going to happen, and feeling like reading blogs instead of writing.
But I haven't read blogs in SO LONG...
Okay. Back to work.
Good luck finishing!
Thanks, Jamie!
Glad you like the title, Ben! I always appreciate your input, especially on titles;)
Thanks, Myrna! Happy to hear it!
Thanks for your comment, Lexa! Sounds like I picked a good title, and that makes me all kinds of happy:)
It WOULD, Jessica. Let me know when you post that on YouTube... :)
Thanks, Julie! Here's to persistence!
Thank you, Peggy! *hops on the submission roller coaster*
Amy, it's been a while, hasn't it? I feel an e-mail coming on... :)
Kristen, as you may have noticed, my blogging's dropped off, too. I just want to wrap up all these projects and get everything squared away, so something's got to give! I'd much rather it be the blogging than the writing:)
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