I think I posted something last week about being close to ready to query my WIP. That seems so long ago. Since then I’ve cut another 3500 words, including my favorite scene. I’ve felt like it needed to go for a while, but I was clinging to the delusion that the book needed it. It didn’t. So sad. :,(
The closer I get to my completion date goal, the less I feel like it’s ready. I know I’m totally psyching myself out, but I don’t really know how to get around it. Sometimes I think I just need to jump, and deal with the consequences, but what if I blow my chances by jumping in too soon? I’m totally overanalyzing everything, and it’s making me absolutely crazy.
Maybe by this time next week, my first batch of queries will be out the door or out the virtual door at least, and I’ll feel like I’m moving forward instead of backward. Maybe my head will be spinning. Either way, something will be happening. Progress is progress, regardless. Right?
Which scene? Is it one that I've read? I'm almost done with it for my second time. As is often the case when I read something, I'm enjoying it more the second time around. Probably because I know what to be watching for, etc... Thanks again for letting me read it!
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ReplyDeleteGood luck! This can be a scary step, but you can do it! Keep us posted. :D
Cheryl--I sent you a really long email.
ReplyDeleteDanyelle--Thanks for the support!
awwww, I hate letting my favorite scenes go, but sometimes it's a necessary evil. Congrats on being a grownup! (I'm not so good at it myself ...) And hey, if you change your mind, I'm sure you have it tucked away somewhere. :)
ReplyDelete'Tis true about the angst of querying. We don't want to ship the thing out too soon, but we don't want to be stuck waiting forever, as if the novel is going to fix itself while we angst over the querying process. Right? Right. I so get this. You'll know when it's the right time to query. Good luck!
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ReplyDeleteI totally get this, too. I was in a big, fat hurry my first time out, and sent two fulls before realizing.... my ending needed work.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I'm not sure I would have realized my need to revise without those fulls, so maybe it was meant to be?
Who the heck knows?
I have absolute faith in you, Abby! My advice is once you feel like it's "done, done" and can stomach the thought of agents reading it, do it.
Just don't do it before you're 100% sure ;).
Oh, and I'm happy to read anything, too, if it helps! YOU ROCK!
jessjordan--grownup? When did that happen? :)
ReplyDeleteElana--Thank you!
Becca--You are awesome! Thank you!
Whiny? As if! Abby, I know if you took out a scene, it had to have been dragging the rest down, so kudos to you for making a tough decision.
ReplyDeleteI always rush to the querying stage, only to find that there's something that needs work. I probably need to have more betas read it, but I just get so enthusiastic about my characters and want to see them brought to life in a real book!
So I feel for you. If you want me to take a final look at the mss before you start querying, I'd be more than happy to do so.
Thanks, TereLiz! I may take you up on that offer. I'll let you know. I'm still tweaking a few parts. Forever tweaking. :)
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