How I Handle the Wait

Not well, apparently. I'm a complete basketcase. I've tried not to think about it, but this week has been tough.

My full manuscript is currently sitting on the desks of four agents (let's call 'em Agents #1, #2,, #3, and #4). And each one of those agents (or agencies) has been in the spotlight this week, for one reason or another. So I haven't been able to forget about them as easily as usual.

I'm really biting my nails now. Agent #1 , a new agent, has been sending form Rs like crazy this week (I've been watching the response times thread on the blueboards), and most of the people receiving rejections sent manuscripts the same day I did. All week I've been thinking, Well, obviously Agent #1 has read my manuscript, and is obviously not interested or I would have received The Call, right? So that means my R is on its lonely way back to me. It should be in my mailbox any day now. Poo.

Agent # said he would get back to me weeks ago (he's the one who sent me the nice little note awhile back). That could be good news, because if he hated it he would have sent the form R right away, right? But it's not really good news, either, because if he loved it he would have contacted me right away, too. Right?

The third agent has now signed three people since I've sent off my full manuscript. And all three people sent their fulls either the same week I did or after I did. Does that mean Agent #3 isn't in love with my manuscript? If Agent #3 was, then I would have heard by now, right?

And Agent #4 has been sitting on my manuscript since February. Oddly enough, this agent has had my manuscript the longest and it is the one I'm least angsty about. Go figure.

Yes. It's stupid to be so nutsy about this. But I confess I am. And the worst part? Yesterday Inspiration struck in a big way. I now have at least 6 or 7 story ideas for sequels to said manuscript, and one in particular my brain is already fleshing out. But I don't dare write any of them until I know the fate of this book. What's the point in writing a bunch of sequels to a book that may never sell?

My Bad

So I sat down tonight to work on finishing my WIP--the one that is only a few thousand words away from the end--when I suddenly had another, a new, character pop into my head.

I was not going to take the bait, right? I mean, I'm so close to the end of this book. There is no way another character is going to flex his muscles at me and make me leave my nearly-finished WIP.

But this character was a girl, a poor, sweet, helpless girl who wanted to tell me the story of her benefactress, a bossy princess who thinks the world revolves around her. But I could see through the princess and I knew the real hero of this story would be the girl. She hasn't told me her name yet, but I'm already caught. I HAVE to find out her story.

In fact, I did what I swore I would never do (again). I left my WIP for a new one.

Oh, the horror!

I opened another page and I started writing. I only wrote a paragraph, but I had to! I couldn't focus on the original WIP until this girl, the sweet, unassuming little girl, could start her story. She found a way to ensnare my soul. She looked at me with her puppy dog eyes and I melted. Bad me! Bad, bad me!

I did go back to my original WIP, but I couldn't do more than write a few sentences. All I can think about is the girl.

But I'm going to make up with my original WIP and finish. Soon. Now I have to finish soon so I can focus on the girl.

Hmm. I wonder what her name is.

April Fool's Day

I'm not a big fan of today. Never have been. I'm not a prankster. I don't enjoy seeing pranks done on others. I guess I'm just a big party pooper.

But I come from a family of teasers, which is slightly different than tricksters but just as annoying. One of my brothers is the worst. So is my dad and just about every single one of his siblings. My mother's siblings don't lag far behind in this, either. Can you imagine the horror that was my childhood? They teased me that I was a boy (don't ask me why, but they called boys girls and girls boys--still do in fact). When I was six they teased me that I was going to be sick for a whole year. They teased me about kissing boys (long before I ever had any interest in it). Teasing is how they show love. I don't get it, but at least I've come to understand their unique and at times obnoxious behavior. But I digress...

So though today is the day for tricks, pranks, and all things foolish, today I vow to do no harm. I really don't have it in me anyway. I'm not in the mood.

Yeah. I'm such a party pooper.