Sorry it's been awhile since I've updated the blog. We had a fantastic time camping with a great group of people for Father's Day. I didn't get a lot of editing done this weekend, but I did get to read a lot.
Anyways, my post today is titled patience because summertime has come and I'm at home with my kiddos (I'm a teacher). Since I had my son when I was still in college, I learned patience pretty quick. As he grew older and would do things that would drive me wild, my patience grew and grew. And now that I have two little boys running around, my patience has sky rocketed. As I'm writing this my two-year-old is crying in the other room because he wants to watch a show that isn't on yet. My six-year-old is pretending to be sick so he doesn't have to go to swimming lessons. Yes, I have grown in patience these last few years.
When it comes to writing, you have to have patience. When you first get an idea for a book, all you want to do is just dive in, but that's not always the best thing to do. You have to patiently let the story come to you and plan out at least a rough outline. I don't always follow my original outline if the story takes me somewhere I didn't see in the beginning, but I patiently wait for the characters to speak to me. It took me about two years to finally say that I was finished and happy with my first draft of my first book. Now that required patience.
Now your story is done and a whole new patience is coming. The tedious part of breaking each sentence down and editing (this is where I am now). It's hard to go in and rip apart something that took your heart and soul to do, but you have to. You have to have the patience to edit your work and make it the best.
You've spent weeks, maybe even months, fine tuning your craft and now comes the time when patience is key. You've sent out about a million query letters to agents who hold your career in their hands. Will you be a published author? Will your dreams be crushed? Don't you just love how they will get back to you in 4-6 weeks? If they even get back with you at all. Yes, patience is needed in this time period.
At this point, it's only been one week since I sent in to two agents with more of my work and I'm learning the patience of being a writer. I've got the mother patience down pat, now I just need to sit and wait to hear back from the agents!! Patience, patience, patience!!
And then after you're finally chosen, you have to wait six months to a year to see your book in the stores!!
Anyways, my post today is titled patience because summertime has come and I'm at home with my kiddos (I'm a teacher). Since I had my son when I was still in college, I learned patience pretty quick. As he grew older and would do things that would drive me wild, my patience grew and grew. And now that I have two little boys running around, my patience has sky rocketed. As I'm writing this my two-year-old is crying in the other room because he wants to watch a show that isn't on yet. My six-year-old is pretending to be sick so he doesn't have to go to swimming lessons. Yes, I have grown in patience these last few years.
When it comes to writing, you have to have patience. When you first get an idea for a book, all you want to do is just dive in, but that's not always the best thing to do. You have to patiently let the story come to you and plan out at least a rough outline. I don't always follow my original outline if the story takes me somewhere I didn't see in the beginning, but I patiently wait for the characters to speak to me. It took me about two years to finally say that I was finished and happy with my first draft of my first book. Now that required patience.
Now your story is done and a whole new patience is coming. The tedious part of breaking each sentence down and editing (this is where I am now). It's hard to go in and rip apart something that took your heart and soul to do, but you have to. You have to have the patience to edit your work and make it the best.
You've spent weeks, maybe even months, fine tuning your craft and now comes the time when patience is key. You've sent out about a million query letters to agents who hold your career in their hands. Will you be a published author? Will your dreams be crushed? Don't you just love how they will get back to you in 4-6 weeks? If they even get back with you at all. Yes, patience is needed in this time period.
At this point, it's only been one week since I sent in to two agents with more of my work and I'm learning the patience of being a writer. I've got the mother patience down pat, now I just need to sit and wait to hear back from the agents!! Patience, patience, patience!!
And then after you're finally chosen, you have to wait six months to a year to see your book in the stores!!