Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Submitters Anxiety

Sounds like a 12 step program or a disease. Well, disease it might be.

It's my label for the way I feel right now.

What do I mean? Oh, I subbed my farmer and I subbed my lawyer. Now I haven't spoken much about the lawyer, but if you read some of my older posts, you'll remember my farmer, Sully. Well, I think he's ready to see the light of publication... now hopefully the editor sees him the same way. And then there's the lawyer. He went to a different publisher because he's the follow up that goes along with Learning How to Bend, but it's got the distinction of being a stand alone story.

So why the anxiety? Oh, because if you're a writer, you know that feeling of "Did I write it well enough?", "Did I catch all the bugs in the story?", "Will the editor like it?", "How will I deal if the editor says no?"

Yup, all those thoughts are running through my head right now.

So what am I gonna do in the mean time?

Write. I have a couple of other irons in the fire and I'm not about to let them get cold or melt into oblivion. What else is there to do? If nothing else, it keeps me off the streets. And if they aren't what the publishing world wants, then I'll have others.

But I'm trying to think positive.

Then again, I'm a firm believer in not counting my chickens before their hatched... call it a throwback to my farm roots.

Toodles.

5 comments:

Marianne Arkins said...

I always feel a little sick when I submit. It should get easier, but it doesn't, lol.

GOOD LUCK!!

J.A. Saare / Aline Hunter said...

I'm not sure if that sick feeling ever goes away upon submitting. I know you'll do great! Chin up!

Kaily Hart said...

Before I started writing seriously (willing to put my butt out there by submittig) I just figured this would be same old, same old for established authors. It's one of the biggest things I've realized I think on this journey so far - that everything you produce, every story you write, some of your heart and soul go into it and you put yourself out there every single time. I think the anxiety and fear even escalate because there's the pressure that it needs to be as good (or better) than your last effort, because it should be, right? You're getting better at this, right? There's also a readership to think about; to continually build and to satisfy. Of course, it needs to make it past the editor first! Me? I just try to keep writing...

makenwords said...

Its kind of like stage fright. The "what if's" are staggering. I still do it, am doing it. I know several well established writers who express the same feeling even after making the bestseller list. I think all good writers feel it. You have my blessing and I can send you a great wine list!!!

Wendi Zwaduk and Megan Slayer said...

Sometimes it also just helps to have good friends to remind you not to freak and that things will be fine either way. Thanks ladies. I needed it.