Tomorrow I will have Amy Sonnichsen from The Green Bathtub here for a blogger interview. She's so lovely, you'd never expect the reasoning behind the title of her blog - which I love! Hope to see many of you back then.
So many insecurities, so little time....
Let's start with some positives. Today marks my third month of blogging. In that time, I've...
(1) met some really lovely people whose company I enjoy
(2) found several strong critique partners (and a few more I'm looking forward to exchanging
work with)
(3) somehow managed to get a few people to follow my blog (thank you fabulous followers!)
(4) had quite a bit of fun
(5) learned more about writing than I ever thought possible
As for the negative in all of that? Why, oh why didn't I do this sooner?
The community and advice around here has been invaluable. My first MS that I started submitting back in January (when I thought it was the best it could be) is totally different now. And more importantly, it's BETTER. That should be a good thing, but by now, I've had a good number of requests from agents, each of whom I'd consider to be a dream super agent to work with. I also just received brilliant feedback from another beta propelling me into yet another revamp of my current MS. I'm very excited about this next revamp...this beta is pretty damn smart. But I'm also shuffling my feet around like Miss Mopey-Moperton over my wasted opportunities for querying and sending out work too soon. Did I think it was too soon at the time? Of course not, but now I just want to hit myself for being naive. If only I wouldn't have been so reluctant to start a blog and join you all sooner...
Now back to the positives - so much nicer to end on that. To all those I've met in the past three months: thank you for the encouragement, thank you for the support, and thank you all for making me BETTER.
I have totally been there. I've definitely sent stuff out only to realize later, (often with the help of someone else) that so much needed to be fixed!
ReplyDeleteBut I agree about blogging, it's been so helpful for me, too. Both in learning about writing and finding inspiration! :)
You've done all that in three months? You are amazing! I hope you continue to do well!
ReplyDeleteI wish I had discovered the agent and writerly resources on the internet 6 years ago! I probably would have had a contract uh, 6 years ago! LOL. Yes, I know the why-didn't-I-do-this-sooner feeling!
ReplyDeleteGood luck. Be happy that you've had requests. Blogging is a great way to connect so glad you decided to start. Best wishes.
ReplyDeleteDon't feel bad. I can relate to the major changes you've made in your ms. Been there. Done that. When I go back and read parts of older versions, I cringe. :D
ReplyDeleteYou can always query/sub to someone else or write something new and query it to the same folks. I think some will even let you re-sub a revision after a time (dunno - I'm new to that part of the biz). Just make sure it fits what they're looking for, genre-wise, etc.
Whatever you do, hang in there and don't give up. :)
IWSG #179 (At least until Alex culls the list again. :P)
I second everything you've said. This community is beyond amazing! I'm grateful everyday that I get to be here. I would really be a lost soul without my blog followers. So worth it in the end!
ReplyDeleteWow! In three months you have, basically, the same number of followers it's taken me 18 months to get to. I'm impressed! And want your secret!
ReplyDeleteI've just (a few days ago) started a blog, and it's been so much easier and more awesome than I expected! Congrats on your success so far and best of luck for the future.
ReplyDeleteI think we all do that, so don't worry about it.
ReplyDeleteYou've only been blogging for three months? Whoa! I am impressed. At three months, I don't think I even had twenty followers.
And yes, this community is awesome.
I know exactly what you mean--why didn't I start sooner? I've learned so much, grown as a writer, and met the best support system in the world :)
ReplyDeleteYou're rockin' after only a few months! Look at you go!
Getting help when I first started writing again ten years ago would've helped me. At least I finally figured it out.
ReplyDeleteYou've done very well for just three months of blogging. I've been blogging for over 7 years and only have 600+ followers. You are well on your way.
I JUST started like two weeks ago, and I was so worried, because I'm nervous around people in everyday life... and now I'm wondering what I was so worried about! It's great! You're doing so well :)
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to read a mostly positive post. You're doing fantastic, and the fact that you even had requests on an MS that you think can be better is a great sign. Keep plugging away!
ReplyDeleteWow. I'd say for three months of blogging, you're doing exceedingly well. There's nothing better than receiving brilliant feedback from a beta.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with everything...
Yes, totally. Why didn't I start sooner... Especially when it hit me exactly how long it might take to get where I want to go! The only thing to do is to keep looking forward, I decided!
ReplyDeleteYou are amazing to have achieved all this in 3 months! Look at you! Tell us your secret ;) What a great post. A request on an MS, woo!
ReplyDeleteYour insight is so right on. I did the same thing as you and learned so much after I'd collected a lot of rejections. I'm sure you'll be the one helping lots of others, too.
ReplyDeleteKimberly, I kept revising my manuscript the entire time I was querying. It was probably how I kept myself sane, and I am betting that every agent who requested a full or partial got something slightly different. I can only be grateful that I had some startling revelations about my story *before* I got around to querying the one agent who was going to fall in love with the story. I'm not sure she would have fallen for one of the earlier versions.
ReplyDeleteIt's all good. It took me from 1998 to 2008 to get off my duff to finish writing novel number one. Now I'm like a little writing machine.
ReplyDeleteHugs and chocolate to you,
Shelly
http://www.shellysnovicewritings.blogspot.com/
I love the writing community here. I honestly don't know what I did before either! What a great 3 months for you. :)
ReplyDeleteThree months and you have all these followers and comments. This is a great community and one I'm glad to be involved with. Like J.A. Burnett, I second everything you say.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's a bad thing that you queried too soon. There is something to be learned and gained in everything.
ReplyDeletequerying is a learning process. if you are accepted, it's not too soon, rejected, keep working.
ReplyDeletecongrats on all your accomplishments & good happenings! glad i met ya!
Happy IWSG, Kimberly. I've been blogging a long time. Since 2008. It took forever for me to understand the process. I think that is what's so wonderful about today. So many mentors willing to share what they know. Did I mention before I was published I had enough rejection letters to wallpaper my ensuite? I didn't, but I came close a few times.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on all that you have achieved! Sounds to me like you have no need to expend time on regrets because you've made up for it a hundred fold. Hard work like that can only produce successes, and I look forward to reading- and reading about - the successes you have ahead of you :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on 3 months of blogging! The time just flies, doesn't it? I wouldn't worry too much about not blogging sooner - there's a time for everything!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you did start blogging, though! It's so nice to get to know another fellow writer!