Separation Anxiety

[Independent Gal]

I wrote a book. It's my first book. I told the publisher who wants to publish it (pending approval of the manuscript I send in of course) that I'd have it finished about, say 10 months ago. Well, I think it's done. I mean, I THINK it's done, but I can guarantee that if I looked at it, I'd find ten things I'd like to re-write and 56 embarassing typos. It's not like it's the version that will actually come out in print, since I'm sure I'll get lots of editorial feedback and have to do a lot of revisions.

But I just can't seem to let go!

I just printed the whole thing out because I promised the editor I'd send it in today. It's right here beside me.

Come on PS'ers! Give me a hand here. Just send it in right? riiiiight? Just send it? Just. Send. The Damn Thing. In.

releeeeeease into the hands of the USPS .... releeeeeeease...

ARGH! It's so hard.

 

[jcrow]

it''s ok, this isn''t the end! it''s a BEAUTIFUL beginning! now go drop that sucker off!

 

[Regular Guy]

IG

Congratulations!

1) Have a nice dessert/treat.
2) make a copy
3) go to sleep
4) Review tomorrow, make minor changes, send.

did I say congratulations?!!!

 

[door knob solitaire]

I knew there were tons of layers of the IndyPendyGirl...never cease to amaze in learning more about you!

You ROCK!!

You did your job...now let go. Now it is time for them do their job and earn their part. Spread the love...Send the masterpiece. And don''t call it a darn thing again. I''ll will have to smack you upside the head.

Blood sweat and tears it twere...no DARN thing.

Send it....DKS

 

[Haven]

Congratulations!

I know it''s hard, but send that baby in NOW! Your editor will scrape up all those embarrassing typos before it hits the binding machine, and you''ll feel better anyone once it is out of your hands. I promise.

So happy for you!!!! This a major accomplishment--enjoy the feeling because the writing itch is going to get you soon and you''ll find yourself staring at a blank page again before you know it.

 

[princesss]

*chants* Send it send it send it!

And, you know what? *sprinkle* There''s a little PS fairy dust to help it on its way.

 

[monarch64]

Sprinkle, sprinkle, DUMP!!! Fairy dust coming your way....now brush it off your shoulders (leave it in your hair, it''s pretty, lol!) and send that baby in!!! Congrats on finishing your first book and best of luck to you IG!!! I had no idea you were an aspiring author, I''m so impressed and proud to have "met" you!

You have a great voice here on PS, so if that''s any idication of what your writings are like I''ll be watching to see your penname if you ever share it on the bestseller list! You GO girl!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

How exciting! I know it is hard to let go when you have been working on a project for so long. But you do need to send it in! Congrats again.

 

[luckystar112]

IG! You are so lucky....please send it in. I would give anything to be in your position...I can''t even get any of my short stories published, even though my professor (mentor?) told me that she would be surprised and ashamed if no one accepted it. Meanwhile, all of these horrible writers that I go to school with are getting published. I''m talking people that write poetry that is like, "Her hair was yellow like the sun. Her eyes were blue like the ocean..." yada yada yada. THAT guy gets published, but not ME?! WHAAAAA????!!!?!

Anyway...I''m totally ranting here. haha. But congrats to you! I know how hard it can be to let someone else read something that you''ve worked so hard on...and WORSE...deal with the criticisms. I really hate that part. But it sounds like you are pretty much already guaranteed, so go for it!!!!

 

[rainwood]

As a writer myself, I''m going to go against the tide and say if there are a lot of embarrassing typos in your manuscript, you really aren''t done. There will always be things you want to rewrite but as long as you''re happy and believe this version is your best work, then there''s no good reason to go through it again. But typos (particularly if there are more than a few) are different. They make you look less thorough, less careful, and less polished, and you can''t always count on someone else to catch them.

 

[KimberlyH]

Have you sent it yet, IG!?? If not, get to work, it should be on a truck for delivery already!

 

[Independent Gal]

I SENT IT! It's gone. It's being whisking to New York as we speak. Thanks for the support everyone!

I scanned for typos and found one small one that would require re-printing the whole thing, so I left it. There may be a few others here and there, but nothing I could see! But as soon as I left it with FedEx, I realized there was a section I wanted to check and forgot. Oh please please please please please let it be ok!! I decided not to look at it, and just to pretend it's ok, since there's nothing I can do about it now. It wouldn't be THAT serious anyway. Not like they would reject the book because of that. So best not to worry.

Best to have just sent it. Gone. Done. Finished. At least until I get the editors comments!

Now I wait.

And wait.

And wait.

 

[Independent Gal]

Rainwood: I agree it's best to be as polished as possible! But I think I was using polish as an excuse not to just get the thing off my desk and the editor I'd been dealing with was getting really antsy. I think it's pretty polished. But not perfect. There are probably still glitches here and there.

I hope it's ok!

Hey Lucky, cool that you write fiction! My best friend is a novelist. She did an MFA which I think helped both in terms of her writing, and in terms of professional mentorship. In terms of criticism, know what helped me a lot when I was in grad school? Shifting from thinking of criticism as someone telling me that I'm not good enough to thinking of it as someone helping me make my work better. I became a much happier person after that! But it took concentration and practice to see things that way.

 

[Regular Guy]

Date: 8/25/2007 6:06:56 PM
Author: Independent Gal
In terms of criticism, know what helped me a lot when I was in grad school? Shifting from thinking of criticism as someone telling me that I''m not good enough to thinking of it as someone helping me make my work better. I became a much happier person after that! But it took concentration and practice to see things that way.

Smart girl.

Very good luck with your project!

 

[KimberlyH]

YAY! So glad you sent it in!

 

[door knob solitaire]

OHHH NO!!

Say it isn''t so! You didn''t!!


You already sent it? I had a great piece of advice for you! NOW it is too late....

Oh drats. Is there anyway you could halt the delivery?

snicker...I am just kidding. He he he. The great piece of advice is...breathe...be proud of yourself for the completion. And quit the second guessing. Good job!!!

DKS

 

[Independent Gal]

DKS you actually had me panicked for a minute there! ARGH!

 

[door knob solitaire]

 

[gwendolyn]

First of all, YAY! Congrats on having the guts to send it out!!

Second of all, this thread made me think of a quote I read a while back, made either by a writer or a composer, that went something like, "Writers do not ever complete a work; they merely abandon it." Or maybe it was about poetry. Regardless, I found it fitting and wish I could actually give you the real quote and who originally said it. But you get the idea.