Well Worth The Effort

You know I've been struggling over the giraffe tale. Such a little thing.

Today my daughter finally got to read the four thousandth draft. She loved it. Nearly jumped up and down. Said all the places she thought it lagged had been successfully changed to great action. The flavor is now back to the original. (not sure if that was chocolate or strawberry)

There is only one part - pretty by itself - that both of us wondered at. That means it must be changed... but that is feasible.

Will not be able to work on it tonight. There's a 4th festival nearby and I'm taking the little one.

Tomorrow - while she's swimming - I'll work on that last little part and then send it off to my editor.

THEN - the final touches on the cover letter and off to some publishing houses.

Life is grand.

Struggles

Ah - a writer's life for me....

The last two days have been spent working on the little two-hundred eighty some word picture book. I am still mind-boggled over this process. I suppose, if I'd not received input suggesting I make some changes, I wouldn't be in this predicament. I'd be having fun writing 'Blue.'

I've got all the rhymes right - but will it still tickle my heart the way the original did? That's the question of the hour.

I'm putting it aside for a couple days - to let it simmer in the pot. We'll see what it smells and tastes like when it comes out.

That means - I can turn to 'Blue' with renewed vigor.

I meet with one of my writers' groups on Saturday. They will commiserate with me - bless their dear hearts!

As for now - life is tenable.

Letting Go

I don't know if publishers realize that authors are subcreators. Tolkien used that term when speaking of created fantasy worlds. I think it goes further than that. 

To me, it means that I accept the gift of writing (what one could call the Muse). I accept it and develop it, much like a mother's body does her child.

How, then, can I 'let it go?'

And yet, that is the norm. What 'they' say to do. Write your story, tale, poem, adventure, thing, submit it, and then go on to the next 'bit.'

Doesn't seem logical, does it? 

Yet - in the end we do have to 'let go' of our children so they can grow and become adults.

Perhaps the time frame is my problem. With children, you get a long time before you must let them go. You also get a lot of 'little' let them go moments in their lives. Kindergarten, dating, college. You have the time to get accustomed to letting go. You get 'trial runs.'

I think that might be the first lesson that an author should learn. Letting go in increments. Ah - critique groups fill that. Having an editor does the same.

Ok - I can handle that. Along with coaching. Can't forget that my editor is my coach.

Life is letting go.

Second Posting

Sorry for the second posting of the day, but I just had to jump up and down and share that I finished Chapter Seventeen.

I'm off to spend time editing it. But such fun and such a feeling of accomplishment.

Especially since this is the chapter my daughter said needed a severe re-write. I did it and was still able to save a lot from the cutting room floor.

Hooray hooray!

Life is good.