Tomorrow — Vibewire.net

Personal tools

Tomorrow

| (6)

You can't vote
please try after log in
click to vote: outdated
You can't vote
please try after log in
click to vote: misleading or not useful
You can't vote
please try after log in
click to vote: average
You can't vote
please try after log in
click to vote: good
You can't vote
please try after log in
click to vote: great
click for full size image
Tomorrow is Monday; my favourite day
by Felicity Bloomfield — posted on 2008-05-05 00:58 — last modified 2008-05-12 12:38

It's now been two weeks since the theoretically-likely day of my 'Salty the Sea Princess' book rejection came and went. The longer the delay, the more likely it is that the publishers have lost all reason and are actually considering publishing me. Wouldn't that be nice, though?

I lost my sanity over my writing in 2004, so by now it's passe to say I "need" to be published. I've needed publication for four years, yet I have more or less survived (though for two years I was too insane to earn a living). By now, I'm doing well. Or at least, I will be once I get a reply about 'Salty'. The general pattern is that I get rejected (eventually) and immediately feel better. I expect that's what'll happen here. Getting a punch in the guts is fine - waiting for it is deadly.

My sanity is wavering at present - something as innocuous as being told not to worry can set me off into shaking and crying. I haven't cried in front of employers since I left retail (yay), though I'm often on the edge of losing it as I drive to work (not yay). My weight is steadily going back up (not yay). . . but I'm not on drugs (yay yay). My debt weighs on me every day, but my work pays (in fellish terms) quite well, and I have more than I need (yay). At this rate, I could pay off my debt in about ten years. Hmm.

Getting published is a wondrous fantasy. It'd be the beginning of acknowledgement for a decade of novel writing, and would instantly prove that I'm not nearly as pathetic as I look/act/feel. Conversations with new people about what I "do" would involve a lot less awkward pauses on my part. Plus, it'd net me thousands of dollars instantly. I guarantee publication would make me a better person. (Which is the saddest thing of all this mess.)

I don't really know how to rate my chances. I've been very close to publication before, and ended up getting nowhere. 'Salty the Sea Princess' is a great book - my favourite, in fact, though that makes me think I may have indulged myself more than I should. Probably the book that's done the best until now is 'Storm Hunter', which has two serious structural flaws (one, that it suddenly turns from action-adventure to romance, and two, that the romance is a serious one involving a child - which doesn't fit the 'arr, me hearties' tone of the rest). If Salty gets rejected, it will probably be because:

1) 'Salty' has too much obvious backstory - it feels like a sequel (which in fact it is....worse, the original story is adults-only, while 'Salty' is aimed at primary kids!)

2) there is too much violence (actually I don't think that'll be a problem)

3) the theme of redemption is booooooorrrriiiiiiiinnnng

4) readers don't feel close to my characters.

5) story feels rushed.

6) it's not marketable

7) it's too literary-ish for the target age.

#4 is the most important, and perhaps #7. I'm pretty sure the rest are minor issues, or have been patched up well enough they don't matter too much.

#6 is the aspect I know the least about - that's the basic reason 'Storm Hunter' was rejected. On the other hand, 'Salty' has pirates, a princess, and magic...what's not to love?

Fundamentally, I feel pretty bad at the moment. At the same time, everything could change tomorrow. I hope I at least get a rejection real fast, because the waiting is pushing me farther from sanity than I like.

The more time passes, the more convinced I am of my own general mediocrity as a writer (and as a human, which is a different matter entirely). But I still think I'll be published. Eventually, this will all be a great story about the bad old days. I just don't know how much it will end up costing me. I am not a good person to be around, and I'm terrified of losing ....well, of losing Tim. He'd be surprised and disappointed that I even  think there's a chance of him dumping me, but honestly! How many times should a boyfriend be asked to deal with a whining, snotting girlfriend before he decides to move on?

It's times like this I wish I was sane, and easily satisfied with something - anything - other than writing. But I'm in too deep to back out now.

Fel

image by -k-
courtesy of Creative Commons

tomorrow, and tomorrow

Posted by Felicity Bloomfield at 2008-05-12 01:21
Another week has passed. Still no word on 'Salty'. If they take another week, it'll be a month later than the 'probably maybe' deadline (which would make it a 'mildly nauseous' deadline, really). The delay is either a really good sign - or they've lost the book. The former is much, much more likely - and the latter gives me an excuse to call and find out where it's up to (slushpile, reader, or associate publisher).

For ever so long, my life is all about waiting - usually followed by rejection. And it's not just the writing, either. My paid work is pretty casual, and every week I'm chasing up one recalcitrant employer or another (that, at least, has consistently ended with me getting paid).

Once more, it's a Sunday night followed by a Monday weighted down with hope. This week I'm waiting for 'Salty', and also waiting for a yes or no from some guys who may soon become my housemates (I've moved house every two weeks since February, which is NOT good). It's actually kind of nice having two things to wait for instead of just one. Tomorrow could be an amazingly good day. Or it could all turn sour.

One way or another, I move house on Tuesday. So it's an exciting week. I hope my mental health is up to it.

Fel

always the girlfriend, never the bride

Posted by Felicity Bloomfield at 2008-05-16 15:59
So I still haven't heard back about 'Salty the Sea Princess' which by Monday will be four weeks late back from Allen & Unwin.

Today I had good news from an unexpected direction: Random House has just asked for the full manuscript of 'The Monster Apprentice'. Which, other than YAY, means that I now have three different books being viewed in their entirety (which is kind of like the 'interview stage' of getting published) by three different (and major) publishers (the third is 'Storm Hunter' which has been at Penguin since early March. . . I don't expect to hear anything on that for many moons yet).

I moved house last Tuesday, and am now housesitting. Hopefully I'll only move once more this year (or twice I guess, if Tim and I marry soon. . . but that's another story).

Fel...kind of happy, but also kind of annoyed that I keep getting so tauntingly close.

I worked out last night that I've had 42 rejections of novels. (Also technically one acceptance, from the Royal Blind Society - who did sort of pay me, but never produced the book...and a good thing, too.) I wonder if I can make it to 50 this year?

I hate laid-back people

Posted by Felicity Bloomfield at 2008-05-20 13:54
Still no reply. I emailed the person ('Fred') who said Salty would be "probably about a month" and gently asked how it was going. In the past I've noticed (from a sample of two or three emails) that she's quick with her emails. But it's been just under 24 hours and - nothing. I'm also waiting to hear back from three different houses that I may (or may not) be moving into either immediately, next month, or in August. Being a transient isn't nearly as fun as it seems.

Fel's fantasy of the day:

Fred gets the email, slaps her head ("How could we have dawdled so long!") and runs at once to a conference room where AT THAT MOMENT associate editors are arguing over which book/s to accept for publication that week. (One lady in a pantsuit has another in a chokehold. Paper flies through the air, some of it bloodstained. . .)

"Enough!" Fred cries. The yelling ceases. The pantsuited lady drops her duelling companion, who makes a faint wheezing noise from the floor. "Where is 'Salty the Sea Princess'? Speak!"

The lady on the floor coughs. She coughs again. "On the table ma'am. . . it was such an obvious 'yes' we put it to one side while we discussed the rest."

"Faugh!" says Fred - though she is almost smiling. Almost. She sweeps from the room, heading back to her office. She changes her mind, and barges into someone else's office (there is a live sheep in the corner. The gentleman at the desk blanches and protests, "You wouldn't understand.")

"Silence!" says Fred. The man cowers at her steely glare. The sheep chews apologetically on a printer ribbon. "I must use your phone."

Before the man can answer, Fred shoves aside the tottering pile of manuscripts (all unbound) on his desk. The pages flutter and twirl, dancing ballet in the eddies from the AC.

Fred picks up the phone. Dials my number (which of course she memorised weeks ago).

"Hello?" I say.

"This is Allen & Unwin," says Fred. "I'm so sorry for the delay. But I have some good news. . ."

I hear a sheep bleating in the background.

*end scene*

Writer attacks Pirates

Posted by Felicity Bloomfield at 2008-05-22 12:55
Okay, this is nothing to do with anything, but I'm editing 'The Monster Apprentice' at the moment, and need to share my pain.

I just don't think it's ready. I did an astonishly fast and dramatic edit over the Easter weekend/week, upping the word count by about 9000 words before sending it hurriedly to Allen & Unwin (I felt timing was important, because 'Monster' comes directly before 'Salty'). They rejected it, mainly because the characters feel distant. That's a serious and a difficult-to-fix problem, so I've been taking it apart and putting it back together ever since. I sent the first 1000 words to Random House (as per their guidelines) and was shocked when they requested the rest.

With all the moving house and panicking over the late response to 'Salty' (it's now been two days since I emailed them), my 'Monster' editing was going very slowly. I wasn't even close to ready - and I had another massive edit on my hands. Generally, after a big edit, it's wise to wait at least a month (or six) then start editing again (with fresh eyes to spot all the spanking-new mistakes you've put in). It's already been almost a week since Random House requested the full 'Monster', and I'm not done the major edit...there won't be any later edit on this one. To make up for my lack of perspective, I bullied two people into reading what I've got. (I am SO lucky.)

So AFTER I finish today's work (only 2 chapters left, and one has pirates) I need to start from the beginning again, with all these new and enlightened comments from my readers. Blurg.

But strangely fun.

Thank you.

Fel

More epic than Indiana Jones, more complex than Mission Impossible, more annoying than the recent Star Wars trilogy...

Posted by Felicity Bloomfield at 2008-05-26 13:59
It's been another week (or two). I've actually lost count of how long 'Salty' is overdue. Six weeks, I think. Last Monday I emailed Fred. Nothing has happened since then.

Today I called the general-public number, which was a slightly surreal experience (and reminded me of how special I am, whether rejected or not). It went a little something like this:

Her: Hello, Allen & Unwin. This is Georgia speaking.

Me: Hello Georgia, my name is Felicity. I'm just calling to inquire about a book I sent in.

Her: A book you. . . sent in? We're not accepting manuscripts at the moment. Whatever comes in comes to me, and I send it back without reading it.

Me: Yes, I'm aware you're not accepting manuscripts this year. I'm...well, I'm unpublished, but I'm friendly with the children's department, and I asked permission before I sent my book. It's called 'Salty the Sea Princess'.

Her: So. . . who did you send it to again?

Me: Fred.

Her: Fred's usually very prompt.

Me: Yes, I've noticed that. Which makes it particularly odd that she didn't respond to the email I sent directly to her account last Monday. Especially since she estimated to me earlier that I'd have a response over a month ago. Hence me calling.

Her: I should know who you are, then, because all the official responses come to me, and then I send off a standard 'no thank you' letter. . . Well, unless they go to a reader, which is different.

Me: Yes. All my books go directly to readers.

Her (doubtful): well, I'll pass your question along then.

Me: Thank you.


I REALLY hope someone actually replies this time. . .

Fel

Mort

Posted by Felicity Bloomfield at 2008-05-29 02:07
It's 1am, and I've little to say, so I'll be brief.

Salty was rejected today - for lack of closeness to the characters (exactly like 'The Monster Apprentice'), and for poor pacing. I'll edit it VERY hastily tomorrow, and enter it in the Vogel (which just seems like a waste of money - it's barely long enough, which means it's unlikely to win - and the entry fee is going to be a struggle for my pathetic financials).

I just finished this recent attack on 'The Monster Apprentice'. I'm not happy with it. There are weak bits still, passive voice and such. But it's good enough for a manuscript assessor, so once I post it to Random House (as requested) I'll start saving up for a pro assessor.

In less depressing news, I now officially have a room to live in - and it's surprisingly nice too. I move Saturday. Which means that I might be actually settled in in about three weeks. That would certainly help with the whole sanity thing.

Fel (soooooo glad that draft on 'Monster' is oh so thoroughly over)
Nevermind; or, The Case of the Phantom Trousers
« December 2008 »
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30 31
Nevermind; or, The Case of the Phantom Trousers:
Slugs and Drugs
Freedom
Another cunning plan
Near-death experience # 3274
#50
More...