Waiting. I'll confess I'm not very good at it. As time goes on, I become less patient. Perhaps it's part of the instant gratification society in which we live. But I want things now. Oh, I'm not totally impatient. I have no problem with waiting in lines or waiting for a pot of coffee to brew. I can also handle waiting for my fingernail polish to dry. Heck, I don't even mind waiting for Netflix to rebuffer a movie I'm enjoying--again. Don't you love downstreaming? When it works...But I'll admit to being impatient as I heal from surgery. That week of healing time the surgeon told me I'd have has now morphed into six months. Today it's five months post surgery, and I am still tender in some areas with little sensation on the left side of my face. My left ear feels like a wooden appendage. Still, the cancer's gone, and that's the important thing. Will the pain ever go away? Having had it for five months, I'm a tad concerned.
Life often makes us wait.
Being a writer involves waiting, too, and often my patience quotient is thin.
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I have a short story in front of an editor. She said she'd get back to me by mid-March. So...it's March the seventh...close enough to the middle for me. Where's my "yay" or "nay?"
I'm also waiting for my cover art for Mona Lisa's Room. Once a writer has that very important element of her or his project, a big sigh of relief--or gasp of horror--occurs. Covers are such a great marketing tool. We worry it won't accurately portray the essence of our stories. Fortunately, The Wild Rose Press has great graphic artists on staff. Once I receive the cover I should also get the release date for this first book in my romantic suspense series set in Paris. Which brings me to something else: Rain is a Love Song, book two of my series, is in an editor's hands. She said she'll get back to my agent by mid-May. **Slaps forehead** Sometimes it takes longer to get an editor's approval than it did to write the book.I'm whining, aren't I? Go ahead, you can say it.
STOP WHINING, VONNIE!!
I think I need a whining intervention...or a glass of wine. I'll get it together soon. Really. I'll put on my big girl girdle and deal.
What about you? What things do you have troble waiting on?
16 comments:
Vonnie, I hear you! I can promise no one will carve my tombstone to read, Here Lies A Patient Person.
The waiting is almost painful! I have my cover but still waiting on the galley. So you can imagine that every few minutes I check my email.
I keep reminding myself not to rush the universe. (Or my editor, which I've found doesn't work!)
But you're right. We gird our loins and deal with it!
Jerrie, I was more patient with my first book, I think. Or perhaps I was still in shock I'd gotten a contract. I know it'll all come, but that doesn't mean I have to like the waiting for it. Thanks for stopping by!
The waiting can be excruciating - and then everything seems to happen at once! I have 3 books coming out in a 6 month period, and everyone says they can't believe how prolific I am. Nice to hear but so not true! I wrote the first version of one of those books 15 years ago. The 2nd I wrote in 2010. The third, a novella, I wrote in a month and a half and submitted last spring. All that waiting should make us patient but I fear has the opposite effect! I'm sure you'll hear good news soon, so hang in there, Vonnie.
Jannine, congrats on your many releases. Yay you!
What I love is when I tell someone my book will be released in 8 months. Their chin drops. "Why do you have to wait so long?" Well, writing is two things: Rewriting and waiting. I send a finished manuscript to my agent and she puts it in her reading que. That's a 3-4 month wait. She takes a week to read and mark it up with tract changes. I go over it, correct what needs corrected and send it back. She goes over it again and then I get it for a final read through. Then it goes to an editor to see if she wants it. This is another 3 to 4 month wait...and on it goes. Nothing happens quickly.
hehe. Another impatient person here. I waited a year and a half on a sub to Harlequin. I thought I'd go mad. Now I'm currently waiting on second round edits from my editor. We haven't gotten to the cover stage yet. And yup, it's killing me. Also just sent her a query. Plus I have two with Dawn that I'm waiting on. It's all driving me slowly insane. Glad to hear I'm not alone. lol
Oh I'm not patient at all. I need lots to distract me while waiting, whether I'm standing in line or riding in a car. Something has to hold my attention or I get very cranky. My mother tells me I've always been like this, so I won't tell you to stop whining. If anything how about staring at those two positive gorgeous hunks in the middle of your post? Definitely attention worthy.
Healing takes time, but I'm glad the cancer is gone too. Congrats on the upcoming releases and you have to wait until the 13th to really get antsy with the editor. :-)
Joanne, and they wonder why writers drink!!!! I'd heard Harlequin took forever to decide on a manuscript. I had NO idea it was that long. Yay you for hanging in there.
Hi W. Lynne, who is waiting on her birthday. ;-) Nope, I'm not telling your age. Waiting is the pits, isn't it?
Waiting is so difficult, Vonnie. I try to distract myself. Seldom works. Hopefully you will hear soon from your editors. Feel better, hon.
Thanks, Dawn Marie. I'm distracting myself by writing another book. Obviously it's not working...sigh
2005 I fell downstairs at school. Didn't consult the doctor for a couple days.(that's another story)He was the hunkiest doctor I've ever seen.** blood pressure rising** Up to eighteen ligaments possibly torn in my foot. Power boating with my class was coming up soon so I asked when my foot would be healed. He said at my age(who me?)I had to be PATIENT since it might never heal properly. I still get warm tingles...but maybe that's thinking about the doctor???
Gee, Nancy, my foot hurts just thinking about him...er...it. Hope it's all healed now.
I'm on ususal "digest delay" Vonnie - but I wanted to chime in and say how much I can relate to your gripes. However, if we got everything we wanted on "our" time, we wouldn't appreciate things as much. I know a little waiting goes a long way, but since we have no control over it - I vote for that glass of wine (with your whining) ?)
Vonnie,
I've learned that publishing is a waiting game. You're always waiting for something. It taught me to be patient and not want something instantly. It will happen.
Hi Lynne, one glass of wine coming up. I'm trying to divert my attentions by writing. Sometimes it works...sometimes it doesn't.
Oh, Llona, I'm not sure I want to learn patience...lol. It's such a difficult lesson.
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