Monday, March 29, 2010

Preparation

Well, I'm only a few weeks away from entering the query trenches. I'm feeling really good about the revisions I've made and only have a few things left to do. The readers are saying they think it's pretty solid and I'm going to just polish it up a little more. Then, it's putting together a query from all the different, half-hearted attempts and start submitting. I feel really frightened about it, for some reason. It's mostly a fear of failure. I haven't been actively writing for as long as a lot of people. What if I'm not good enough? What if I haven't put enough effort into it? What if I don't make it to my dreams? It's one of the scariest things I have ever contemplated. And even more scary than failing is actually succeeding and being somewhere that I almost didn't dare to hope.

It's strange because I find myself coping in the same ways I have with other things in my life. RETREAT! I've read several books in the last week. (Four. That's a pretty significant reading jag.) I've thrown myself into the housework. (Ok. It's been neglected for the last little while. What with one thing or the other. Mostly the other.)

I think it's funny that I retreated from the things of real life to push forward on my story and now I'm pushing forward on my real life to avoid the story. People are weird. Just saying.

I suppose I should just put down the nerves and move. It'll be worth it, right?

5 comments:

Shannon O'Donnell said...

Yes!! It will definitely be worth it! You go, girl. :-)

PJ Hoover said...

You'll do great! And without the risk of failure there will be no success!

Jody Hedlund said...

It's hard to query, but it will help you begin to learn where you're at in the writing journey. I think the same thing is true of writing contests. You risk a lot in putting your work out there, but we can't gain anything without risking!

Stephanie McGee said...

It'll be totally worth it! Write that query. then just send the little darling out there with a life vest and plunge headfirst into different waters. Good luck!

Elana Johnson said...

It's always a scary place to be re:querying. But you'll never know if you don't try it. You might get it right away with this book. You might not. But whatever happens, you'll learn as you go. And you'll be better for it. Good luck!