I've now gotten corrections from all three people I sent my manuscript to--all amazing writers and editors in their own right. (Thanks Corinna, Sarah and Tammy!) But now this means I have to make all those corrections, and that's not an easy thing. In fact, I had been putting it off for awhile until I had a bit of a mental breakdown two nights ago. I couldn't stop thinking I was a wannabe poser who would never actually send my manuscript to agents or publishers or grant-givers.
Then my friend Sheri gave me a pep-talk and sent me to a couple of websites to help me snap out of my funk. (She’s such a great mom, and she’s not even old enough to be my mom!) Basically, she told me to get over myself and get to work, only she’s much nicer than me, so she said it in a much kinder way.
So last night I got back to work. I opened all three corrected files and went through them chapter by chapter, making corrections on my own draft and notes about where I need to fill out the story and where I can cut back. I’m about half-way finished, have two additional chapters to write and a month and a half to get it all done. Luckily I only have to submit my first two chapters to the SCBWI WIP grant committee, meaning I can work on the rest as I go.
Next month marks the first anniversary of the day I began writing this novel. It’s been a long process and a crazy year, but I have faith this is going to work.
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