They need work—editing, rewrites, polishing, but they are both much better than I thought. Was that it? Was I afraid after the illness, recovery, time they would look like complete and utter failures? Or was the biggest failure and I knew it was, that they haven’t been polished and sent out? Have I been avoiding that? Have I been avoiding sending these novels out into the world? Courting rejection?
Or is it the size of the job that overwhelmed me until just lately? I have been so easily overwhelmed. I think that comes from learning how vulnerable I am, we all are. Maybe, hopefully, the time I’ve waited to work on my novels will be a good thing. I kind of think so.
So—the plan is to take a day and gather the chapters of Elsa and the Tie-down Man together and begin the process of getting the thing ready to submit. I seriously need a, unbiased reader or two. I’ll see what I can do to find one, later after the long and arduous task of getting this novel ready for submission. In the mean time, I’ll set aside two days a week to work on this. For now, I think that is as much as I can handle with my other writings and other responsibilities.
I’ve also been taking notes, good, solid notes for the memoir. Deciding on direction and purpose finally. That was the problem with it all along. I started the memoir while I was recovering from MPGN, most to try to get back to writing. Thinking it would help to write about it and because I really thought I had learned something that I should share, but I just couldn’t get it off the ground. Whether because I was too close to the situation still( which I suspect) or whether the medication was proving to make any big, long term projects impossible(which I suspect.)
It doesn’t matter though. I’ve spent some time taking notes for the memoir (waiting in doctor’s offices, in line, at night.) While doing that, I found the purpose, the direction and the voice I want to use. That’s enough for now. I can’t believe how much stuff has come forward with that and some really wonderful questions I’ve found.
I’m reading memoirs, alternatively with fiction. I like to read as many western historical as I find just so I know there is still a market and to know what that market is. Praise horse shoes and shotguns. Oh, hurry Kaki Warner with Open Country. And reading memoir does the same. So I’m knee-deep in writing, reading and gardening. Could anything be better than that?
4 comments:
Glad you're getting your novels back out. I set Pieces of Sky aside for twenty years and was about to toss it into the burn barrel when I decided to give it one last read. Like you with your novels, I found it wasn't really that bad--sure it needed some polishing--but it was definitely salvagable. And I still loved the characters and the story. So I did a few trial runs through contests (which I highly recommend), got tons of great feedback, made some edits, then shipped it out and two weeks later had an agent. I've read your blog. I know you can write. (That one on Amelia E. still resonates in my mind--loved it!) I have no doubt you can do this, so get to work. I want to put a book of yours on my shelf.
PS. Sorry about any misspellings or typos. I suck at spelling and typing, although I'm still basically a nice person. Mostly.
Kaki, you are so generous, with your words and your comments. I read them and hug them close because, you are one of only a handful of 'almost famous writer's' that have encouraged me. Do you have any idea how much your comments have helped me?
And we have tons in common. For one, you must love to garden. Isn't that picture on your website, your garden? And second, I suck at spelling and typing and I'm still basically a nice person, except when I'm not.
And there's the fact that my next trilogy is set in the Rockies. Kismet! And you don't need me to encourage you--you have a world of talent. Trust it and use it, or lose it. I'm proof it's never too late. And hey, if you want a chance at a giveaway of Open Country, go to my blog and answer the question about epilogues. Or not. Hopefully you'll be too busy writing your own stuff.
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