Posted by: Heather Hiestand/Anh Leod
Currently working on: Holly's Pledge
Mood: cautiously optimistic
This has been a busy month in writer-land, as you can probably tell by the dearth of blogs here this month. Heck, I couldn't even get past my first sentence without interruptions. But writers with more interesting lives and cash flows than mine have been up north in King County at a writer's conference this weekend, and my fellow Ellora's Cave/Cerridwen (coasting through another interruption here) authors have been at the first annual publisher-focused conference over the past weekend. Some people probably even made it to the Portland RWA chapter meeting. I was home alone with the baby as usual, though I did get my 500 words written at least. We lead busy lives.
After writing almost nothing over the previous year, I find myself almost finished with a book. I'm on the last chapter of the first draft, though more than half the book is in third draft. It's a wonderful feeling, but also terrifying because in the last year I lost my editor and will be submitting to someone new. So cross your fingers for me next month as I submit this project.
I've also been dealing with the frustration of knowing I have to turn down an unsuitable contract offer. It doesn't fit my schedule or my career, but it is so hard for a writer to turn down any contract, particularly when much of the material is already completed. But, we have to be brave and in charge and know what is best for us. What do we want for our career? What will build our names? What is likely to be bad time wasted after good? Particularly in the small press/e-press world that I dwell in, the latter question is of vital importance.
Everything is a balancing act, in our lives and careers. Make good choices!
2 comments:
Congratulations on closing in on the end of that book! What a sense of satisfaction! And you've definitely had distractions this past year. But that adorable little guy is worth every minute spent with him. :)
Kudos to you for making good choices for you and your career. Also, fingers and other digits crossed for you as you submit to someone new. All will work out for the best!
Keep at it, Heather! Two pages a day and that critter will be done before you know it!
I was so overwhelmed earlier this month that I completely forgot about the blog. But now I'm re-polishing, in hopes of submitting to Elaine Spencer by mid-November, as I promised.
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