Anyway enough wingeing; life is good. I had a fantastic meeting with my writing mentor last week. She has now read the latest draft of my novel in full. My head will explode with boastfulness if I repeat all the lovely things she said about it but basically the keywords were 'very publishable' and 'I love it'. The latter coming from a many times published and highly respected author / intelligent well-read woman makes me very happy indeed. The former (for all the same reasons) makes me very excited. In fact we were both very excited over our coffees last week . She is keen for me to get my first chapters out to an agent asap, but there is still some tinkering to be done with the rest. I don't want to risk being asked for a full manuscript and then feeling that it's not quite ready and not having any spare time to get it ready.
It may all have to wait until the end of Feb / beginning of March when I can give it my best. Just wish I wasn't so impatient. Meanwhile my mentor has helped me draft my covering letter and given me loads of help with my synopsis about which I was formerly clueless. What a star. Can highly recommend her and the mentoring scheme that she runs - if anyone wants more details let me know and I will send links etc.
Hurrah I've run and blogged this morning. Now I'd better do some work
8 comments:
I'm impatient too - but I'm slowly learning that in the grand scheme of things, where publishing is concerned, another month or two here or there makes very little difference. After a helpful professional critique last summer, I'm now ready to do another draft of my novel, but like you I'm far too busy to get at it - and will be until April. By that time it'll be a year since I last worked on it. I would never have thought I could cope with such a long gap, but several people told me it might prove useful in the end, and now I think they were right. I hope you will find the same.
That's absolutely fantastic news Jumbly! How exciting!
If your novel is commercial rather than literary give me a shout and I'll give you my agents details.
Oooh, yes, details please, including which is her favourite type of apple ;-)
(You clever girl!)
Just popped back to say - I got so obsessed by the patience/impatience thing, I forgot to write the bit that said well done, what your mentor said sounds like really good news and I think congratulations are in order! I've been wondering about trying some mentoring, I think I need to do my next draft first but I may come back to you for info after that.
You are a complete star and so productive.
That's wonderful news, and I know that feeling of impatience, too! I've just had the enormous thrill of going into Waterstones and finding my own book on the shelves - that's why, when you're writing, you want everything to happen so quickly. It's worth it too, believe me!
http://writingtherapyblog.blogspot.com/
That's fantastically encouraging feedback from your mentor, I'm really excited for you :o)
Queenie - just realised who you are - Welcome! yes I am hoping that patience will prove to be a virtue
Cally - Thank you that's really kind. Will email you with details if that's OK and see if you think its her kind of thing
Leigh - will email you details soon (promise) Don't know if she's into apples but large capuccinos seem to go down well
Helen - Thank you m'dear, don;t know about productive, but I seem to ahve done all the writing I inteneded to do in the last ten years in one!
Dotterel - Great news about your book - I'm still dreaming :o)
Karen - Thank you. Excitement is good (especially when shared) and I haven't lost mine yet
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