And back to the story of the day... erm... in a minute...
I think another explanation for my stress lately is the uncertainty of what the next few months will hold. It is this or that, and I won't know until I know... Let me e'splain...
To start off... feeling much better now... Why?
I have Powered Through
The Tart is in STREAM ROLLER form! Obstacles BAHAHA! You're NOTHING! Waiting? POO! I have all the time in the world! Editing? PISH! You don't scare me! I am WRITING!
I think I have all of you to thank for returning my attitude, and this Cracker song, my favorite of theirs, says it fairly perfectly:
I'd really like to see you now
In your father's combat boots
I'd really like to be with you
'Cause we could be so dark
It was only for the grace of you
That I got this attitude
I'll show you my gratitude
When I make it through
I see the light at the end of the tunnel now
(I see the light)
Someone please tell me it's not a train
(Train, I see the light)
I see the light at the end of the tunnel now
(I see the light)
No time to speak, no time to explain
Sometimes I imagine you lying in your bed
Sometimes do you imagine too?
Do you sometimes lust
For the grace that others have inside?
The simple peace they make with life
They feel love like some summer's night
Well, I want it too
chorus chorus, blah blah blah (it doesn't really say chorus chorus blah blah blah, you know... it has more words, but they are mostly words already there... *deadpans*)
And in case you're wondering what kind of twist I've gone around, I am practicing SELF TALK. So there... getting all philosophical and stuff... But the way I figure it, you guys REALLY helped pull me up day before yesterday.
Side Assistance
I've also been First Reading my way through some stuff for friends of mine and LOVE the process. When I do that, I become more objective in MY stuff. I notice things that aren't quite right—things about pacing or tension that I have a hard time spotting in my oh-so-familiar manuscripts, but coming back after the more objective read gives me distance.
I also also (yes, two alsos) took Jan's advice... hmmm... how to distinguish the Jans.... both Canadian, both tarts in their way... though I suppose only the one is OFFICIALLY a tart... Maybe I should go with province... Nova Scotia Jan wrote herself a letter of edits to make in the future... THAT allows you to stop worrying about it NOW because you won't forget (or stress about forgetting)... I adopted it and wrote... okay, so my version was more like a list... but it DID help to write it down... release the tension of this 'at some future date' editing project.
It's coming. You see, I have a PLAN! (a plan you say? I see some of you running away screaming. I know there are some pantsers out there, but I can't abide by pants. I need a PLAN) [never mind that I rarely follow said plan; it still makes me feel better to make one]
THE PLAN
1) I have two ideas looming, but you KNOW my theory about stewing, yes? The ideas need to stew before they are properly fermented (because who wants to tell a sober tale, ne?) BUT writing SCENES before they are fully fermented actually HELPS this process. I am okay with the fact that these scenes are never recognizable in the final project. They still help me get to know my characters. So until I hear about the cozy (the answer of which is my Cat), I am writing SCENES.
2) When I HEAR about the Cozy Gig, I reach the point where I know whether the cat is ALIVE (I get the gig) or dead (I don't get the gig). (see how it fits? I won't know whether it's alive or dead until... I find out. Until then, both the alive and the dead exist and I have to plan for them! *snort *)
* If I GET the gig, I then write the cozy
* If I DON'T get the gig, I then EDIT LEGACY until June 1
3) (We're still on Schrodinger's cat—two versions, equally real (or unreal). Because until you know, you never know, eh?) But on BOTH FORKS, as of JUNE 1, the Burrow is doing a NoWriMo (BuNoWriMo)--and you are WELCOME to join us. Our reasoning is that November is a baddish month for anyone educationally affiliated (which is about half of my group if you count students, teachers and other academics)
* So if I GET the gig, I am going to madly write the book I am SUPPOSED to be writing
* If I DON'T get the gig, I am going to write the ghost story that is currently stewing.
4) In JULY I edit. No matter what. The Cozy or Legacy. Then, whichever one goes to FIRST readers, and we get back to being cats.
* In presence of Cozy, Legacy will be 2nd editing project.
* In absence of Cozy, Deniability will be 2nd editing project.
5)August I get reader feedback and finalize whichever one is the next polished work for a September send out.
Probably that is as far as I oughta plan...