A Friday Analogy:
Seeking publication is like being stuck in a horrible traffic jam when you’re super excited to get to a show. Any creep forward makes you ridiculously excited. Like, “Alright. This is it. Things are moving now!” Then all of a sudden, you’re in a standstill again, wondering if the road exploded. Wondering if you’ll ever get there. Craning your neck out the window, trying to see what’s causing the backup, only a big stupid truck’s in the way.
Cares:
Some Fridays, I sit and scratch my chin, trying to think of what to write for 3 C’s and other Fridays, I have to narrow things down because there’s too much to say. From now on, I’m only writing a 3 C’s post when I have a Friday like the second one. I mean, do you really care that my son didn’t eat his green beans? Probably not. So, I’m thinking of doing a Friday Analogy on the days there’s not much to say. It will probably be an analogy on the writing journey – usually silly, occasionally serious, rarely profound. I’ll still pose the question: What are your 3 C’s today, because I enjoy reading your updates. Whadaya think?
Concerns:
The beginning of my WIP is edgy. Like, really edgy for the CBA. Here’s the thing. It’s not edgy for the sake of edginess (that’s silly). It’s edgy because my heroine is completely broken. She’s chasing after happiness in all the wrong places. I’m not glorifying her lifestyle. I’m writing about it to magnify the severity of her brokenness and the beauty of God’s grace. Those are the novels I like. The ones that don’t shy away from reality. The ones that aren’t afraid to get a little grit under their fingernails. However, I can’t help but feel nervous about it’s future acceptance in the eyes of potential publishers.
Celebrations:
I finished major revisions for my novel. Now I’m polishing, which is my favorite part.
Junior High Ministry had their kickoff for the new school year this past Wednesday. Talk about energy (and volume)! God’s doing some amazing work in the lives of these students.
Questions to Ponder: What are your cares, concerns, and celebrations today? What do you think about the Friday analogy idea?
Congrats on finishing your revisions–that must be a good feeling.
Don't worry about classification, girl. Just write the story of God's heart!!!
Sigh. Cares: a friend whose brother is terribly ill. Yeah, the big C (cancer) strikes again.
Concerns: last-minute edits for The Rhythm of Secrets…got the e-mail when I returned from the high of teaching writers' conference.
Celebration: GREAT week teaching with Julie Lessman, who went from a soulmate to a SUPER soulmate.
What a blessing.
Patti
Dare to be edgy. The right editor will pick it up. If the story is too gushy, churchy, I wouldn't pick it up with a toothpick. Maybe your story is for anyone to read, not just the Christian market.
Keep the 3 c's unless it's a strain. When your biggest concern is the green beans, then your celebrations must be terrific!
I don't have any profound C's – still getting ready for school and wondering what these winds of change are bringing…
I care that your son didn't eat his green beans. You can tell me all about it any time you like 🙂
Thanks for your get well wishes on my blog. I am starting to feel better. 🙂
I'd like to be finished with re-write number five. But I am learning to go slow and relax. AHHHHHH!
If I could just get my stupid book finished I would be happy. I'm not even asking for publication at this point – though that would be great – just to get a first draft completed.
Krista – I've been thinking and praying for you and Annabelle! Also, oh man girl – I totally feel you!!! I got feedback from a contest judge once that made me SO angry. She basically hated my heroine b/c she was living with a man in the beginning of my novel and said characters like that had no place in the CBA. The thing of it is, in the beginning of the novel, she's not a Christian. At all. She's quite angry with Christians. I've never felt so angry about feedback before. I had the exact same feelings you wrote about.
Hi Katie –
I love analogies!
Cares: Job
Concerns: Job
Celebrations: An agent at the Philly conference requested my full manuscript. I sent it out tonight. Yay!
Blessings,
Susan 🙂
Ah, I haven't don't 3C's in a while!
I don't mind edgy. I have a similar book that starts out with a very broken character (actually 2 of them) and so far the feedback isn't great because people don't like my character and were put off by them. Part of me got REALLY frustrated… I mean, are we christians THAT judgemental that if we read about a person who is broken and in need of God's saving grace that instead of having compassion, we "don't like" them? I'm still figuring out how to get over that and make my character likeable while still staying true to my book. Hrm.
Anyway, 3C's.
Cares: My sister is getting married next weekend. She is requiring me to go "tanning." First, I'm still "pumping" for my little love, so ugh. Second, I have NEVER been tanning before and I REALLY REALLY don't want to start now. But, I DO have a bit of a farmers tan and the bridesmaid dresses are strappless.. la!
Concerns: OBviously, my Annabelle. We now found out that she has to probably stay at the hospital until her 2nd surgery… at least another 2-3 months. BLAH.
Celebrations: At the hospital,t hey have "sleep" rooms that are given by criticalness of patient and distance u live from hospital. They are given out daily. If I don't get one, I have to sleep in a sleep chair in Annabelle's room which = not great sleep. It is SUCH a luxury when I get one. SO far this week, I've gotten one EVERY night (after going 2 weeks without having one…) I think God knew I needed sleep!
I like edgy. And congrats on finishing your novel! I really need to finish another novel. I guess that can be one of my cares.
What a great analogy, Katie. And I love the idea for offbeat Fridays.
Concern: Always my widowed mom, and brother who needs the Lord.
Celebration: sleeping in my own bed. That i have a bed to sleep in!
Love
Jen
Love the analogy! So spot on!
I love hearing whatever is on your mind with these Friday posts, green beans or not. 🙂
Cares – Settling into the school routine and keeping everything in balance.
Concerns – getting a boatload of editing done before conference…before NANO starts in November…before Christmas…edit, edit, edit.
Celebrations – we started school and James says Algebra is his new favorite subject. YAY! Heather had a great orientation week and started classes and has made some new friends and seems to be doing great. I got some lovely affirmation from readers this week that what I'm writing is what they want to read. 🙂
A traffic jam…I like that! 🙂
Cares and concerns include two sick kiddos. Hope to get a good night sleep sometime soon!
Celebration: My wonderful hubby is taking the kids away on Labor Day weekend so I can get my writing projects done before ACFW conference. Yeah, I'm pretty lucky. 🙂
Our blogs are always evolving. I always love reading analogies!
Congrats on having the new book idea running around and on getting to the polishing phase! Woo-hoo!
Last week, I was concerned about not getting up to my parent's house this summer, but yesterday they came to see me. It made my day!
Have a great weekend!
cares: the first week of school went well and my children are happy.
concerns: my book(s) and not giving up. yeah, it's been one of those weeks.
celebrations: my husband qualified for the job in New Zealand. it's just one of many hurdles, but at least we made it over the first one! hopefully interview is next!
It still cracks me up polishing is your favorite part.
Hey, really cool message to your agent today. Inspiring.
Cares: I have chunks of editing to tackle before ACFW.
Concerns: See above.
Celebrations. I've been blessed with a keen eye on one of my MS–truly helping me to shape it into what I originally intended for it.
Also, "It's the most wonderful time of the year." Kids start school next Wed. 😀
Love ya!
~ Wendy
Congrats on your revisions. Celebrations? the Young One made it through college orientation and first day of classes. She's very happy. Me, too.
Good for you for finishing your revisons:)) Mine is off to an editor and my biggest concern is she will have more than I can even fix!!
Celebrating my husband being off from school still!
Hi Katie,
Great analogy! I hate traffic jams. When we were done with the museum yesterday in Detroit, we hit rush hour traffic. And even though we didn't get into any major long standstills, I was still impatient!
If a publishing house likes your story and your writing, then I'm sure they'll take your book. They may ask you to change the beginning, but then you have Rachelle to help you negotiate if that's really important to you.
And I like your 3 C's, even the small things. It's fun to hear what's going on in everyone's lives, even aside from writing.
Wendy – hope hubby feels better done and you finish those edits! I'm not sure why it's my favorite. Maybe because being at that stage is such a relief – I know my novel is written and I'm confident in the structure. The polishing, for me, is like sitting back and playing around with the fun stuff (word choice, dialogue, etc)
Oh, & I do like the analogy idea!
The edgy thing really struck home with me cause I write edgier things, too. I agree with you about not edgy for the sake of edgy but this world is *so* broken. YA "issue" books is where I've really felt my writing purpose. I'm targeting the ABA market, though, so it's probably not apples to apples since I don't many of those publishers are as likely to have a problem with those things.
At any rate- CONGRATS on getting to polishing. I'm just finishing my first polishing round and it's been intense. Why is it your favorite? 😀
CCC: Almost done with these edits! That could have almost been all three, but I'll also throw in that hubby is sick – Bronchitis I think.