Man, CONduit is at the end of this week, and I’ve still got a good 14k words to go in Mercenary Savior. Today, I only wrote 1,300 words. I have no idea why my productivity has fallen so much, but it’s not good.
It might not be a totally bad thing, though. I’m having trouble finding a ride up for Friday, so I might end up spending two or three hours on the bus. If that’s the case, I might have some writing time then.
I read something interesting on Dave Farland’s daily kick (the email newsletter he sends out–it’s free, btw, and very helpful). Basically, he said that it’s better to wait to submit something until it’s absolutely perfect than to submit something for the sake of submitting it.
This is making me rethink my plan to start submitting Mercenary Savior right after I finish this draft. It’s much improved, I think, from the first couple of drafts, but it still needs a lot of work.
As I run down my list of revision notes, I keep thinking “dang, I didn’t pull that off as well as I’d hoped” or “that last scene could have been better.” It’s hard, though, to juggle so many changes; you can only do so much work at once. Mercenary Savior is going to need another revision after this one before it’s polished.
The only thing is…that means I only have one novel to submit to agents/editors. Is that a bad thing? Now that I’m in the real world, I’m anxious to launch my writing career, but at the same time I don’t want to shoot myself in the foot.
I suppose the first thing to do is to finish this beast. Ugh.
“Basically, he said that it’s better to wait to submit something until it’s absolutely perfect than to submit something for the sake of submitting it.”
I SO agree with this. This pretty much sums up my own personal feelings about submitting stuff.
And submitting one novel is fine. Most people do that in the first place 😛 On average, it takes agents to respond around 3 months. You can probably have another book ready by then.
I read that newsletter too. That’s kind of what I’m gearing towards–I want my books to be perfect before I submit them. I mean, if -I- can find problems with a MS, the editor will spot them right on.
I think it’s better not to shoot yourself in the foot. You’re a good writer and very dedicated to the craft–I think the patience will pay off for you, in the end.
Sorry I’m not going to CONduit. I could have at least gotten you from Lehi to the Radisson. :O I know a group of guys in Provo who are heading there (I think they’re staying in SLC for the weekend, though) who may have an extra spot in their car. Would you like me to ask?
i agree with that, and yet i don’t agree. of course you want to send your best work to editors and agents. but to say you want your MS to be *perfect* before you send it in is…ah…impossible. if that’s your mindset then you might be in for a long wait before you DO feel ready to send it in.
the thing is, editors EXPECT there to be some mistakes here and there, some things that need cleaning up. that’s what they’re there for–to point that type of thing out to you. of course, the cleaner a MS is, the happier they are I’m sure…but still.
its a fine line. but to say you want a MS to be perfect before you send it in can be damaging. because i guarantee the editor won’t think its perfect, even if you do. he/she may LIKE it, but i’m sure they’ll find a good spattering of revisions that need to happen as well. and, worst case scenario, the editor may STILL think its garbage, even when you think its perfect. talk about damaging your self-esteem.
anyway. of course you want your MS to be as good as you can make it before you send it in, and based on how you’re talking about it, it sounds like your project definitely needs another solid revision. just don’t overdo it! i find that after a certain point my revisions can actually start making my book WORSE, i start overthinking it–i either have to stop it and just send it in, or just set it aside for a while and let it simmer.
good luck with it!