Saturday, August 2, 2014

I've Emerged!

Five months ago I hid myself in the dark writing cave that authors often find themselves in. I had an idea for a new manuscript and I ran with it, determined to keep going until I was finished and could emerge from the cave.

And I did it. I now have a shiny new manuscript waiting to be picked apart by my beta readers and critique partners. It's an NA LGBT contemporary set in Appalachia, and I'm confident that it's my best manuscript yet!

As always, my husband is my first reader. After writing and editing I passed it off to him and awaited the onslaught of super picky yet constructive commentary. His feedback has been invaluable so far, but he still has a ways to go on the critiquing journey. I'm grateful that even though he's found many flaws, he has also remarked that his job is difficult because of my improved writing. I hope future critiquers see it that way as well!

It was a relief to finish my first and second drafts, but the work hasn't stopped. I'm incorporating edits, working on my query letter (yikes!), reading other peoples' manuscripts, and (God help me) working through the ideas of a NEW manuscript (anyone up for a historical fiction?).

There's still some time before I'll be ready to start querying this manuscript. The prospect of starting the query process all over again is both exhilarating and frightening. I'm simultaneously eager to get my new work out there and terrified that the daunting task will be waste of time.

Wish me luck!

**Over the next couple of weeks I'll post some exciting news about my friends' book releases! Giveaways to come!

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