Sunday, March 13, 2011

Progress Check

Sorry for the long silence. Though I intend to keep this post short and sweet (and you'll see why in a minute), I want to thank everyone for cheering for me and for all the congratulations. In keeping true to my word in blogging about the process, here is what I've learned about the publishing industry so far: It isn't always slow.

I've already received my first editorial letter (four pages, single spaced!) and I've already had my first pow wow with the editors about it. My silence is because I'm working to get the revisions done by April 1st. This will likely be my last post until then.

For those of you new to writing, you need to be prepping that rhino skin right now, so that it's fully developed when you hit this stage. So that when you receive a four page, single spaced letter telling you everything that DOESN'T work about your book, you'll be able to look it objectively. I'm not saying I didn't fall out of my chair, and partly because of a certain comment made about a certain scene which still has me blushing, but I'm just saying that you need to have skin thick enough to open the document without crying or being rushed to the ER. That's all. You need to collect some critique partners so that your wounds are calloused over by the time you hit this stage in the game. (BTW, it's a lot to take in at first, but really truly all of the editorial input I received was so on-point that I could hardly argue how much better it would make the book. By the end of the phone conference, I felt this overwhelming sense of appreciation for landing in such good hands with Feiwel and Friends, not to mention Lucy!)

Okay so, since my last post, this has happened:

1.) Mom back in the hospital.
2.) Editorial letter.
3.) Meeting with editors about said editorial letter.
4.) Computer crashed.
5.) Got the stinking flu.
6.) Got a new computer.
7.) Mom out of the hospital.
8.) Revisions, revisions, revisions.
9.) Beginning this week, I will be tranporting my sister to cardiac rehab 3xweek, for at least the next month.
10.) Editor needed author bio and author pic RIGHT AWAY for promotional packages to sell international rights at Bologna Children's Book Fair THIS MONTH!

Also, did I mention I work full time? And so, that is why I haven't been blogging. Please forgive me! But please don't blog flog me for not posting until after April 1st!

Thanks again for all the support, and I hope my erradic posts are still encouraging.

8 comments:

  1. Oh my gosh! I hope that the family gets better. Hang in there! In all things, keep doing what you're doing-namely serving, being supportive of your family, and taking work and editing in stride so as to keep your chin above water. =)

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  2. Good luck with the family and all the revisions!! Mixing in the full time job CANNOT be easy! I work full time and don't have an agent or a publishing career quite yet but I know I'm well on my way. Seeing first hand what happens after the agent makes me both excited and teriffied. I suppose as writers we never give up no matter what the other side ends up looking like!

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  3. Hey Kaylie, thanks for the support girl! You know I need it. And I'm soooo excited about what you're doing with the whole Egypt book idea.

    Jen, I wrote this blog and THEN read on yours where I shouldn't whine. I'll do better next time. Just the publishing stuff! Yes, you are well on your way, hun. I can tell by the voice of your blog.

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  4. Anna, just found your news of success on QT and was excited to hear your story. I work FT too, plus have three kids, so all my endeavors must take place after dark! The stress clearly never ends after getting an agent, so kudos on managing this all.

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  5. You've got lots on your plate at the moment! Hope all is well with the family. Good luck with revisions!

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  6. You are SO right about developing really thick skin early on. Definitely a must have in this career. Thanks for sharing!

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  7. Hey Anna! I'm so glad your mom's home! And you're a wonderful sis helping out w/ the cardio therapy runs.

    Congrats on getting through reading those edits. EEPS. Scary stuff, that. Good luck w/the revisions and w/your foreign rights! I hope your book takes Bologna by storm!

    Oh, and your comment about not everything in this biz is slow ... LOL. It's been that way for you through this whole experience! I can't wait to see how your book flies off the shelves. :-)

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  8. Oh, wait! I just realized you said your mom was back IN the hospital. I'm so sorry! Is she better yet?

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