Nearing the End

Hi again,

After the conclusion of The Waiting Game it is now the start of a new cycle. It is now time to compile all the notes I requested. I will print out my Master Copy. I read all the remarks from the reviewed copies and note them into my Master Copy. Laying out the collection of marked reviews, my MC, a dictionary, and my brand new competent thesaurus (ekk!!!) onto my work space (aka bed). Let the games begin!

I have been waiting for this for weeks but now that I can actually start working on it. I'm terrified, nervous, and vaguely nauseous, I plan for this to be my second to last round of editing. That means soon I will have a finished polished manuscript ready to be sent out to literary agents. That however is a whole other can of worms that I'm excited for but frankly I will probably hurl when I get there. This round I plan on doing the majority of changes also changing the story line so it both fits and sounds better. Hopefully I have enough caffeinated tea in the house to carry me through all the changes. Sometimes in my last rounds of edits I had a nice long list of things to fix but half way through I would get frustrated and stop then take a week and start another round. Times like this is when you need to take breaks. Go for a walk, take a hot bath or shower, eat something that's actually healthy. Point is you have to ration out your endurance. Marathon runners usually use a nine-minute jog one-minute walk to conserve energy and take a break while running twenty-six miles.

With my goals set and tea brewing I say Au Revoir

Thank you for reading RawLitCom: True Confessions of an Aspiring Author 

Patience. What patience?

  Hello again,

As I'm nearing the end of The Waiting Game and the nerves of those horrid what if's are now thankfully over. Though I doubt truly gone. My mind is now itching to start working on the next stage. My fingers are pulsating as the need to write sinks into my soul, mind, and body. My mind racing with new ideas, questions. This energy is a writer’s paradise, or at least mine. But it’s quite inconvenient when I won't allow myself to work on my writing. Why I won't I allow myself to work on the pain in my neck aka my beloved novel, some may ask. The truth is I don't remember! 

Anyway here I am reading every novel that looks remotely interesting. I love my online library! It's the best thing invented after cupcakes! I mean who doesn't love mini cakes? Speaking of which I made cupcakes last night, it didn't go exactly as planned but hey they still taste good. This has been a good time to catch up on chores, proper eating, and if you remember my first blog bathing. That's all I have to say about that.

I really enjoy baking and cooking which is good cause I'm climbing the walls waiting for another copy for two of my book so I can get back to work. However, I don't care so much for the dishes but there is plenty of sweeping to do. I am one of the weird three percent of the population that is allergic, sensitive, or have Celiac Disease. I am more sensitive or allergic thankfully having Celiac is a nasty disease to have. Anyway converting from being 'normal' and being able to eat anything within reason to being Gluten Free it's a big change. Especially when you realize what it is. Gluten is a protein most commonly found in wheat flour. Wheat flour is the most basic ingredient that found in just about everything proceeded and in many foods served in restaurants.

If you’re like me you buy boxed cake, brownies, pancakes. Well what you know and what you like is about to go out the window. I was lucky when I was diagnosed with being Gluten Free that was when stores started carrying gluten free products. At that time the only things really out were flours so now I had to experiment and find the best flours that worked best with my favorite recipes. Normal wheat flour is fundamentally different from oat flour, rice flour, or the many blends you can buy. Wheat flour reacts differently than other flours in say French Breakfast Muffins because the recipe was designed for wheat flour so experimentation is called for to try and make my favorite breakfast treat taste good and edible again.

Later brownie, cake, and cookie mixtures and already made items are now available. Don't get me wrong homemade is the boss but I can be extremely lazy so trying to figure out what brand is the best can be work. I am extremely thankful that the world was very accommodating to my new nutritional needs.

I got a little off subject today so I apologize but like I said I need to write something and I guess talking about Gluten Free was the best thing I could think of. My apologies. While I have nothing to do besides think and dream I want to start researching Literary Agents. Later on I will be writing a post on the pros and cons of going that route when wanting to publish traditionally. I will also bring up the subjects for looking for new agents and New York agents. Apparently there is quite the controversy on whether these are better or even necessary.  

Thanks for reading RawLitCom: True Confessions of an Aspiring Author

Sincerely,
Taylor

The Waiting Game

Dear Humans of Earth,

The Waiting Game- A period of time after you finally get yourself to push that blasted print button and give your precious novel out for review. This is the time when your so tired that you don't even have the energy for hair pulling and those annoying what if questions. Ha Ha until a few weeks later when you haven't heard one thing about that novel. That's when the fun begins.

Outlining future steps- easily done but not so easily followed. If every time I created a checklist for stages of editing and review and stuck to it. I'd be at this point in the game ages ago. However, my novel would not have been as good if I followed those checklists. I am the kind of person where I like lists, itineraries, I like having an idea of what I want done and when. However, that in no way means I will follow them exactly, they are just guiding steps for me.

Patiently waiting time. Now you just sit around and wait. Or you could be one of those annoying people that start working on another book. I however am going to be a lazy person and bask in the accomplishment of where I am and catch up on my sleep and entertain thoughts that do not relate to my book. It's quite nice actually. Since it's the holidays it's a good time to spend time with friends and family, do some decorating and baking! My favorite baking and if possible baking with loved ones.

I love the holidays! The temperature, the cheerfulness, the food, family and friends. It's not a bad time to go through The Waiting Game either. At least there's plenty of things to do in the interim.

Thank you for reading RawLitCom: True Confessions of an Aspiring Author.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Trust

Dear Readers,

 Trust for me is one of the most important things to a writer. When I hand over a copy of my book to someone it is the ultimate act of trust. I love my family and friends, I trust them with my life, every time we get in the car together I trust them to do the best that they can. When I eat food that they provide I am trusting that they haven't poisoned me. I know I can talk to them about anything. But when I hand over four years of my life, my heart and soul, my dreams. That is a tough pill too swallow.

I've blogged the summary of my journey through the editing process, well now I'm at the point where I need different eyes. My book doesn't have any major errors, the plot line is sound, and my printer is ready to rock. Yet here I am sitting in front of my computer trying to convince myself to push print. 

I am thinking hey if I start printing now I can have it all hole punched and bound tonight or tomorrow and hand it over on Thanksgiving. Still haven't pushed print nope I am sitting on a hardwood floor writing this. Hoping I absorb some courage. So far it’s not looking great.

I've been thinking and looking forward to this moment for years. Waiting for the day when I feel secure enough in my book to share it with the most important people in my life. Well I'm secure in my book but not in myself. What if they hate it? What if they think it’s ridiculous or pathetic? What if it’s just not good? What if questions suck. Maybe I should wait until its ready. When is it going to be ready? I ask myself. When its published maybe? Yeah not even then would I be secure enough.

It's time to shut up and put up. Time to push print and trust those who love me.

Thank you for reading RawLitCom: True Confessions of an Aspiring Author.