Waiting...

Feeling a bit down about the novel lately. My work is in the hands of others and I am so appreciative people are willing to read it. But I am growing impatient waiting for feedback. I know people aren't critique factories...they can't just churn out valuable feedback in minutes. This is not a passive aggressive plea to them either. I'm just reiterating that patience is a problem for me, but I'm trying so, so hard. It's near impossible not to dive into another edit without hearing from people who can look at my work with fresh eyes. I can't do that. I am no use to myself right now... I don't like that.

In the meantime, I've been doing a lot of research. Trying to understand the market a bit better. I wander bookstores and look at what's buzzin', what's on what table, whats in what section, what constitutes women's fiction, what books are next to one another, what books look like the books I write, which agents are thanked in the acknowledgements, what the jacket copy looks like. Jacket copy is a form of query letter, in some way, so I study them like bibles. I've also been reading a lot of young adult work to prep for my next novel. Nothing has blown me away but I love the young adult voice, I am inspired by it.

Speaking of which, I am finding it very difficult to write that 2nd idea. Or anything for that matter. I started a short piece and grew bored with it. I can not wrap my head around the 2nd book idea right now. I don't feel ready to dive into another psyche, another voice, another person.

I am stuck in my current novel. I can't seem to focus elsewhere. I am antsy to get back into it. To finish it. It sits right now. Far away. I want to be close to it but I have to stop myself. Because it rests in the hands of someone new...