It's normal, isn't it, that 24 hours after a conference, in which an editor and agent requested partials, that I'm looking at my first three chapters, seeing nothing but flaws, and saying, "Self, you are a rank, arrogant amateur. What makes you think you're ready to play with the big girls?"

Wait until the first time you hit print. The VERY FIRST paragraph you flip to will contain a typo. Guaranteed.

t snerk

Problem is, with this lot, the werewolves and vampires would kill them all, and there'd be no more story. Unless that's when Lucy discovers she's the Slayer......

I'd totally read that.

The VERY FIRST paragraph you flip to will contain a typo. Guaranteed.

Or a phrase you'll glare at, thinking out loud "What in HELL was I thinking, to write it that way?!?!?!?"

Hmph. I'm not planning to send the partials right away, but in 2-3 weeks. That buys me a little more time for my rewrite, in case either requests a full. (I do plan to mention in my cover letter that I'm in the midst of a big rewrite which I anticipate finishing by such-and-such date, just to cover my bases in case I'm the one person ever in the history of mankind whose partial gets read and loved right away.) So I think I'll just go through those 8 pages or so, highlight everything that feels clunky, and have another hack at it in a week or so after the post-conference self-doubt demons have been temporarily banished.

I'm going to mail out nice thank-you notes to both the editor and the agent tomorrow saying how much I enjoyed meeting with them and letting them know I'll mail the requested partials by the end of the month. One of my friends at the conference suggested that, and I thought it sounded like a wise idea.

Oh, yes (on the thank-you notes). Good manners are always a good idea, and in this instance, they get you remembered nicely.

Challenge 26
Word Count: 100 (sans title)

Lie Becomes Truth

Nobody will know. Or notice. If they do, they won't care. I will do it later. Tomorrow. Next week. Next time. Next year. There will be plenty of time. In fact, I can make time. I can squeeze it in, when it is more convenient.

No one expected it now, anyhow. Nobody will remember, later. I am the only one concerned about it.

How important could it be? It is not as if I am the first to do this. I am pretty sure this has happened before. The world did not end. It won't matter in the long run.

Cindy, I like this muchly, especially guessing what the "it" is.

How important could it could it be?

Thanks, Lee, and thanks for the typo catch, too. I made a slight change to keep the word count at 100.

Cindy, I'm with Lee - nicely written, and the curiosity factor makes it even better.