Good luck Barb, a super professional like you will do the right thing.

BWAH!

Thanks, Gud. And I have to say, this is where having a great critique partner is absolutely invaluable. I brainstormed with mine yesterday and she not only reassured me that I hadn't completely lost my mind (at least, not more so than usual), but pointed out where what I was thinking not only made perfect sense, it made perfect inevitable sense in that the story had already been morphing in my proposed direction for some time. It's just that I've been so bloody close to it, combined with not being able to steadily work on it (we're on 2 1/2 years and counting on this one, but not continuous) plus a ton of professional upheaval.

Basically, she slapped me upside the head and told me to cut myself some slack.

I just picked up a person to swap betas. Partly just because critiquing other people seems to help me out looking at my own stuff.

This is what the first page of her first chapter looked like in my word process (blurred to protect the innocent).

[link]

It's not bad, it just needs a lot of tweaking. She didn't freak out and was very appreciative when she got it, so that's a good sign.

We'll see how this works out. I appreciate the beta readers. Beverly in particular has helped me find some rough edges.

Beverly is great. She's a marvelous beta.

I, however, suck. But I swear I have comments commented, I just need to send off to you. I'm sorry!

I'm sorry!

Really, don't worry too much. I know people get busy and I'm still only in chapter 4 of my rough draft which is 31 chapters long so I'm a very long ways from my next revision.

Thanks, guys. Story of my life. Can't write for shitpublication, writing group won't let me quit.

If I tell you I've edited the poem hard copy while everybody else is on meet and greet, made a few changes while it's being read aloud, and handed the amended copy to the writer/reader when she finished. "Read it again." You understand, right?

If I had a nickel for every time I've said, "lose your first stanza, it's just warmup," or, "Use your first line as the title." Or done nothing but removed all but one or two "the"s and changed the line breaks, well. I'd have enough money for S4 SPN dvds.

It's what I see, what I hear, what I do. I just can't do it for my own stuff.

::bounces::

I passed muster with initial editor, who sent my YA along to her superior. All fingers crossed now that she likes it.

And, you know, reads it sooner than eighteen months from now.

Awesome! I hope the finger crossing bears good results and sooner that 18 months.

I passed muster with initial editor, who sent my YA along to her superior. All fingers crossed now that she likes it.

AAAAAAAYYYYYYYIIIIIIIIII!!!!!

Zombie YA, yes?

Yeah, Barb. Now ... more waiting.

::sits on hands::