I'm not sure they can do this, babe. You handed in the book on time, and have completed more than one set of revisions. Their schedule is not your problem -- you fulfilled your part of the contract.
Well, Agent Kate is looking at the contract-- in effect what happened is that my editor submitted the manuscript to her publisher for final acceptance. Publisher decided that manuscript was not ready to go into production, that it would need at least one more revision, thereby delaying acceptance. And contract reads that option shall not be considered until delivery AND acceptance have both happened.
Which sucks.
I like the idea of spanking Barb between margaritas. Surely that will unfreeze things.
::SNORT:: It'll do SOMETHING, that's for sure.
Typo, let's see if I can clarify a bit.
Okay, I have two completely separate adult manuscripts going right now-- a straight up romance that's set against the world of competitive figure skating and a much darker sort of coming-of-age story set in the early sixties. Both stories are stalled in the middle of chapters at the moment, because that's precisely when all the shit went down with Former Agent and I had to start the agent search.
And I think that part of the problem has to do with the fact that when I open both manuscripts up, I start getting kind of choked up and emotional because all of the negative feelings of that moment come rushing back.
So the solution would be to work on something brand new and hey, there are the ideas for the two YAs that I have floating around, except-- what's the point of working on those if I can't even submit them until God knows when. It's all very self-pitying and defeating and completely mental and I'm utterly aware of this and I hate it like BURNING. However, I need to get ferocious on SOMETHING and break through.
When I've tried parsing through things in a logical manner, I figure that the skating story is the one to maybe focus on because it's fairly close to being in submission shape. Where I'm at in that particular chapter is that the characters are just about to embark on their first practice session together to see if they can actually skate together without killing each other.
Maybe... parsing some more... what I need to do is write down the technicals of the skating session, because those are pretty cut and dried. The actual skating moments, as it were. Then go back and add the character development and emotion. Hm...
Publisher decided that manuscript was not ready to go into production, that it would need at least one more revision, thereby delaying acceptance. And contract reads that option shall not be considered until delivery AND acceptance have both happened.
Yikes. I'm sorry, babe. Let's find Bertha for Publisher, yes?
Thoughts on un-freezing after I find some food. I'm about to gnaw off my own arm.
Yikes. I'm sorry, babe. Let's find Bertha for Publisher, yes?
Well, I tell myself that I also get payment on D&A, at least. As opposed to publication which was my S&S contract.
S&S paid on PUB?! That's ... really surprising.
I meant to add that writing the tech aspects of the skating practice scene is probably a good idea. It'll give you a skeleton, and you don't have to think about the characters as much as the mechanics.
As for the other book, I think starting a scene out of order -- passing up the one where you left off, in other words -- may be the key. Jump ahead. Write the end! Write a scene that will never be in the book, even. Anything to get you back into the characters and remove you from that mental place.
S&S paid on PUB?! That's ... really surprising.
Yup. Signing, D&A, and publication. The Penguin contract is signing, first draft, and D&A.
Jump ahead. Write the end!
::twitches::
You understand how twiggy this would be for Linear Girl, right? However...
Write a scene that will never be in the book, even.
This might have a shot at working to get me out of the Bad Place. Because really, I'm freakin' sick and tired of the Bad Place and again, just slap me for the whining. I'm starting to piss myself off.
Write a scene that will never be in the book, even.
I like this! Like writing fic for your own book!
Write a scene that will never be in the book, even.
I like this! Like writing fic for your own book!
That's what I did! And then it became the ending for the book after all.
First day for teachers is August 11. Summer is drawing to a close, ugh! First day for students is August 18. Last I heard, first semester I'll be in the group that will be teaching without a planning period. Budget cuts suck.
It looks like my school has had at least 17 teachers leave this year. Of that, they have replaced about 9. Why doesn't the county realize my school is a sinking ship and do something to fix it?
