Impatience

Have I mentioned my impatience problem? Not lately? Oh good! The tasteful editors remain too busy to write. This time of year, I suspect they’re preoccupied with conference schedules, vacations, children home from school--in short--everything, except reading submissions.

Since I can’t change the reality of publishing, I’ve decided writing is the perfect career choice to cure me of the impatience flaw. Way too often, I race into projects without adequate planning. I could save myself hours upon hours of time by thinking through stories at the concept stage. Hint to self: if you can’t write an exciting synopsis then the idea isn’t ready to become a compelling story.

I long for feedback (another character weakness) to that end, I submit, enter contests--push to get more submissions out there… Not all of these activities are bad. However, they are counterproductive if I’m impatient and submit stories before they are the best I’m capable writing.

Rather than fretting about how many months it has been since I’ve sent off a particular submission, I should be working harder on the current story. Also, I should be rejoicing that I don’t have a deadline and can take the time I need to polish and revise.

I’ve noticed something else. It is hard sticking to one project for the months needed to write a book. Currently, I’m writing the first draft of the third dangerous book. While this is happening (way too slowly to suit me), other story ideas keep interrupting the flow.

If they really grab me then I stop and make notes before returning to work. All fine and good, except that this slows down progress. Seriously slows it down, because it takes time for me to get back into the special story world. In my case, all the good writing happens in a trance-like state when I live inside the story.

Do you work diligently on one thing at a time? Or do you have multiple projects in various stages of completion?