Status Updates

Business: Okay. So I'm up to 7 rejections. I realize this isn't very many, and I'll probably get a lot more before I get a, "Yes." But rejections don't feel like a step forward, and it is SO IMPORTANT for me to take a positive step forward EVERY DAY! I've sent out a bunch of query letters, and I've still got many more to send out.

State of Mind: I'm not going to lie. Doubt is starting to creep in. Not overtake. But definitely creep in. (Yes, I realize I've only gotten seven rejections. And I have to be tougher, and I am tougher. But I'm also an emo writer, so...) I'm also going through that whole crazy writer's black hole that I always go through after I finish one big writing objective and search for the next. Also, I am not a patient person. AND I need to find something productive, like a job, to fill my time now that I've officially entered this dark, quiet period called: The Waiting Game.

Financial State: I feel like it's the same. But I'm definitely counting the days now as I know my savings won't last much longer, and I need more work to fill my time. Thus, I'm searching for a job: a part-time, low stress, decent-paying job. (The whole job hunt thing makes the emo writer even crazier!)

Creative: Taking a back seat lately. I need to amp it up. I need to really focus my creative energies in productive directions like for real finishing these few stories I've been working on for months but still aren't perfect yet or good enough to send out to magazines. And I need to OH MY GOD AMP UP my freelance business. So... all of you loyal followers of my blog who have websites and party invitations and holiday bashes you're preparing for, make sure you hire your favorite friendly neighborhood writer to take care of all of these needs and write something beautiful to send to your friends and families. Yes, I'm shamelessly plugging myself on my own blog. But if not here, then where? And I really do need to hugely beef up my freelance business. So spread the good word about my fabulous writing skills; your efforts are much appreciated.

Spiritual: I think I'm ignoring God, which is SO NOT what I should be doing right now as I pray and pray and pray some more that my book will sell and make some money. I should stop doing this.

My Latest Rejection:

"Dear Meghann Carey, Thanks for your query. Due to a family health crisis, I must declare a moratorium on new submissions for the coming year. I appreciate your thinking of us and I wish you every success with your work.
Cordially,"

While my initial response should have been something like: "Oh that sucks! I really feel bad. Hope she's okay." My actual response was something more along the lines of this: "F@*king s@*t lady! We all have to work regardless of extenuating circumstances! Don't you know how desperate new novelists are to publish their first book? I mean, geez!"

After processing for a moment, I went back and thought something along the lines of what would have been an appropriate, reasonable person response. No need to invite bad karma into my life after all.

So, this is rejection number 4!

Keep your fingers crossed! Many many thanks for all of the positive energy being sent my way!

Milestones! Yay!

Sent out my first query letters!

Got my very first rejection letter!

Loved the first milestone! Could have skipped over the second! I'm not going to lie; rejection letters sting. But we press on. "No," is not an option. Not an option for so many different reasons at this point.

So, if you must... bring it on Rejection Letter God. I'm not afraid. And I will do whatever it takes to find someone who says, "Yes."

My book is finished!

MY BOOK IS FINISHED!!! OH MY GOD!!! WOO HOO!!! I CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE IT!!!

It took a full year of my life, but it is completely finished and ready to sell!!! I'm sending out query letters today! And then I start the waiting game. Which I'm strangely excited about. I'm sure I won't be excited, you know, a week from now when I am STILL waiting. But today I'm excited!

Time to get to it!

I live in a place called Grammar Land!

It's a fun place filled with lots of periods, commas, and semicolons, all of which I have misplaced. Over and over and over again. 200 pages worth of misuse! I really shouldn't be trusted to finish this sentence correctly. Thank God I have amazing editors! I've already recommended both of you for Sainthood.

I have a very, very, very short To Do List left. Thank God! It's time to sell this book! I've said this sentence a trillion times over the last year of my life, but it really is time to sell this book. NOW! Yes, I realize I have no real control over when this book sells. But that does not change the fact that I'm ready to sell this damn book! So I can make some money and stress a little less. And so I can write a second one! Because that's what this is all about. It's not about writing just one book. Anyone can do that. Maybe anyone can't, but a lot of people can write one book. But I want to write A LOT of books. Over the course of the rest of my life. I finally figured out what I love to do and coincidentally I'm pretty good at it. And I'm only going to get better.

I'm also very eager to publish my book because I have been trying to figure out who I am my entire life, and I've finally figured it out a little bit. Leia really is me. I realize it more and more as I distance myself from the novel in order to see it more clearly. It took twenty-eight years of life to get a pretty good picture of who I am. I am the person I want to be, and I want the world to see that. Maybe I can make up in my fictional character my shortcomings as a real person. Or learn something from her. Which I have on several occasions over the last year.

An update for all of those who are praying for my success and sending me lots of good vibes and positive energy. Back to Grammar Land now. Luckily, there's Pandora in Grammar Land to keep me sane amidst the flurry of punctuation marks.