Sunday I was feeling less than prepared.
I’d been super-prepared all week—meeting every challenge that came my way…anticipating challenges in advance. But boy, I was sure dropping the ball all day Sunday.
Sunday afternoon, my son volunteered with other middle school kids at a car wash to raise money for camps for inner city children. Great cause! I brought him there, dropped him off, and took off home.
He ended up soaking wet in a chilly wind. I came back and brought him towels and a change of clothes. Left again and returned later to pick him up.
Took my daughter to another event Sunday afternoon. This one I actually thought a little bit about. “Sweetie,” I said, “it says ‘gross games and gross food’ on the invitation. You’re wearing really pretty clothes. Are you sure you don’t want to change?”
She didn’t. And I thought about bringing a change of clothes for her in the car (just in case), but we were running behind (and I’m never late), so we jumped in the car.
When we got there and she saw there were games involving spaghetti, shaving cream, and slime, she asked me for old clothes. I drove home, got the clothes, and came back again. Then left and came back again to pick her up.
When it was all said and done, I made 10 total trips up and down the same road on Sunday. It should only have been 6. Lots of wasted time because I didn’t think ahead.
It’s good to be prepared as a writer, too. It can keep us from getting too discouraged and quit something that we could end up being successful at. It can also keep us from wasting time on tangents.
Some areas to be prepared for:
Be prepared that new ideas that seem wonderful will strike right when you’re mucking through difficult terrain on your current manuscript. Jotting them down in a Word file for future reference can keep you from getting sidelined.
Be prepared that the siren song of the internet or the omnipresent smart phones will lure you away from your book. Closing all windows or writing on paper when you’re feeling especially susceptible can help.
Be prepared that there will be spots in your WIP when you’re not sure how you’ll move the story forward or make the character come alive. Brainstorming solutions or making lists of as many possibilities as you can dream up is a good way to handle it.
Be prepared for doubt because all writers have it (or they should have it). We all wonder variations on this theme: is this story any good? Will anyone want to read it? Will someone want to publish it or am I wasting my time? Is all this trouble worth it? During these times, it’s good to spend time with other writers…either online or in person…for support.
Be prepared for bits of dead time with paper and pencil.
Be prepared for the research and time that goes into querying—and the seemingly endless rejections. On the upside, there is tons of information out there on which agents are looking for what type of material, how to construct a query, and what to include in one.
Be prepared to have an online presence or platform if you’re planning on being either traditionally published or self-published.
Be prepared to promote and to think up new ways to reach your readers. Publishers put most of this responsibility on the writers. If you don’t enjoy appearances, you can opt for social media promo, instead.
Be prepared for good and bad reviews.
Be prepared to feel conflicted about different writing strategies, promo strategies, and publishing options.
What things have you discovered about writing that it’s good to be prepared for?
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That’s a great idea about saving ideas for an upcoming WIP in a word file. I always jot them down on post its or notebook paper and can’t find it later! I’ve learned that I need to be prepared for the surprise of someone I didn’t expect to be a good fit to be a good fit (querying wise) and vica versa.
Be prepared to win and lose some friends and readers.
Really Angelic
Elizabeth – You’re right that it’s wise to be prepared. And I like your list, too, very much. Here’s one I might add:
Be prepared to talk about your work. Have business cards, bookmarks, etc.. ready. Anyone you meet is a potential fan.
Now that we’re a kazillion miles (OK, a slight exaggeration) from the major city and its ‘perks’, I’ve had to become more organized. If we forget something, we’re not driving an 80 mile round trip to fetch it.
For writing – you’ve covered things I never even thought of, so I don’t think I can contribute much, other than be prepared for reversals, and for things taking twenty times longer than predicted.
Terry
Terry’s Place
Romance with a Twist–of Mystery
(…but NEW ideas are SHINY!)
For indie writers — be prepared that it will take 6 times as much effort to get the cover done (and it will be half as good as you imagined), and if you’re doing it yourself, make that 20 times as much effort.
Love the tip about focusing on writing and not being distracted by the internet, now, if I can only find the discipline to do. Thanks for the post.
This is one of your more brilliant posts, Elizabeth. I wish I’d read it before I started writing because I’ve faced all these things and had a very hard time with them, thinking there was something wrong with me.
Karen
Critique Sisters–I actually call the Word notebook “future projects” and just save my random ideas within that notebook :)
Enid–Very good point. And we need to thicken our skin a little (writers are notoriously sensitive.)
Diane–I’d use a timer—http://www.online-stopwatch.com/ is a good one. Write for 10-15 minutes, then check your social media. Keeps me from getting jittery. :)
Margot–Good point! And the occasions for handing out cards comes more frequently than many think. I’m probably doing it once a week or more, in a casual way.
Oh, man–that is so often me. My hubby gets really annoyed that i don’t think things through when we go do something… It’s a good think I’m good at improv…
As for the writing, great advice. I think the one I am noticing most, probably because of being immersed at ABNA, is people who think BOOK FIRST, THEN PROMOTE… but I forget who said you should start social networking 3 years before the first book release. 3 years… yeah, gotta be prepared.
I think most of us finish the manuscript and read and re-read it, then decide it’s not any good. For that, I say set it aside for at least two weeks, longer if you can. Then read it again, straight through, no editing. Read it like a book. When I do that, most often I find I like the manuscript again.
In other words, constant vigilance. But that in itself can be tiring. Such is life. I have to watch my time online and the tv mind suck at night.
Be prepared for people who don’t know you at all, or who barely know you, who will be unbelievably supportive of your writing. Also be prepared for those who will try to minimmize your accomplishments. Mostly, be prepared to recognize whose thoughts are most important to you.
Looks like you had a really busy weekend
Cold As Heaven
I’m not always as prepared as I’d like. I’m getting better, but it’s sometimes hard to see ahead! I certainly wasn’t prepared for how long everything would take me!
That’s a lot of driving! I’m trying to prepare better, especially when it involves major changes.
Hart–That is so, so hard. I’d say, book first but definitely blog twice a week or more. Then when the manuscript is done, pick up more social media (probably Facebook first, then Twitter.)
Terry–I think that I *need* to be a kazillion miles away from anything! Maybe I’d be more organized with my kids’ activities.
Helen–Good point! I think we all go through a stage where we hate our book passionately. But a break from the manuscript can be such a good thing, in so many ways.
The Daring Novelist–I crush my shiny new ideas! (But only because I’ve already been paid for the un-shiny ones.) :)
Karen–Nothing wrong with you at all! But the process is really, really tough. Especially when we don’t know what we’re up against (which none of us do, at first!)
Bluestocking–It absolutely wears me out! But I’m a person who doesn’t like surprises…
Cold As Heaven–It definitely wasn’t restful. :)
Alex–Isn’t that ridiculous? I’m going to think carefully the next time I have an afternoon like that.
Valerie–Oh, well put. And there will be plenty of both types of people out there.