Saturday 7 January 2012

Nudging Fate

I believe in Fate. Totally and absolutely. I've always known I was going to be a writer, for example. If I hadn't had that certain knowledge, I think I'd probably have given up by now and be spending far more time down the gym and in the pub. But knowing it would happen has kept me writing.

Sometimes, however, Fate needs a bit of a nudge. I have to get really depressed about not having a short story published for a year, before I get an email saying I'm being published. The very morning I mentioned to Hubby that money was tight over January, he got a phone call for a block of work.

And, after I splurged my insecurity about not hearing from my publisher last Wednesday, today I received the first edits!

So, thanks to everyone who commented and gave such wonderful advice - you were absolutely right!

It was a strange feeling looking at my story with all these marks that I hadn't made. With the stories I've had published, they've been printed as is - I've had totally control and totally responsibility.

I had a quick read-through this morning, before getting down to actually working on it later today, and it took me half an hour! And that's only for 83 pages. I can't even begin to work out how you'd edit and proof a novel-length piece of work.

I've realised that I over-use commas - they've been deleted all over the place - and my maths is bad. In one scene, there's a difficult sum. And, even after using a fractions calculator twice, I got the answer wrong. How embarrassing!

So wish me luck! I'm diving in...

15 comments:

  1. Congratulations! That's awesome! I think editing is the hardest and most life-sucking part of writing. It takes more energy than the actual writing for me. Good Luck!

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  2. good luck...well why am I saying this to you, will shine no matter what. Way to go girl, way to go

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  3. Thanks. And yes, editing isn't fun. I've found huge parts I'd love to re-write, but I much they're expecting the same story back and not a totally different one!

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  4. I believe in Fate, too. It's waiting on her that gets me all discombobulated. Glad you have had some good things come through!

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  5. How fantastic that you got the edits back. I read your post worrying about the length of time it had taken, but was at work when I read it and couldn't reply.

    It's all work that will make Your story the best it can possibly be and when it comes down to it, it's your name on the cover.

    Enjoy this feeling, you're being published!

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  6. So glad they didn't keep you waiting long! Hope it's going well!

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  7. To be fair to them, it was only 7 weeks from returning the contract to have the first edits. I've learnt a serious lesson about patience!

    Rebecca - I'm going to HAVE a cover!!! Ooh, my head's gone all spinny! :-)

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  8. I do sort of believe in fate, but not to the extent of thinking I can't influence what happens to me. That's probably a good thing as I'm jolly lazy and if I didn't think I could improve my life by my own efforts I probably wouldn't do anything at all.

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  9. I have a lovely picture in my head of your editor opening her bottom drawer, sighing that she has to do maths again :-)

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  10. I think its awesome you've always known you want to be a writer... I feel like such a posuer sometimes, cause I didn't know that's what I wanted to be until--like--college!

    I mean, I always secretly loved to write, but never EVER thought about publishing. Props to you for knowing what you want and going for it! Good luck with your work!!

    P.s. New stalker alert ( ;

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  11. Patsy - mine is a very peculiar belief. I've just tried to explain it, but failed! Suffice to say, I do work hard for what I want, I don't just sit back and let it happen (stories can only be published if they've been written :-))

    Sarah - lol, so do I now!

    Julie - thanks for the follow. When I was very young, I thought everyone wrote. It was a culture shock when I discovered they didn't!

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  12. Wow, you're like magic. Pass some on over this way :) Congrats on all the good things happening.

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  13. Yes, M Pax, yes I am! I wish I could pass it on to everyone, but alas, I've tried in the past and failed.

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