Pages

Monday, August 2, 2010

Oh No! My Libra Is Showing


Good/bad, yin/yang, push me/pull you.  Balance.

Teeter: I've written about downward mobility and managing expectations here.  Fun stuff, you know.

Totter:  I finished Draft One of my manuscript over the weekend.  Now on to writing the query letter, searching for agents (Thank you, Adam!) and editing.  Separately or collectively, those sound like massive jobs, but the truth is this:  having finally finished writing this story, really feeling like I've told the tale, that is the biggest thing of all.  When I wrote the last two words and thought Yes! That's it! I cannot tell you how accomplished I felt.  And accomplished is something I've been running low on lately.  Funny - this completed manuscript turned out to be the one tangible thing MathMan could point to yesterday when I did indeed stand on the metaphorical ledge and threaten to jump.

And so what if it goes into a box and is shoved to the back of the newly cleaned closet?

I've proven to myself that I can finish something.  And that, my friends, is worth every word.


30 comments:

  1. Congratulations, Lisa! I'm over the moon happy for you on this. The feeling of accomplishment is what drives us forward and keeps us trying to re-experience it. Our Life-force. And ... as someone who struggles with this herself... CONGRATULATIONS ON TAKING TIME TO REVEL IN THE FEELING!

    (btw, can't wait to read it.)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Congratulations. Now that you've had a few hours to relax in, it's time to start the next one.

    ReplyDelete
  3. WAHOOOOOOOOO!!Congratulations!!!!! you have accomplished something many only dream of.
    I raise my cup of coffee to you in a toast to your manuscript and look forward to seeing a signed copy on my desk very soon!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Good for you Lisa. It must feel great to gaze upon your completed MS. Does your thank you to Adam mean that you already have an agent! That is so cool.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh, Lisa, I'm so thrilled for you! Not only do you deserve that feeling of accomplishment -- but the world deserves to read your work. It better not end up in some drawer or closet, locked away.

    Congratulations, my friend. Crossing my fingers for your perfect agent who "gets" you & your sensibility to come along right on schedule. :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Major Congrats, Lisa. I trust it will do well.

    ReplyDelete
  7. You bet it is pal! Hang on to this feeling, relish it, celebrate it. It's what you worked so hard for. Way to go!

    ReplyDelete
  8. You certainly earned the right to roll around in that sense of accomplishment. I'm so happy and excited for you!

    Don't give up on the dream. It's your's, and I can't wait to attend a book signing!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Congrats! Finishing your manuscript is a huge accomplishment! Keep moving forward.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Congratulations! When you figure out the Query letter will you give me lessons?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Jeepers, you do that and write a post for the Magpie?

    Regards,

    Tengrain

    ReplyDelete
  12. Sweet. This is good news and I'm happy for you. Every step forward brings you closer to your goals.

    ReplyDelete
  13. HURRRRAAAAAYYYYYY! finishing a first draft...blissful! I know exactly what you mean about finishing something!

    (also I'm married to a pisces...libra can't be any worse)

    email me if you need a beta reader...(though I'm kind of a hardass, ha.)

    (okay, lardass, same diff.)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Yes! Congratulations! That is HUUUUGE!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Such an interesting blog. I just got signed on today, as a follower. And thanks so much for your "support" -- interested and understanding comments on my blog. Very helpful!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Congratulations. Many people think about writing the novel in their head. You did it. Really, congratulations.

    ReplyDelete
  17. It's mostly about standing on a rock in a stream and figuring out how to jump either to the shore or the next rock.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I am so jealous and proud all rolled up in one for you.

    Just read this in the back of the book Eggs by Jerry Spinelli that he had written Eggs and then he didn't feel like editing it then, so bumped it to a box in the closet and moved onto his next novel, which was quite successful, and Eggs was just about forgotten about... until his wife said, "Hey, what about that one book, blah, blah. I wanted to read that one." He got it out, and pow, bonus book. Just read that a couple days ago.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Of course, this Aquarius with Gemini moon is gaga for Libras. I'll do anything they say. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  20. YOU DID IT!!! What an inspiration!

    ReplyDelete
  21. YOU DID IT!!! What an inspiration!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Congratulations, Lisa! This is a very important accomplishment, one you have every justification feeling proud about. You go, girl!

    Will you autograph copies for us when it's published? (I'm dead serious, here.)

    ReplyDelete
  23. That's why I always wear underpants.

    What FB said, awesomely awful and awfully awesome.

    ReplyDelete
  24. CONGRATS, Lisa! *throws confetti* *pours champagne* *clink*

    Your first finished ms is a big deal! :)
    Def take time to roll in the glory of you an your accomplishment. Smear it all over yourself.

    Then, just a heads up...sell no wine before its time.
    aka
    Do not query before you've revised and polished and had (trusted) CP's critique it, polish and revise some more...THEN work on the query letter (and polish it and have CP's crit it too) and do your agent research.

    Take a break from it, read, watch movies, celebrate.

    Then...
    Welcome to your first slogging through Revision Hell, my friend!

    YAY YOU!!
    Love,
    Lola

    ReplyDelete
  25. Congratulations, and best of luck moving forward.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Now that the first one is done (at least until you start editing for publication) I think you should get to work on the next. Second books are often better :-)

    ReplyDelete
  27. Thanks to all of you for your wonderful, encouraging comments! Short on time today while life gets in the way. Back soon.

    ReplyDelete
  28. What can I say that hasn't been said? very cool, something to be proud of.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Big congrats to you, Lisa!! :)

    Sorry I'm a little late to the party--I don't do much blog-reading while on vacation, and now I'm back. (Boo hoo!)

    Anyway, you ROCK! That's the point of this comment. :)

    ReplyDelete

And then you say....

(Comments submitted four or more days after a post is published won't appear immediately. They go into comment moderation to cut down on spam.)