The LOVE of your life...

Many of you will relate to this. I have spent countless hours, on my rear end. And it's hard work. Staring at the computer screen and tapping away for hours at a time. The novel.
 Done. Write it again. And again.
 Once it looks respectable enough to take out into public (without feeling too embarrassed to admit "He's with me") it's time to pimp it out.
Every agent has their own sweet spot and it is our job to figure that out before we bug them. Research. Submit. Rejection. Rinse off your mangled heart and repeat.
Sometimes the inevitable second thoughts creep in. Is this any good? What's so great about it anyway? But you keep going. Inside you just have a feeling. It is good. It's worth the effort.

If you aren't to the query point yet and are still writing, stay committed.
I have used the analogy that every book we write follows the pattern of a relationship:

 *Inspiration! Can't get it out of your mind. You want to spend all your time with it.

* You commit... to see it through to the end. Through thick or thin. You can see your future in it's eyes (pages)...Because you looove it.

 *Conflict. It gets difficult. Your characters defy you--you lose the plot...you get stuck. Not. Meeting. My. Neeeeds. This is the point when that new, young, sexy story idea seems alluring. You're tempted to dump the ball and chain for this new love. So uncomplicated and exciting!

*But (if you are the type to follow through) you stick with it. Resolve your differences. Reconcile how you imagined the book would go and the work involved, with how it actually has. Give the characters room to surprise you-- let the plot develop. Work at it. Hard. Only then...will you get where you want to be.

* Ahhhhhhhh! You are one with your book. (magic wand sound)

So, the message is. Hang in there. See it through... or you'll never know the true love aspect of writing and will ever be in the dating stage. The sexy new story will give you trouble too, eventually.
 Now that you and your book are one there is one more step to see to.  It is time to reproduce. Every book is a part of you and a part of the story that has a life of its own. Through publication you can have a huuuge family of little books on the shelves of all the bookstores. Sharing your love with the world through your little ones. Sigh. Sniff. This analogy has worn itself out now.
 QUERY on! You deserve it. And you owe it to your story too.

* Stay tuned. I will be interviewing author, Erin Kellison in an upcoming post!