Thursday, September 13, 2012

Patience is not one of my virtues


I’m not very patient, especially when I’m super excited about something – like my writing.

As a journalist, I can’t wait for my editor to read my column or story. I’m anxious to see what he thinks or what he found awkward or unclear or how I can make it better.

 Ditto when I submit a novel to my agent.  Will she like it? Will she think there’s a market for it? Is it good? How can I make it better?

So I wait for feedback, checking my email constantly. And when it doesn’t come and doesn’t come, I begin to wonder. What if she’s not emailing me because she thinks it stinks and doesn’t want to tell me?

Of course, my mind sprints in this direction when there’s a perfectly logical explanation: she’s busy. I’m not her only client. Still, it’s tough waiting.

Am I alone or are you like this? How do you keep from checking your email every minute of the day?

As an editor, I try to read my writers’ stories as quickly as I can. I know they, like me, are waiting for feedback. I’ll discuss my editing process in tomorrow’s post. 

4 comments:

  1. The publishing industry is slower than a turtle. You are not alone in waiting and checking for the news frequently. But it's best to do something else to keep you busy and check only once a day. Terrie believes in you, so give her time to come back with the good news.

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  2. I'm just as terrible as you. My phone alerts me the moment I get a new email and yet I'll still check my phone repeatedly *just in case* I didn't hear the email alert. :)

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