The Next Circle of Hell, Vol. 2

Thanks for the kind words and commiseration.

Fuchsia - Excellent advice. Most of it I already follow (or try to), but my favourite one was the one about saving all the praise in a separate document. It had never occurred to me to do that and I think it's a fantastic idea! I've been feeling so hopeless and meltdown-y lately, I think I just need to be reminded that I don't entirely suck (the publishing industry, on the other hand...)

Hooray for everyone who's managing to put words down--any number of them.

Me, I'm still struggling with a Draft Zero that should be turning into Draft One, but is only managing to ascend to Draft 0.5 due to major suckiness--and to the fact that I just decided to change one major subplot, which will affect a new, main plot point. This will involve turning the former LI into a bit of a not-quite-likeable, but ultimately redeemable and most definitely not LI-ish kind of secondary character. Another, formerly secondary character will just work better as a LI, I think.

In short: this WIP will still need LOTS OF WORK. But at least going over turning Draft Zero into Draft 0.5 is helping me redefine WTH I'm going with this story....

That's awesome, hester!! Isn't that close-to-being-finished feeling the best?

@Hester - Hi! Congratulations on being almost done with your contemporary (and having 45K done for your other—nice!)

@Moonchild - I super, super feel you about Draft Zero. Glad to hear that you're on your way to Draft 0.5 at least.

As for me—no words yet, but I think I'm going to tackle this draft a different way. I was trying to pants it, with nothing but a world and a high level outline to work off of, but I think this story might a little too big for that right now. So I'm going to take a step back and do a chapter-by-chapter outline for this draft, until I have something more than my disjointed brain to work with.

Edit: I made cheesecake with a strawberry topping instead.

Thank you so much pinkbow and leanne!!! It does feel good (until the joys of revising kick in--argh!)

Moonchild, I'm just catching up on the thread, but ((((hugs))) and sympathy for your loss . Take care of yourself, and give yourself as many breaks as you need. And congrats on your draft--it can take a while to work out the kinks (been there, done that ) but it'll be worth it at the end!!

*flumps into the room, lies down on floor, sighs at the ceiling*

Niiicola said:

*flumps into the room, lies down on floor, sighs at the ceiling*

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*flumps down too. points to glow in the dark stars on the ceiling* at least those are cool....

*drops next to everyone, face first*

*flops down, passes around cookies & drinks of choice*

You guys.

One of the editors (whom I adore) who has my submission has been tweeting lately about how much he loves certain subs in his inbox, how they've been keeping him up at night, etc. He keeps throwing out these tweets and driving writers (like me) absolutely bananas. We're all like...WHAT IF IT'S MINE?!

Ahhh I can't stand this!

pinkbowvintage said:

You guys.

One of the editors (whom I adore) who has my submission has been tweeting lately about how much he loves certain subs in his inbox, how they've been keeping him up at night, etc.
Ahhh I can't stand this!

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How come I NEVER get the editors who tweet???

* Runs into room where everyone's sulking, and kicks them.* Just cos I can.

pinkbowvintage said:

You guys.

One of the editors (whom I adore) who has my submission has been tweeting lately about how much he loves certain subs in his inbox, how they've been keeping him up at night, etc. He keeps throwing out these tweets and driving writers (like me) absolutely bananas. We're all like...WHAT IF IT'S MINE?!

Ahhh I can't stand this!

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Dude! That would be so cool. Fingers crossed for yooooou.

I, on other hand, got an R. That was pretty devastating, but I think I've bounced back. Spent the night playing Prey and watching Ugly Americans, so that helped. Back to the new shiny!

*is kicked* ಠ_ಠ

Ohhhh Pinkbow, I think I know which editor you're talking about. How cool! How maddening!

Awwww, writeonlanne, sorry about the R. Glad you bounced back quick though.

Nothing on this end. I've been lurking but haven't had a lot to say lately. Writing's been stalled the past couple weeks, but I feel it bubbling up again, so I'll most likely get some words down this week, and my local RWA chapter is doing a write-in on Saturday so I'm hoping to get some work done then too.

Hang in there, everyone!

Hugs for the R, leanne. <3

Haha it's probably not even mine, Elsie! It's both a blessing and a curse when the editors tweet because you have zero idea who they're talking about so you get all revved up for nothing.

I'm sure he gets zillions of amazing submissions and the off-chance that it's mine is slim to none. But yes it is extremely maddening and if/when I get an R from him, I'm sure it'll be extra ouch when it happens!

Elsie.K said:

* Runs into room where everyone's sulking, and kicks them.* Just cos I can.

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I'm not sulking. I am slowly dying of waiting. *delicate handkerchief cough*

Niiicola said:

*delicate handkerchief cough*

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I actually LOLed. Really.

Hoping for breadcrumbs of news and slowly going hungry because of it. Hm. Time to rectify that with all of the ice cream in the universe *does so*
Hooray for stress eating!

PVB: I think I know which editor you're talking about. I follow him, too, and saw all of the excited tweets. I'm not on sub to him, but crossing fingers for good news for you!! (And if it wasn't him, then, there are lots of happy editors out there.)

Everyone else, hi! I'm off the floor now.

Hi polish! I too would enjoy some breadcrumbs right about now. It's been a summer of starvation for us, huh?

Niiicola said:

I'm not sulking. I am slowly dying of waiting. *delicate handkerchief cough*

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Love it! Hope you're writing Historical Fiction, too perfect.

Pinkbow, would this be an editor with a sweet tooth? If so, I'm also occasionally remembering to stalk that one. Though, for the life of me, I don't know why we subbed him, doesn't seem he's ever handled any of my kind of stuff!

Gah that must be frustrating, Pinkbow. Really hoping it is yours!

Niiicola said:

I'm not sulking. I am slowly dying of waiting. *delicate handkerchief cough*

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I am dead. These posts are why I love this thread so much.

I've pretty much given up hope on the current subs my agent has out and have been spending all my free time playing Overwatch. :-/

I'll join the R crowd at the bar. 3 for me, including the latest R&R. *sigh*

Aw man Martina, I'm sorry. *hugs and scoots over at the bar*

@PutPutt How long has this MS been out on sub? Do you have anything else lined up? I've feel ya, I've been spending my free time playing Prey.

Can I have a drink from the bar but stay on the floor?

I got one rejection after a month and otherwise silence. And I'm so stressed out over money and other life things that I haven't made much progress at all in my WIP, which I'm really excited about, but still somehow stuck on.

*facedown on floor*

Aw, Martina! So sorry about the R&R! Arg! Have you and agent discussed taking that R&R out on sub?

Sorry about the other Rs, too! This summer is maddening so far!

I'm STILL friggin waiting, too. *catches Niiicola's virus. slowly crawls behind bar to self-medicate*

january - *passes you a root beer float spiked with rum* I'll stay on the floor with you. It's nice down here. I understand money stress completely. <3

Martina - Here's a root beer float w/ rum for you too.

Sorry about the R, Martina and everyone with them.

Sorry about the waiting, the silence, the endless crap.

*reaches for the regulated stuff (or stuff that should be regulated) in the secret, locked fridge behind the bar*

*picks lock*

*distributes bottles...erhm... medication to everyone dying of waiting*

*takes more than a few for self before flumping down on floor with everyone else.*