Revise & Resubmit Hell

FictionChick

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Well, I'm waiting to hear from a known publisher after revising and resubmitting my novel. I know that getting an R&R from an editor with this publisher is a very good thing, I'm just hoping I didn't screw things up with my revisions. The editor wrote a very detailed letter, and I did everything she asked. It's just a matter of whether I did it the way she wanted it, I guess.

I resubmitted two weeks ago. I'm dying over here. Seriously. DYING.

Anyone else been through this?
 

Amarie

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*raises hand*

I sympathize with the agony of waiting. With my first book the editor wanted an R&R before she took it to acquisitions. We sent in the revised version and then the acquisitions meeting was put off two different times. I was almost a crazy person. Happy to report it all worked out in the end. :)

hang in there
 

FictionChick

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Congrats, Amarie. :)

I forgot to mention that I don't have an agent. I subbed directly to the publisher. o_O

Anyhoos, I may keel over before I hear anything.
 

Jamesaritchie

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I really haven't, but I have a couple of writer friends who sold first novels exactly this way. They, too, went through hell before the editorial god handed down his decision.
 

FictionChick

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Thanks for responding, James. Good to know your friends were successful after suffering through the process. Gives me hope.
 

Beckstah

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I'm there, too, albeit with an agent. My nerves are ripped to shreds right now!

*pours a glass of wine, pulls up a chair*
 

Pegster

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I hope it goes well, and congratulations on the Rep and Res! I received one in 2009, sent the revision and did not hear back for almost a year (and that was for another revision)! It is a known publishing house, one that I read all the time, love their books. The third revision was sent to the next editor up, perhaps the deciding one (not certain of house structure, but I recognize her name from the works of published authors), just last August! That's 2011! October will make three years since I first submitted the mss, and now they have book two, as well. It's not what I expected, and the waiting to hear from the editor who has book one is making me bilious. I'm afraid to ask, and I'll be so sad if they decide, after all this revisioning, mailing and emailing, that the story is not for them. In the meantime I try not to whine (loudly).
 

MsJudy

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Bleah, waiting sucks! Best of luck on the resub.

I have two agents who've asked me to R/R. The problem is, revising in this case is going to mean a complete and total rewrite. With no guarantee I'll get it any better the second time around...

They also asked to see the next thing I wrote, so I decided to finish that up ASAP and send it before tackling the revise. It just seemed less emotionally...dangerous...

So I've been making notes and gathering ideas, but so far I haven't summoned the strength to actually dive into the rewrite. I admire you for getting it done and sent out.
 

Araenvo

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I'm a fully signed up member of the R&R team at the moment, but I'm just about to resub the manuscript, so the waiting hasn't even begun yet. My sympathies to you!
I've actually enjoyed it up to now, since I know the story has got better for the criticism. Once I press that 'send' button though... bleh.

Best of luck to all!
 

heyjude

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Yep, I've been there a couple of times. I won't tell you how it turned out. :tongue Hope you have great luck and hear soon. :) Waiting is hard.
 

FictionChick

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Wow, guys, thanks for the feedback! :D

Beckstah -- good luck to you! I'll have some of that wine.

Pegster -- holy cow! I don't blame you for being afraid to ask! Best of luck to you.
MsJudy -- it was an easy call for me, because the requested revisions would unquestionably make the story stronger. So even if they don't take the ms, I feel like it's better.

Araenvo -- yeah, the revising part wasn't difficult, it's THIS part that threatens to kill me.

Heyjude -- come on! Tell! :p
 

Anna L.

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Oh, good, a R&R Hell thread. I belong here.

I got a R&R request from an agent recently. It's a 40% rewrite. I'm still thinking about it, trying to figure out how I'm going to salvage certain scenes. I'm so stressed out I can barely get any sleep.
 

Red-Green

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Ah the joys of R&R. I got one back in March from an agent I would love to work with. At the end of our discussion on the revisions, I said, "I think I can have this done in 4-6 weeks."

The answer: "Oh no, don't rush. We'd rather see a polished version than a hurried revision."

Uh, yeah, I am not the sort of writer who paces herself. (After all, I wrote the first draft of this in 3 weeks.) I don't know the meaning of "slow and steady." So here I sit, the revisions done, waiting to send it back so as not to give the impression that I've rushed.
 

JBuck

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Ah the joys of R&R. I got one back in March from an agent I would love to work with. At the end of our discussion on the revisions, I said, "I think I can have this done in 4-6 weeks."

The answer: "Oh no, don't rush. We'd rather see a polished version than a hurried revision."

Uh, yeah, I am not the sort of writer who paces herself. (After all, I wrote the first draft of this in 3 weeks.) I don't know the meaning of "slow and steady." So here I sit, the revisions done, waiting to send it back so as not to give the impression that I've rushed.

Hey, Red.
Did you send your R&R in? Just curious.
 

Undercover

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I did the R&R thing before I got my first agent. It was a great experience. She told me there were some little things and some big things to discuss, then she called and talked about it. I was like "Oh, yeah, no problem, I can fix that." Then revised and sweated it out for a week. Anyways, she loved it and repped me for almost a year. Towards the end she lost interest. But this is different for you, it's a pub, which is much better!
 

Beckstah

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Hey guys! So I heard from Awesometastic Agent a couple weeks ago, and my R&R has become... another R&R, heehee. I've got some great notes to go off of, and I finally moved from the planning phase to the rewriting phase last night. Wish me luck!
 

Smiley0501

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I'm currently R&R-ing for an agent. *crosses fingers* Here's to hoping when I'm done, I'll not only have a shinier ms but an agent too. And if not, I still have a much stronger book than before. Positive thoughts, positive thoughts....
 

CallMeIshmael

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Omg, thank goodness I found this thread. I'm R&R-ing right now too. Just sitting here everyday DYING. I am so glad I did it though. The book is so much better now!
 

FruitTree

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Ooh, someone's revived this thread! Yes, I too am waiting waiting waiting and getting progressively more anxious by the day. (I'm also glad I did it, FWIW, but the waiting post R&R is much worse than the initial waiting was. I'm trying so hard not to drive myself crazy, and, well, I'm not succeeding very well.)
 

CallMeIshmael

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Ooh, someone's revived this thread! Yes, I too am waiting waiting waiting and getting progressively more anxious by the day. (I'm also glad I did it, FWIW, but the waiting post R&R is much worse than the initial waiting was. I'm trying so hard not to drive myself crazy, and, well, I'm not succeeding very well.)

Likewise. Have I found you, twin??? How long have you been waiting and how long did it take you to re-write? (Is that too personal? Feel free to ignore me.)
 

FruitTree

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Oh, I haven't been waiting long enough to justify my insanity - just about 3 weeks. And the revision took about 2 months (it went way faster than I'd thought it would, but it also came in when I was able to work on it night-and-day, which is what I did - hmm, maybe that explains my insanity?) You?