My first R & R!

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Hip-Hop-a-potamus

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We all know about writing being a series of experiences, all of which make you better at your craft, right? Each step is a stage in your development-- writing, querying, rejections, partial requests, full requests, R & Rs, and (hopefully) publication.

I'd gotten to the sending queries stage, and plenty of rejections. I was published through Musa for my first, but for my next book, I had higher hopes. This work has now been through 21 rewrites.

But I've been querying it for close to two years now. Each series of queries that I sent out and got nothing but rejections, I'd tweak a little more. I'd had four full requests, but they'd amount to nothing. Even the agent from the conference whom I developed a nice rapport with didn't even have the courtesy to respond to my nudge after four months.

I hadn't been able to figure out what needed addressing most since I couldn't get any feedback. I'd begun adding small publishers to the equation. One accepted me, but the contract terms were so bad that a friend of a friend who's an agent told me she wouldn't accept. So I didn't.

Well, back in October, I sent to an agency in the UK, not expecting much, and they asked for a partial. Yay. I sent it in, still not expecting anything.

About a week ago, the assistant wrote back and asked for a full. Cool! But I still wasn't expecting much. So I sent it in.

Yesterday morning, I had the rejection email, but it was SO encouraging! He really thinks I have the raw talent and likes my prose style. Yay! So he gave me several suggestions (which I'm completely onboard with-- I'd actually made edits before based on others' thoughts that were the exact opposite from what he wanted, so I should be able to add them back in and flesh out the material a bit more).

I really needed this little shot in the arm. I've been at a particularly low ebb lately-- massive overtime at work had also killed my creativity, although that seems to be subsiding a bit now.

It could still get upstairs to the agent and get rejected, but I am so happy right now. It's like a little validation, you know?
 
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Maryn

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Hey, that's great news. And only 21 rewrites, too!

Maryn, ducking
 

Hip-Hop-a-potamus

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Because of the genre I'm writing in (fictionalized bios, sort of like The Chaperone or Loving Frank), my first, second, third, fourth, fifth and even sixth drafts are incredibly sucky. They're mostly arranging timelines and getting basic scripts in people's mouths for what I want them to say.

Then, I have a draft for adding the five senses to every scene, a draft to examine dialogue to see if it matches what a person would say (one pass for each character, if need be), a technical pass, etc. Yeah, it's challenging, but I'm a far better re-writer than I am a writer.

I've put so much commitment into this book that I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get it out. :)

Thanks for the support, y'all. :D
 
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Lady MacBeth

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I remember reading about your first book. Congratulations and good luck!
 

Phaeal

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CGs, and go you for perservering, and great luck with the rewrite!
 

Pushingfordream

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I just have to say I have been thinking about this post ever since I saw it. 21 rewrites is something truly amazing! It helps me step back and think that one day no matter how long it takes I can also finish my memoir. Thanks for the inspiration!
 

regdog

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