Running With the Big Dogs

Andre_Laurent · Dec 5, 2006

Please tell me I'm not the only one hung up on this.

Okay, I'm really close to being finished with the WIP. Now that the end is actually in sight, I'm thinking to myself.... Self, how can you send out this wannabe drivel and let PROFESSIONALS read it? Now that it's almost time to run with the big dogs, I want to stay on the porch. How do you get past this? I know I'm going to send it and I also know it's gonna' make me cringe. It was tough enough handing it to beta readers.

aka eraser · Dec 5, 2006

What's the worst thing that could happen? Your ego might get mauled a little. And what doesn't kill you makes you a better writer. (If you learn from the cuffing.)

And the best? Well, you know what that would be. So, all things considered, it's a win-WIN situation. A no-brainer.

Good luck.

RTH · Dec 5, 2006

Think of it as another useful lesson in humility on your path to enlightenment.

Now go! Be humbled as many times as it takes!

Carmy · Dec 5, 2006

The first time I mailed out something, I tried to stick my hand into the mailbox to pull it back out.

Take a deep breath. Several.

Andre_Laurent · Dec 5, 2006

Carmy said:
The first time I mailed out something, I tried to stick my hand into the mailbox to pull it back out.

Somehow, I can see myself trying that.

Andre_Laurent · Dec 5, 2006

aka eraser said:
What's the worst thing that could happen? Your ego might get mauled a little. And what doesn't kill you makes you a better writer. (If you learn from the cuffing.)

And the best? Well, you know what that would be. So, all things considered, it's a win-WIN situation. A no-brainer.

Good luck.

Yeah, I expect a good mauling.

Andre_Laurent · Dec 5, 2006

RTH said:
Think of it as another useful lesson in humility on your path to enlightenment.

Now go! Be humbled as many times as it takes!

TheIT · Dec 5, 2006

I'm not published yet but I hope to be one day, and I intend to treat submitting as I would any learning experience surrounded by strangers. Be respectful, keep my eyes and ears open, and LEARN as much as I can. Yes, I'll probably make mistakes, but I don't think I've ever learned anything perfectly on the first try.

Remember, all the big dogs used to be puppies.

MidnightMuse · Dec 5, 2006

I've been bitten by big dogs, and bitten by little ones.

It's the Chihuahua bites that hurt the most, because they'd get your fingers.

Never fear the big dogs. Get off the porch and start barkin'.

Simon Woodhouse · Dec 5, 2006

I'm very close to finishing a final round of editing, after which I'll send my MS back to the publisher and it'll enter the last phase before publication. Even though the book was accepted for publication over a year ago, I'm still fretting about it. There have been numerous occasions during the past couple of months (whilst I've been editing), where I've wanted to give up on the whole thing.

I've been seriously questioning why I'm putting myself through the torment of writing. After nearly driving myself mad, I still haven't got an answer. If I'm absolutely truthful with myself, I think I enjoyed writing the book a lot more before it was accepted for publication. Back then I only had myself to please, but now I've got to consider exactly what other people are going to think about it.

I'm pretty sure this sort of thing will plague me forever (if I decide to keep writing). There are two ways to deal with self-doubt. Give up on the thing you're trying to achieve, or keep going and be prepared for the worst. However, there's always the chance that I might actually have written something that people will like, in which case all the heartache will have been more than worth it.

jchines · Dec 5, 2006

Andre_Laurent said:
Please tell me I'm not the only one hung up on this.

Okay, I'm really close to being finished with the WIP. Now that the end is actually in sight, I'm thinking to myself.... Self, how can you send out this wannabe drivel and let PROFESSIONALS read it? Now that it's almost time to run with the big dogs, I want to stay on the porch. How do you get past this? I know I'm going to send it and I also know it's gonna' make me cringe. It was tough enough handing it to beta readers.

You're definitely not the only one hung up on this. But if it helps, every one of those PROFESSIONALS started off on their porch, puppy-tails wagging nervously as they stared out at the big dogs running in the distance...

aadams73 · Dec 5, 2006

This is when you employ the NIKE philosophy: Just Do It.

Haggis · Dec 5, 2006

MidnightMuse said:
It's the Chihuahua bites that hurt the most, because they'd get your fingers.

Damn straight.

Now, Andre, don't make me send my werewolves after you. Stick that puppy in the mailbox. Be proud. We're all behind you.

Soccer Mom · Dec 5, 2006

Grrr--I'll bite you if you don't get off my damn porch.

FEAR THE YORKIES!

--and get out there and submit. It's scary, but exhilarating.

WildScribe · Dec 5, 2006

Carmy said:
The first time I mailed out something, I tried to stick my hand into the mailbox to pull it back out.

Take a deep breath. Several.

Ah, yes, I remember that. It was just a couple of months ago. Luckily no one called the cops on me, but I was all nerves for days! It got rejected - I got over it.

Sean D. Schaffer · Dec 5, 2006

Andre_Laurent said:
Please tell me I'm not the only one hung up on this.

Okay, I'm really close to being finished with the WIP. Now that the end is actually in sight, I'm thinking to myself.... Self, how can you send out this wannabe drivel and let PROFESSIONALS read it? Now that it's almost time to run with the big dogs, I want to stay on the porch. How do you get past this? I know I'm going to send it and I also know it's gonna' make me cringe. It was tough enough handing it to beta readers.

You will never know how good your writing really is, until you let the said professionals read it. You've done your best; now it's time to let the editors or agents (depending on who you're sending your work to) do the best they can with your work. Let them make the decision whether or not your work is salable, and in the mean time, write a new, better book.

Good luck to you!

greglondon · Dec 5, 2006

Andre_Laurent said:
Now that the end is actually in sight, I'm thinking to myself.... Self, how can you send out this wannabe drivel and let PROFESSIONALS read it?

You are exactly on schedule.
Please proceed to the next work in progress
while you wait for your response letters.

Certain things you have to get exactly right the very first time.
Skydiving is one of them.

Writing is not.

Andre_Laurent · Dec 5, 2006

Ian D. Mecantie said:
You will never know how good your writing really is, until you let the said professionals read it. You've done your best; now it's time to let the editors or agents (depending on who you're sending your work to) do the best they can with your work. Let them make the decision whether or not your work is salable, and in the mean time, write a new, better book.

Good luck to you!

I know and I'm afraid they'll tell me it sucks.

Andre_Laurent · Dec 5, 2006

greglondon said:
You are exactly on schedule.
Please proceed to the next work in progress
while you wait for your response letters.

Certain things you have to get exactly right the very first time.
Skydiving is one of them.

Writing is not.

I've got the next one underway, almost 10,000 words and a lot to go.

Soccer Mom · Dec 6, 2006

Good for you. So what if the last one isn't quite ready? Maybe this is the one. Or maybe the last one will be the one. Or it could be the next. Trust yourself.

Running With the Big Dogs

Andre_Laurent

aka eraser

Fish Whisperer

RTH

Call me Ishmael

Carmy

Andre_Laurent

Andre_Laurent

Andre_Laurent

TheIT

Infuriatingly Theoretical

MidnightMuse

Midnight Reading

Simon Woodhouse

jchines

Got the hang of it, here

aadams73

A Work in Progress

Haggis

Evil, undead Chihuahua

Soccer Mom

Crypto-fascist

WildScribe

Slave to the Wordcount

Sean D. Schaffer

greglondon

Planet Wookie techno geek

Andre_Laurent

Andre_Laurent

Soccer Mom

Crypto-fascist