Monday, February 17, 2014

Slow Mo

I'm over at From the Write Angle today talking about the Joy of Slow.

My journey so far in this publishing venture might seem incredibly slow to some people out there. I first considered trying to become published 5 or 6 years ago. Since then I've written a variety of novels (9?? 10??) in a variety of genres (4?). I've sent out a grand total of about 20 queries divided between 2 books. I've got 5 complete drafts I hope to send out into the world one day. None of them are ready. All of them have been through at least 2 rewrites. All of them need at least one more. I'm about to start a 5th rewrite for one story. And I'm looking forward to it.

I don't have a published book. I don't have plans to do that within the next few months. Maybe not within the year.

Yet I'm happy with my progress.

Am I nuts? Maybe, but that's okay with me too.

I've learned a LOT over the last 5 years. I wasn't ready to publish 5 years ago. I'm not now. I want to be SURE when I put my stories out there. I want them to be ready and I figure I'll be able to tell when they are. My gut will finally stop pestering me with the Maybes and the What Ifs that lead me to yet another round of revisions.

How about you? Are you in the slow lane with me? Are you okay with it?

42 comments:

Old Kitty said...

Totally happy to join you in the slow lane except mine has plenty of detours and coffee stops! :-) Take care
x

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Learning slow is smart! There's so much I wish I'd known about writing and marketing when my first book came out.

Beth said...

I've been fortunate to be published, but it took me YEARS and many rewrites of several manuscripts until the first one was ready. It's an incredibly long process, but the more I work at it, the better I get. Good luck to you!

Natalie Aguirre said...

I'm super slow too. I've been writing and learning for about 10 years. You have way more finished drafts than me. I'm okay with the slow progress too. I am learning a lot from the whole process.

Jemi Fraser said...

Old Kitty - sometimes the detours are the best part! :)

Alex - there is sure a lot to learn on this journey!

Beth - thank you! I hope I join you in the ranks of the published one day :)

Natalie - it's amazing how much I've learned and then I see how much I still have to learn!

Stacy McKitrick said...

Nothing wrong with slow. As long as you're having fun (and don't need the money--not like publishing pays all that well), what does it matter? I'm glad I didn't get my first book published. I was able to write several more and when I finally did sell, at least now I have other books ready to offer instead of stressing out to write the next one quickly!

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

I'm not even sure this qualifies as slow...seems like you've gotten a *lot* accomplished while also setting up a very consistent brand online. You've done a great job!

Jemi Fraser said...

Stacy - good point! It's nice to have a bank of stories and ideas!

Elizabeth - thank you! I'm happy with how it's going so far :)

Karen - yay! I'm glad I'm not alone! :)

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

It took me a long time from when I first started writing to get published. It's not a race. And it's still slow at times.

Stephen Tremp said...

Sometimes we're in the slow lane. But that's okay. Progress is still being made and that's all that counts.

On my way over to see your other post now.

Deniz Bevan said...

Your progress sounds a lot like mine! I tried up to 50 agents on 1-2 of the novels but I'm afraid to try more because what if I hit that 100 agents average and still haven't been accepted? Meanwhile, I've got a short piece that I'm going to submit to a couple of magazines...

Jemi Fraser said...

Susan - I think the commonality in many journeys is the lack of speed!

Stepehn - thanks! Life gets so busy it's hard to move too quickly!

Deniz - sounds good to me! Good luck with the magazine piece!

Jessie Humphries said...

So interesting. Yes, I feel much the same way about how slow I go. Over six years of learning and I finally have my debut coming out on May 1. Crazy journey.

Jemi Fraser said...

Jessie - congrats!! May is soon! It really is a crazy journey - thankfully it's also lots of fun! :)

Nas said...

Happy to be in the slow lane. Life's too fast as it is.

Jemi Fraser said...

Nas - definitely! Taking time to enjoy is SO important!

DEZMOND said...

JOY OF SLOW... LOL... love the title :)

cleemckenzie said...

That's my hardest call. Ready? Not Ready? I go in circles.

Jemi Fraser said...

Dezzy - thought you might! :)

Lee - me too! I wonder if I'll EVER think my stuff is ready! :P

Carol Kilgore said...

I always feel like I'm in the slow lane. But I don't have as many novels as you. I prefer working on one at a time and doing something with it. I love how all writers work in a different way while doing the same thing.

Jemi Fraser said...

Carol - we do! I love it too, but I wish I could at least one of them finished! :)

Roxy said...

I am happy to be moving slowly. As long as there is forward movement. Nice to read your blog again, Jemi. It looks great!

Jemi Fraser said...

Roxy - forward it is! Thanks - nice to see you too :)

Anonymous said...

I was in the slow lane for a long time, but it was because of rejections, not using resources, and simply because I wasn't ready. I queried starting in the '95 and didn't sell a book until '09.

Jemi Fraser said...

Medeia - and now you're going to have the most amazing year!!! Hope my slow lane works out as well :)

Denise Covey said...

Your journey totally reflects mine. I'd like to be published, but I don't want to send a ms out there until I'm happy with it. Okay, one one point we differ - I've never sent out a query. Yet I have short stories published, but a novel is a whole, big, new ballgame.

I do hope to actually finish my romance and shop it around this year.

Denise

Jemi Fraser said...

Denise - good for you! I think I'm aiming at indie pubbing once I'm ready - but that's still a ways off! :)

Jack said...

I think every Author should work at their own pace, fast or slow. So long as it feels right to them and is enjoyable. Writing would loose its point if it wasn't fun to a degree. And not everyone can write and publish ten books a year. But it doesn't mean their books are any less wonderful.

Jemi Fraser said...

Jack - that's true - everyone does have their own internal pace - and life adds its own demands. I love your point about loving it too - there's no reason to do it if we don't love it! :)

Shelley Sly said...

I think it's great that you've learned so much, and I don't think there's anything wrong with going a bit slower. Taking your time gaining experience is much better than rushing something out into publication, in my opinion. What matters most is that you're happy with what you're doing. :)

Jemi Fraser said...

Shelley - I am! I love writing and will always do it :)

Shah Wharton said...

I flit from tortoise to hare according to where I'm at with a project and how I feel about it. I know my first drafts fly out when I'm the hare, while the tortoise trudges around during edits. It's okay that way around, but it wasn't always so! We live we learn, and that's the whole point of it IMHO. :) Great post Jemi. X

shahwhahrton.com

Jemi Fraser said...

Shah - that's EXACTLY how I am!! Those first drafts zip right along - especially during NaNo! But those edits are trying to grind me to a halt (not going to happen though!) :)

Deniz Bevan said...

Me too, Shah, Jemi! Drafts are so much fun and no sweat. If only they came out perfectly so I didn't need editing motivation...

Jemi Fraser said...

Deniz - exactly! I don't mind revising - and I'm getting better at it - but drafting is SO much more fun! :)

J.L. Campbell said...

Jemi,

Since writing is a marathon and not a sprint, you're doing just fine.

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks Joy!!! I sure hope so :)

TL said...

I'm with you in the amount of WIPs lane. Now that I've gotten the ball rolling and had one published, there's this huge pressure to finish the next and get that baby out there too!

DMS said...

I think, like with driving, it is important to be in the right lane for you- slow or fast. I am in the slow lane, too. This has been good for me because I have learned a lot in the slow lane and sometimes I pick up speed and then I am back to my normal pace, learning, growing, and working each day. :) Keep up the great work and continue to do what you love.
~Jess

Jemi Fraser said...

Tara - I bet! I'm hoping to have at least 2 ready to go when I start! :)

Jess - excellent analogy! I'm generally content with my pace - life is too busy to be otherwise! :)

Christy Shuler said...

Loved this post. I often forget to slow down and enjoy the process, so this is a good reminder that the education and the journey are never over so we need to love every step of it! :)

Jemi Fraser said...

CR - thanks! We really do - and there's certainly a lot to love! :)