It’s been a while since I posted about what I’m working on. I tend to talk about my work in terms of “this book” or “my book,” which statements are often about more than one book in the same week, or the same day, depending. I’ve always had many projects going on at once, which I’m finding is a total godsend now that I’ve got various projects sitting on the desks of my agent and editor instead of waiting on me.
The project: SKIPPED
What I’m doing: Waiting on my editor
The book is sold, but it still needs to go through revisions before we’ll have a final manuscript. I haven’t looked at the book in a year and a half, so it’ll be good to get back to it with fresh eyes…once I have notes.
The project: Next contemporary YA novel
What I’m doing: Waiting on my agent
We’ve already done one round of revisions on it. I’m hopeful it’s getting very close to being ready, but, again, I won’t know until I have notes.
The project: An accidental superhero novel
What I’m doing: Waiting on my agent
Same as above. We’ve done one round of revisions on it. Now I’m waiting to hear back.
Sensing a theme? Turns out publishing is full of just as much waiting (or more) after a sale as before. Good thing I have so much practice in that arena. On to the projects I can do something about:
The project: YA Dark Urban Fantasy
What I’m doing: A hardcore structural revision.
Based on notes from my agent and feedback from a writing group, I began a revision, which has quickly spiraled into one of those level-the-building-and-salvage-as-can revisions. The book is going to be so much stronger when I’m done, but it’s safe to say I’ve never done a revision of this magnitude before. It’s intimidating.
The project: A third contemporary YA novel
What I’m doing: Playing with a loose first draft
This project has been rattling around in my head for a while. I’m writing it in snatches as I’m excited about them, on the days when I’m too intimidated by the Dark Urban book to tackle it. I’m excited about how it’s turning out…but it’s in many pieces at the moment (I write out of order, always).
The titles of these projects aren’t so much secret as changing. Frequently. I swear every time I send off a new draft it has a shiny new title to go with it. At least it means I am sending things off. Having so many projects in the air makes me wonder if I’m accomplishing anything…but always having something to work on is what keeps me sane, so I’ll take it.
