Tuesday, April 19, 2011

P is for Patience

Be Patient.
Ten Paciencia.
And umm however you say it in other languages too...

(image source: motifake.com)


Yep, patience can be very helpful in this industry because there are many aspects that take time. It can take a long time to get a novel written, then there is the rewrite and edit process, which should take up more time. Once the book is read, test readers or critique groups/partners have approved (if you go those routes), you might be ready to submit the story to an agent and/or publisher.

Have to get query letters ready, maybe even a synopsis depending on the situation, and after that? Clicking the send button, or sending the letter in the mail if it's one that prefers the snail mail still. And what happens after that?

Waiting.

And guess what... There will be more times where you will have to wait, even if you get an agent or publisher. Waiting and patience are part of the industry.

But there are things we can do while we wait. Research agents and publishers or your next novel idea. Write something else. Keep busy. Spend time away from the computer (I'm not very good at that one). All kinds of things can help the time go by because part of patience is distracting oneself in order to not focus on having to wait. Being easily distracted almost helps in this front.


So, how about you:
Are you patient?
What do you do to pass the time?

7 comments:

mooderino said...

I'm pretty good at not dwelling on stuff. Keeping busy is the key for me.

mood
Moody Writing

Unknown said...

I'm learning to be patient the more I query. I like to keep busy with my next project while I pass the time.

Laura Josephsen said...

Yeah, patience is one of those things you have to have (or develop) as a writer. It seems like there's always a huge rush of action, and then lots and lots of waiting. ;) I agree that you just have to find other things to do to fill the time.

P.S. I'm passing on a blog award to you. You can find it on my blog if you're interested.

Amanda Trought said...

Patience is a virtue... learning to be more patient, but it takes practice and deep breaths. Great post, visiting from the a-z challenge, lovely looking round your blog!

Amanda - Realityarts-Creativity
Art Blog

Susan Kane said...

Patience is something that is honed over time. A long time. A very long time.

Denise Covey said...

Patience is indeed a virtue and you need it in the writing business. I don't have to worry about passing the time; I have enough projects going for two lifetimes! Plus there's always travel, ha ha. BTW Dawn, didn't put up a poll for Q coz everyone would have got it. Also I'm on hols and doing a lot of prescheduling which means I either had a dozen polls going or miss a couple.

Denise<3

L'Aussie Travel A-Z Challenge Posts

Dawn Embers said...

mooderino - That's great. Keeping busy does help me too.

Cheree - I am learning too, on this end. Patience helps in many fields.

Laura Josephsen - Oh there is definitely a desire to rush. Luckily rational thought keeps me from doing things too early. And thanks so much for the blog award.

Amanda Trought - It does take practice. Thanks for checking out my blog. I'm glad you like my blog.

Susan Kane - Hi there. It almost takes patience to develop patience. lol

Denise - <3 Good point. I probably have enough projects that I won't mind the waits. And after working on the one project since 2007, what is a few more months? The polls are fun but I can go without one. lol