Right. Nothing does.
I also went back through my posts because I remember sharing some excerpts from the novel, which would be okay, except I know it was from the early revisions. Which means they were probably terrible. I was right. That's a good thing, though! Those excerpts embarrassed me today, which means I have grown and learned and moved forward in the book. The transformation of this novel from start to right now has been incredible.
I deleted most of the excerpts because I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea and think that's how I write. It's how I used to write. I'm better now. I'll be better tomorrow.
I am still in the query process if anyone is wondering. It's exciting and a tad nerve-wracking. One of my biggest weaknesses is writing these letters. I've been studying the craft for many months, practicing and learning through trial and error. I can't wait for the day that someone sees potential enough that they eventually read the whole manuscript and get as fired up about Adira's story as I am.
While I'm doing that, as I mentioned in my last post, I have started the next project. (While reading back through post, I realized I said this before about another project that did not end up being The One.) While doing this, I have these moments of Nothing-will-ever-be-as-important-as-Capture-Me-Strong. (CMS is Adira's story.) Ahh. Maybe nothing will, but that doesn't mean another story won't be important. If it entertains and helps one person feel that someone gets them, then it is important. I'm not ready to share what the next one is about yet, but there's some scandal. That's all you get. Vague, I know. Sorry.
One last thing: I have vowed that I'm going to start buying more books. Honestly, I'm a super thrifty person, so this means I'm a huge fan of the library. The writer in me cringes at this. To be clear there is nothing wrong with checking out books from the library. Doing so has led me to love books so much that I go out and buy them. But...the writer in me knows that writers have to buy groceries and pay electric bills and put gas in their cars and stock up on tea. I'm blessed to have a husband who does those things while I pursue my dreams, but one day I would like for my years of hard work on this novel to pay off so I can do some of those things, too. I want to help other writers do the same. I should be a HUGE supporter of authors, and I haven't been. I'm so sorry, all you authors. I vow to buy more books. I encourage all of you to go out an buy a book. (And buying it used from Amazon doesn't help the author, just so you know.)
Cheers,
Jessie
