Editing FOR-Eh-VER

Sometimes the editing process never ends.



At least, it feels that way.

When you're hiring an editor, you want to make sure you fit with expectations and timelines. Basically, let them know what you're looking for, what you want done, what they charge, how long it takes, how many people are already in line, and when you'll be hearing back.



Remember editing is not super duper fast.  Not if it's being done in depth and well.

So what I'm saying is... I'm a writer, which means I edit, or work on edit notes I get from Critique Partners, Beta Readers, Editors, Publishing associates, and anything I get-- All. The. Time.

I edit.
I am NOT an Editor.
But, I freaking edit.

Confession: I'm Afraid and mildly OCD

Change scares me, it always has and never seems to get its fill of putting me on edge.


I don't try to prevent changes from occurring and am often known to actively seek out opportunities and experiences that require change in one form or another.
 

Recently we sold our house.
It went much faster than we anticipated. There are no rentals available in our area. Shocking right?
Makes me feel twitchy.
I'm excited we will get the opportunity to build a home in the near future. The in-between time might include long term and winter camping.... (I really hope not).

 

Progress is a form of change that also intimidates me. I have had some progress in my writing and feel that brink of 'something' that makes me excited and terrified.


My solution to all the vague change and progress? Bring out the OCD!
 I'm not kidding.


I seriously get all tedious, detailed, and over do things like jogging. Not helpful things like cleaning or making loads of cash. Nope, I get OCD over about timing, patterns, distances, rates, and methods.
I know that I tend to fall back on to the comfort of OCD when change and progress compound on me.


For instance:
When running three miles, if my pace was 6mph yesterday it has to be the same or 6.1 mph the next run, or I have to run one tenth of the distance farther, or I will count in odd number patterns the whole time and make weird faces that I'm sure freak out the cars driving past me.


Knowing this super annoying tendency I do something I hate most of all...
I change my running path and distance on a regular basis so that I CAN NOT fall into too crazy of a numbers/patterns obsession.

What's the point of this post?
The point is change and progress scare me.
They terrify me--make me feel raw and exposed.
Maybe I'll rise to the challenge or maybe I'll be skinned alive. I don't know.

 

I let myself feel afraid. I can't stop that from happening.
That feeling doesn't define or determine my moments.

I allow a small degree of my tendencies toward OCD come out, which for me can play a role of comfort; like counting in odd patterns while I jog or making weird faces at passing cars.
But, not so many or much obsessive actions that I can no longer function in a positive and healthy direction.

Yes I'm afraid and mildly OCD.
I'm progressing toward goals I desire and have been working hard to achieve.
I don't know what the future holds and I'm still moving forward.



Write on, move up, and make weird faces jogging.

WriteTip: Query Smarter

Query anxiety should be a DSMVI listed phobia.

I spent days working-reworking; checking, double-checking my files needed to send off submission requests received after a pitch contest.

I mean, I had one foot in the door- my pitch did well enough to garner agents interest and they asked me to send my query, synopsis , and additional sample pages.
Happy Dance, Right?

Except Moronic-oversight never rests--especially when I'm anxious. My chances of doing something stupid rise tenfold.

The synopsis had me most concerned, since I struggle with that document, which is a step-by-step guide on the major events throughout the book. It let's the agents know what will happen, if the story arc is interesting and if you know how to close the dang thing satisfying enough for readers.

What I hadn't anticipated, was file corruption when working from a document. And it wasn't my synopsis- it was the actual query section--the first item in the email--the thing that says "I'm either a competent writer you can trust, or a total moron."

My query file looked perfect, when I copied and pasted it in the body of the email, because no one wants to open mystery attachments in emails anymore--virus/malware candy, but as soon as I hit send the document added shadow files from the file I had worked from in order to develop and spruce my query letter.

I didn't even know it. Until, later, out of writer-anxiety to make sure I sent files to the correct email accounts, I noticed something odd. My parenthesis marks indicating areas I needed to add for my query, which I only use when developing a document. Inside the parenthesis says, (personalize for agent).
Seriously.
How much dufus-ier can it get?
Much.
It duplicated the shadow files multiple times in the sent emails.

So the first thing any agent I sent the query to  sees, after the actual query I intended to send,  is impersonalized notes about needing to address and personalize my document--repeated two to three times.

Good first impression. I was mortified to say the least.

First I panicked and assumed my writing career was over, because obviously I'm a dufus. Who wants to sign a dufus? I don't--and I'm not even an agent.
Completely embarrassed and highly apologetic I sent an email stating my error and apologizing for sending a confusing and unprofessional submission.
I heard back from two of the agents, who were so kind and reassuring- informing me that human error happens, and computer error likes to jump on board wherever it can.

I wanted to jump through the screen and hug these agents, because I was truly in despair over this error.

I also learned a valuable tip. Here it is:
When copying and pasting files to the body of an email send a test copy to your own email address first to check how it's translating once sent through the internet. Or have a good buddy willing to receive your tester submission to check the files- do this at least once for each file you are copying to the body of an email.

Believe me. This is a good tip.

Dignity is something I gave up on in third grade when I ran into a tetherball pole during a recess game of freeze-tag, knocking out my front tooth and bloodying my entire face in the process.

It was my twelve embarrassing occurrence in my elementary experience and I realized it was best to stop holding myself to a dignified standard.
My nature opposed such things.

Basically, I'm Elaine Benes of Seinfeld.



Learn from me:
Send a dummy version of submissions to yourself. There's no harm in checking how your submission looks once it's been sent. And it's a whole lot less horrifying than realizing you sent something riddled with shadow file duplicates.

Write Smart--or if you're like me, Just Write On.

Conquering Fear of Contests

Contests scare me.

I'm determined to improve my skill and scope. So I challenged myself by entering a contest.
I chose to enter contests without an entry fee, because this is my first experience in any type of writing contest. I approached it as a learning opportunity and not a monetary investment.
I still needed to figure out what to enter and if I had the right material ready before any deadlines.

 

Step 1.

Find free contests. (Oprah isn't giving things away anymore? Bummer).

Thanks to Twitter, Facebook, and friends I heard of two similar contests within the entry window.
PitchSlam and Nest pitch. Both of those contests are based on a 35 word pitch, or tight summary of the novel, and the first 250-300 words of your novel.

 

Step 2.

REFINE REFINE REFINE

I formed a group to tackle this one and invited anyone also involved in the contest I was going to enter to join in order to refine our entries as a group. We posted our original Pitch and 250. The group commented on things that worked (positives) and things that didn't (constructive). Then we revised based on feedback. We posted revisions and commented again. There were many impressive entries in our group. I filled expected over half our group to be chosen as finalists for PitchSlam, the contest with the first announced results. Two out of our 18 active members were picked. No I was not one of them.

Step 3.

Keep Trying.

The first contest provided me with feedback that I needed to improve my work in ways I had not known.
I applied the information I was given to my novel, pitch, and first words.
(Nestpitch contest's submission window actually closed before I received feedback, but I applied changes to my own work anyway--hoping the selection committees/teams would see potential in my story with what they had on hand)

I was selected in the Nestpitch contest!
The last three weeks have been working with my contest team to refine my entry for the final round. That round begins in two days from the time I'm writing this post.
.
I'd love to say I obtained an agent from entering my first ever contest, but that is not what this post is about (and I have no idea what the final results will be yet). It is about conquering my fear of entering contests, which is not related to results.

In a short window of time I have gained not only the stamina to lose, and the determination to continue with my personal goal, but also the confidence to be selected.

These lessons are essential for me in my continued growth as a writer. Pushing myself to the next level.

My Personal Motto:

Embrace your Quirks.

Pursue your Talents.

I can't accomplish those things without a little fear conquering.

On to the next challenge.

Body Image: Let's Change It

I'm an adult.

I think things like, "How do I look?"

I look in the mirror and cringe on a regular basis. It doesn't strike me as an abnormal reaction. I don't often bother to verbalize my thoughts about it...

And yet today when I waiting for my six year old daughter to change into her swim suit I heard her say, "the top of my legs are so fat and ugly."

My first reaction was anger. "What?"
Then reason, "We don't talk like that about ourselves."

She looked at me stunned. I'm not sure what she thought my reaction would be, but I definitely did something she wasn't expecting.

Good! I thought. Now I have her attention. I had to figure out what to do with it, and fast.
I know my girl and there is only a limited window of use of sustained attention.

"In our family we only use the words healthy or unhealthy. Are you healthy?"
"I guess..."
"Good. I think so too. When we get home we can make a fun poster to highlight all the ways we choose to be healthy." (She is a sucker for posters--seriously. She's constantly begging to make charts and posters. It's cute).

This also gave me time to gather my thoughts and develop a plan for the new body image regime I had just instilled for my entire household.

Here's what I came up with. Body image should not be solely defined by our visible characteristics. Thank goodness I told my girl we were using healthy and unhealthy! I could use more than just physical appearance criteria! Phew, dodged a bullet on that quick reaction.

It's not perfect--and didn't cut and paste nice and dandy, but it's a place to start. Also I had columns- it just wouldn't cooperate with the blog thing at my skill/knowledge/tech level)

The Poster:

Approved terms for Szymanski Family Body Image

HEALTHY OR UNHEALTHY

HEALTHY

Adequate sleep

Active (physical activity)

Good hygiene (clean and groomed)

Learning about/working on things/skills

Develop talents

Service minded

Grateful

 

UNHEALTHY

 

Not enough/too much sleep

Unbalanced food choices

Inactive

Poor hygiene
Disinterested in things/skills

Stunted talents/loss of talents

Self-centered/entitled
Selfish


If the majority of your behavior is within the healthy choices you are healthy.

 

If the majority of your behavior is within the unhealthy choices you are unhealthy and must pick one area/behavior to work on. Start with one and build from there.           

 

 

Being healthy isn't easy. It takes a lot of work. Dedication, determination, and discipline are all required to be healthy. Few, if any, of us have all the areas of health listed conquered at any given time. As long as you are majority healthy, you are healthy If you're not- guess what it's not the end of the world!!! You can pick one single area to improve. Make a goal for just that area, maybe two goals if you want to be an overachiever. Bring that area back over to the healthy side and if your still off balance pick one more until you are once again majority healthy.

I for one m constantly cycling.

It's okay. I'm human.

And I do things like make my family group costumes like this (I'm proud of this BTW Aquabats rule)

 

 

Disclaimer:

I like fat. It's not a bad word.

However, using it in a way to speak negatively or oneself or others is not the proper use of the word. Fat can be good and I have a great appreciation for it when in proper context.

Honor fat, use it for good.

Let's rethink how we encourage good choices in our families. Not to mention how we frame body image in everyone. It's not just what you see.