Revise and Resubmit
I have a lot of hard feelings on revise and resubmit. I had a book that everyone thought they could rehabilitate into the book they wanted. Alas. This never worked out. Many times tried. Many times failed. Many near misses.
As you might imagine, enough tries and fails makes me think this is a classic case of me not being good enough. They keep giving me a chance, and I keep not being enough. I don’t know if you guys have gone out and read what agents and editors look for, but they want you to be able to make magic with a revise and resubmit. Agents talk about how they want to be surprised in a revise and resubmit. They want the book to go someplace magical.
They want magic.
Right, so I have tried slavishly doing the things I thought were asked. Close, but not enough.
I have tried taking a new direction (as suggested). Oh, that changed the story in a way we didn't like.
I’ve tried fluffing up the world building. I’ve tried cutting out the world building.
I drew the line at completely rewriting a story to take all of the important parts of the character out.
Since they all ended in various shades of “nope,” I’m sure you can imagine that at this point, I think it’s me who sucks at revisions. Here I am with another revise and resubmit, and all I can think is “NO! Please, please, please! I want this one to work.” I’m riddled with doubt and insecurity. I want this one. But I had wanted the other one, too. I’m really worried that I’m the one the agents talk about when they say “I don’t want to work with someone who can’t take direction.” Because I worked REALLY HARD on those other revise and resubmits (I rewrote 75 of the 90,000 words for one of them), and it was still, somehow not what they were hoping for.
But what else can I do? And I really agree with this one. It really resonates with me, as they say. Oh boy. fingers crossed.
That’s my insecurity quotient for the day. Have some art:
Watercolor brush pens on watercolor paper. ©Rena Rocford
As with every IWSG, be sure to go jump on the link and hop around. Thank our cohosts, Misha Gericke, LK Hill, Juneta Key, Christy and Joylene Buter and most definitely thank Ninja Captain Alex for hosting an awesome idea for so many years.
As you might imagine, enough tries and fails makes me think this is a classic case of me not being good enough. They keep giving me a chance, and I keep not being enough. I don’t know if you guys have gone out and read what agents and editors look for, but they want you to be able to make magic with a revise and resubmit. Agents talk about how they want to be surprised in a revise and resubmit. They want the book to go someplace magical.
They want magic.
Right, so I have tried slavishly doing the things I thought were asked. Close, but not enough.
I have tried taking a new direction (as suggested). Oh, that changed the story in a way we didn't like.
I’ve tried fluffing up the world building. I’ve tried cutting out the world building.
I drew the line at completely rewriting a story to take all of the important parts of the character out.
Since they all ended in various shades of “nope,” I’m sure you can imagine that at this point, I think it’s me who sucks at revisions. Here I am with another revise and resubmit, and all I can think is “NO! Please, please, please! I want this one to work.” I’m riddled with doubt and insecurity. I want this one. But I had wanted the other one, too. I’m really worried that I’m the one the agents talk about when they say “I don’t want to work with someone who can’t take direction.” Because I worked REALLY HARD on those other revise and resubmits (I rewrote 75 of the 90,000 words for one of them), and it was still, somehow not what they were hoping for.
But what else can I do? And I really agree with this one. It really resonates with me, as they say. Oh boy. fingers crossed.
That’s my insecurity quotient for the day. Have some art:
Watercolor brush pens on watercolor paper. ©Rena RocfordAs with every IWSG, be sure to go jump on the link and hop around. Thank our cohosts, Misha Gericke, LK Hill, Juneta Key, Christy and Joylene Buter and most definitely thank Ninja Captain Alex for hosting an awesome idea for so many years.
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