The Waiting Game

A week ago I emailed the manuscript of my new novel to my editor. Now I'm waiting to get her reaction and her comments. My editor only saw the first 100 pages of the manuscript. That was many months ago and the pages were from a much earlier draft, so I'm anxious to know how she will react.

I'm getting some positive responses from a small group of readers I also sent the manuscript to - people who read the draft of my first novel and gave me detailed, honest comments that helped shape it and improve it. I'm counting on them to do the same with this book and I'm sure they will. But I haven't heard anything yet from my editor, who I know is reading it and who I know is also very busy.

It's a bit of a nail biter, though. With my first novel, I had nothing to lose. I didn't know if anyone would think it was good or would publish it. With the second novel, it's a whole different story. I feel a sense of expectation - not only that others expect a good piece of work from me, but that I expect it from myself. I don't want to let anyone down - my readers or my publisher. So it's a little scary. But there's nothing I can do except wait. Oh, and read books!

It's been like a vacation, to be away from my own manuscript and read lots of other peoples' books. I'm loving that part. And I know that some day, very soon, I'm going to get that phone call and my editor will tell me what she thinks and will send me her comments. And I'll be opening up the laptop once again and digging back into my manuscript to do the revisions. So I'm going to appreciate every minute of this break, even though it is a little nerve wracking, because it's giving me a chance to recharge my batteries. And, God knows, I'm going to need them charged when I head back into the fray.