Patience is a Virtue

In college I majored in elementary education and child development. One of my class assignments was to write a children’s book. I wrote about a little girl who made a dandelion crown and titled it, The Dandelion Princess. That idea sat in the recesses of my mind (approximately 15 years) until fairly recently when opportunity presented itself and allowed for me to expand the story. This is the story that my editor is working on right now and I am waiting ever so PATIENTLY for her to return the edited version to me in early July.

I honestly haven’t a clue about what to expect. To be certain there will be hundreds of mark ups, suggestions on flow, entire scenes recommended for the delete button, and many other changes only the eyes of an expert can point out. In communicating with my editor before sending my project, I did tell her, “ I am new to the write-to-publish process, but I am not new to learning and I like to think that is good for something.”

 I tend to prepare myself for the worst and hope for the best in all aspects of my life and this situation is no different. I want to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly in an effort to strengthen my writing skills, but who doesn’t want to also hear a little praise along with it. It is a common strategy when delivering less than desirable information to sandwich the icky part between two compliments. In my first attempt at writing a picture book, the less desirable news is going to far outweigh the flowery compliments, but I like to think I am prepared for that.

Waiting patiently is the M.O. of authors. First, you wait for edits, then you make changes and repeat this process dozens of times. Next, you send your query letter in the hopes of landing a reputable agent…this could take months to years depending on how long agent response times are. Then, your agent takes the reins and lands you a book deal (in the best outcome possible) and this could add several more years of work and preparation. Finally, one day, your book is made available to the eager readers who have been cheering you on for years. Man, what a day that will be! Cheers to years of waiting patiently. In a world where everything happens lickity-split, I am bracing myself for a much slower roll. Like the tried and true sentiment states, patience is a virtue.