The Art of Waiting Patiently

an article on writing by author Toni Blake

You’ve done it. You’ve written your first novel and you’ve polished it to perfection. You’ve sent a partial manuscript off to a publishing house where you hope it will find a home. You feel like you’ve just stuffed your firstborn into an envelope and sent it out into the world to seek fame and fortune, or at least acceptance. You found the process invigorating. And frightening. But the deed is finally done.

Now all that’s left is the waiting, right? Wrong!

Don’t misunderstand. There’s plenty of waiting to do now, but if you sit around twiddling your thumbs, not only will the wait stretch endlessly before you, but you will be wasting precious time.

Ideally…

Ideally, you will now begin your next novel.

Not yet, you say? It’s too soon?

Look, I understand. It’s hard to move on to something new. You’re attached to the characters in your first book - after all, you helped develop them into the quality people they’ve become. They are so close to you that their thoughts and words spill from you effortlessly. It’s hard to leave them after having spent so much time together. Being with them is safe, and comfortable. Still, you must realize that you can’t linger here forever.

But I want to see them through to fruition, you argue. And I just sent them off to New York all alone. Is this a good time to abandon them?

Absolutely.

It’s time to move on, quit living in the past, and embrace today. You may need to drop in on your old book occasionally, read a chapter or two and reacquaint yourself with what you loved about it, but don’t let yourself get stuck there. Instead, let your previous work inspire you, and compel you to create more. Think of your new characters, after all. They’re out there somewhere on the fringe of your brain, waiting to be born. Make them wait too long and they may get annoyed and leave.

Not only will starting your next book take your mind off the waiting game, but it will also prepare you for the next move. Suppose, horror of horrors, you open your mailbox one day to find your partial manuscript, worn and tattered, beaten and bruised, dragging its imaginary tail between its legs, a rejection letter perfunctorily paperclipped on top. You’ll be crushed, true, but you’ll feel a lot better knowing you already have a second novel to fall back on. Didn’t like the first one? you’ll say. Well, try this one on for size. Quickly submitting a second novel will alert an editor to the fact that not only are you determined, but you’re productive, too.

Or suppose your wildest dreams come true and the first editor you approach wants to buy your novel! Congratulations - your precious baby has hit the big time! But when the hoopla finally fades, imagine how much ahead of the game you’ll feel knowing your second novel is well under way, or maybe even completely finished.

The most important reason to begin that next novel, though, is not a matter of timing or preparedness. The most important reason to begin that next novel is because a good writer keeps on writing. In good times and bad. In winter, spring, summer, and fall. A good writer knows that she must always strive to improve, must always make the next piece of work better than the last. A good writer must write.

Alternatives

I know what you’re thinking. Submitting that manuscript took a lot out of you and you’re emotionally pooped. I just need to take a few weeks and clear my head, you’re saying. I just have to relax a little and collect my thoughts. Okay, I’ll buy that. But don’t think I’m condoning a summer by the pool or a winter spent catching up on your favorite soaps. Here are some other creative routes to follow during your regrouping period.

Read outside your genre. That’s right. Drop that romance novel right now. Or if you pick one up, make sure it’s outside the sub-genre in which you write. Try reading a mainstream bestseller, a murder mystery, a book of poems, a literary novel, or even a classic (The Great Gatsby, To Kill a Mockingbird, Jane Eyre … you know the ones.) Better yet, read one of each of these. If your creative energy has been running on low lately, this should give it a charge and open your mind up to endless possibilities. A good writer is well-rounded and well-read.
Write outside your genre. Write a short story, or an essay. Dabble with poetry. Sound like a challenge? That's the idea. Didn’t I just say a good writer needs to be well-rounded? Stuck for an idea? Think of all those books you just read. Or look out your window and let something grab your eye. If worse comes to worst, just pick up a pen and start writing. Something will come. And don’t stop with the writing. Polish your work, research suitable markets, and send it off in the mail. The short story/poetry world doesn’t usually pay much - in fact, more often than not it pays nothing - but don’t knock it. A publication of any kind is not only fulfilling and good for your confidence, but it starts building a list of credits. This will impress an editor, showing that you are a serious writer and that someone else has already had enough faith in your work to publish it.
Lend your time to other writers. Perhaps a fellow writer is having trouble with character development or with a specific chapter of her book. Offer to spend some time brainstorming with her or helping to make the needed changes in her trouble spots. Chances are, the next time you need help, she’ll gladly return the favor. If you don’t meet regularly with other writers, this might be a good time to consider forming a critique group. This can be two people or ten - you and your fellow writers make all the rules. Any way you slice it, though, sharing your work with other writers will help instill confidence, open your mind to other points of view, and teach you how to give and take criticism constructively.
Attend a class or a workshop. Watch the newspapers and check pamphlets on community education. If you’ve got the time and resources, consider attending a good conference. Writing classes cover a range of topics and can be priced anywhere from hundreds of dollars to free of charge. Some classes are hands-on and will offer writing exercises to spur your creativity, and others will be lectures or question/answer sessions. Explore the possibilities and find one or more classes or workshops that are right for you. More often than not, this is time well spent.
Get involved with writing organizations. If you joined RWA to merely sit back and enjoy, swell. But your affiliation with RWA and other writing organizations will prove most rewarding when you take the time to get involved. How? Run for an office in your local chapter, join a committee, or write an article for your chapter newsletter. (This counts towards your list of credits, by the way - effectively killing two birds with one stone.) The next time there’s a call for volunteers, raise your hand. Getting involved is a good way to meet people and make friends, and when you give to an organization, you are giving to the people in it - thus, look on this as another way of lending your time to other writers.

But Don’t Forget About Starting That Second Book…

So you hammered out a short story and whisked it off to a literary magazine. Good job! And not only did you form a small critique group, you also volunteered to chair a committee at the last RWA meeting. Even better!

But you’re not off of the hook yet. Remember, these activities were meant to get you through a difficult transitional period. Hopefully these new challenges expanded your love and knowledge of writing, and hopefully you will continue to pursue some or all of them, but don’t let them deter you from your original mission - that would defeat the purpose. Instead, let them enrich your writing life and inspire you to forge ahead. You’ve got a second novel to write, remember? It’s time to get started.

And, oh yeah, don’t forget to occasionally pull yourself away from the keyboard and check the mail. Did you forget? You’re still waiting to hear about your book proposal. But you’ve been too busy to think much about it, haven’t you? Hey, I think you’re catching on.