Well, good news, I've gotten over my mid-mester funk. And what's even better, it's Spring Break! True, only half of my classes are in Spring Break, but that's beside the point. I've been able to enjoy the days I don't have class this week.
And by enjoy I mean work.
I've told myself (reminded really) that I have two projects to work on during the three days I won't have to worry about classes: editing my book and writing a presentation for a conference. Surprisingly, the first has been completed (Yay!). The second, however, doesn't even have its own spot on my desktop. It will by tomorrow, I guarantee it... Somehow, when that last phrase popped into my head it had a thick Southern accent.
Anyway, yesterday, when I finished the second draft of my book, I found I was infinitely more excited about its completion than I was when the first draft was completed, which was odd because it had taken me around six years to complete.
Completing the first draft was a hard-won victory because I knew the book was not ready to read. The story had changed mid-stream. And now, I had to basically rewrite the first quarter of my book because of changes to the rest. It was quite frustrating because every small change meant whole paragraphs and pages were either changed or deleted.
Happily, the last three quarters of my book did not take as long to edit. Everything fell into place. Now, I have to find someone to sell it for me because I'm horrible at selling myself, although I still have to sell myself to an agency. I'm bad with interviews. They're uncomfortable and awkward, and I'm usually very short and to the point, which means it probably looks as though I have no personality.
I believe I've found the agency I want to send my first query letter. The trouble is, I have to write the damn thing. I've written a book that's over 350 pages, 20 page essays, countless presentations, and I've written theater reviews for a local newspaper. So why do I find t so hard to write a letter extolling my pure awesomeness? Why is it so hard to write about myself in a professional context?
Sure, I have no problem writing about myself in a journal, or a blog. But the idea of writing to someone else and informing them that I am indeed a bad-ass, well, that's just insane. Or, at least I find the thought of doing so insane.
I'm thinking my main problem is that I'm unsure how others may perceive my writing. I am sure that some will not like it. I am sure that some will. But to write about my so-called excellence, well that's crossing a line somewhere in my mind.
While in school, I was always the student who sat in the back of the class, never raising my hand to answer questions (though I would know the answer), never participating in class discussion unless forced to, and yet I always made high grades. I usually let my work speak for itself, "warts and all."
It seems unfair to me for others to judge my creative work based on a form letter. However, this is how things are done. And so, I must follow the forms and standards (much as I teach my students to do).
Although there is another option: I could simply self-publish. Amazon sells self-published books and ebooks. It's definitely a possibility, and I like to keep my options open.
And by enjoy I mean work.
I've told myself (reminded really) that I have two projects to work on during the three days I won't have to worry about classes: editing my book and writing a presentation for a conference. Surprisingly, the first has been completed (Yay!). The second, however, doesn't even have its own spot on my desktop. It will by tomorrow, I guarantee it... Somehow, when that last phrase popped into my head it had a thick Southern accent.
Anyway, yesterday, when I finished the second draft of my book, I found I was infinitely more excited about its completion than I was when the first draft was completed, which was odd because it had taken me around six years to complete.
Completing the first draft was a hard-won victory because I knew the book was not ready to read. The story had changed mid-stream. And now, I had to basically rewrite the first quarter of my book because of changes to the rest. It was quite frustrating because every small change meant whole paragraphs and pages were either changed or deleted.
Happily, the last three quarters of my book did not take as long to edit. Everything fell into place. Now, I have to find someone to sell it for me because I'm horrible at selling myself, although I still have to sell myself to an agency. I'm bad with interviews. They're uncomfortable and awkward, and I'm usually very short and to the point, which means it probably looks as though I have no personality.
I believe I've found the agency I want to send my first query letter. The trouble is, I have to write the damn thing. I've written a book that's over 350 pages, 20 page essays, countless presentations, and I've written theater reviews for a local newspaper. So why do I find t so hard to write a letter extolling my pure awesomeness? Why is it so hard to write about myself in a professional context?
Sure, I have no problem writing about myself in a journal, or a blog. But the idea of writing to someone else and informing them that I am indeed a bad-ass, well, that's just insane. Or, at least I find the thought of doing so insane.
I'm thinking my main problem is that I'm unsure how others may perceive my writing. I am sure that some will not like it. I am sure that some will. But to write about my so-called excellence, well that's crossing a line somewhere in my mind.
While in school, I was always the student who sat in the back of the class, never raising my hand to answer questions (though I would know the answer), never participating in class discussion unless forced to, and yet I always made high grades. I usually let my work speak for itself, "warts and all."
It seems unfair to me for others to judge my creative work based on a form letter. However, this is how things are done. And so, I must follow the forms and standards (much as I teach my students to do).
Although there is another option: I could simply self-publish. Amazon sells self-published books and ebooks. It's definitely a possibility, and I like to keep my options open.
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