Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Playing the Waiting Game

Waiting...everybody does it.  Whether it's in line at the checkout counter (why do I always pick the SLOWEST line?), or waiting for that paycheck every other Friday, or maybe just waiting for your child to stop goofing around and put her clothes on because we're late for school.

Some people have a more intense type of wait.  The type from the moment you find out you have to wait, all the way up until the moment you hear whatever it is you need to hear.  That part is agonizing.  I would consider this waiting to see if you made a part in the play you just auditioned for, waiting to hear back after a job interview, waiting to find out about test results, or it could be waiting to hear back from the many agents you just queried your book to.

You know you are not going to find out for three or four days, but your mind tells you that you need to know NOW.  You can't concentrate on anything.  Your bones are about to shake right out of your skin, and you feel like you may need to run to the nearest trash can, and there is nothing you can do about it.  Nothing.  Except take deep breaths, and try to busy yourself with something else.  By the last day, when you KNOW you are supposed to hear something, you give yourself an ulcer just agonizing over it.  It's drawn out until the very last minute, threatening to empty the contents of your stomach more than once.  You don't need coffee this day- your adrenaline does the job for you. 

So...you find out.  YES, finally my tilting world should right itself and everything will be back to normal. WRONG.  You get thrown some kind of curve ball and the roller coaster starts up again. 

Life seems like one big waiting game.  I just need to learn to grab that game and rattle it's pieces.  Play it differently, take it by surprise.  That's what makes it interesting.  The ups and downs keep life in perspective (even if it may feel like an alien inside you is trying to rip your insides out), and they motivate you to keep trying and do whats best for you.

Anyway, I imagine this is what it will be like to query agents.  And then when I get an agent, this is what it would be like to have my book pitched to publishers.  And then when a publisher picks it up, this is what it will be like while I wait for it to come out in a YEAR or more.  And then when it finally comes out, this is what it will be like waiting for those reviews- hoping you get 5 stars instead of none.  And then....you do it all over again with your next book.  This is the life writers/authors/illustrators choose.  Because we love to write.  Like all of us passionate writers say, it's not about the money or the fame (if it is we chose the wrong business- Stephanie's and J.K.'s don't happen every day), it's about getting our story out for everyone to hear. 

I'm not ready to play that waiting game yet, but I've got plenty of other waiting games to keep me occupied.  Now if I could just get that game called Life in order, I'd be set, right?

No seriously, where is my board game Life?  I have a sudden urge to play it.

14 comments:

Andy said...

I hate waiting. I will drive out of my way to avoid red lights. My wife laughs at me when I drive out of the way to avoid one light only to get stuck at another. I know it will be hard for both of us as we going through the publishing process, but maybe we can get our family together and try to figure out a way to pass the time.

Abby Minard said...

Andy, I've found that I get so impatient nowadays. I don't know if it's age or what, but I feel like I can't even read a really thick book because I don't want to take the time and wait to see how it ends ;p

And a little crit-partner-get-
-together-while-waiting sounds perfect.

GreenBeanTeenQueen said...

I think a crit-partner-get-together to play Settlers of Catan sounds perfect!;)

Colene Murphy said...

I'm finding that the author world is all about waiting. It's the pits. But patience is a..something or other that supposed to be good.

Found you on the Greenbeanteenqueen's blog and am so glad shes pimping you out!

Jennifer Manvilla said...

Hi Abby! Thanks for the email. This is great. Just your blogs display your creativity and writing skills. It made for a great read on my lunch break. I hope all is well and I cannot wait to learn more about your book. Happy writing!!!

Abby Minard said...

C.E.- thanks for finding me on Sarah's blog! Just read yours, and it's nice to see someone else starting their blog as well!

Jenny- I only hope to entertain you while at work :) We all need that break! Keep checking back!

Caroline Starr Rose said...

The waiting is killer. Still haven't figured it out. Welcome to the blog world!

Rhiannon Hart said...

Oh god it is ALL waiting! I'm fretting myself to pieces. Good luck when you get started. So pleased you write fantasy because that's what I write.

Abby Minard said...

Caroline- Oh I know...thanks so much for welcoming a newbie!

Rhiannon- yay! So excited to see a fellow fantasy lover!

GreenBeanTeenQueen said...

Abby, I'm just testing the comment e-mail thing!:) I'm not getting a box to check to subscribe to comments...

Sam said...

(Hi! Sarah sent me the link to your blog. I'm kind of in awe of how shiny and prolific it is.)
-winces- Waiting is awful. Board games do help, though, I'm sure. I'm more of a cards person.

Elana Johnson said...

The thing about waiting is, you're always waiting. It's horrible. And then everything comes in buckets and you can't keep up. That's when you start waiting for the weekend, or waiting to have a to-do list that isn't jam-packed. There's always something to wait for in this crazy writing biz. And life.

Unknown said...

Waiting is tough. Why is that I chose writing? One of the world biggest waiting games? Was I kidding myself? Then again, I think writing chooses you, and once you accept it you don't go back, it feels right, with or without the patience.

Which I have none of. I'm with Elana though, no matter what your life is one big waiting game. Right now I'm waiting for the day to be over so I can go and put on a cute party outfit and meet a fellow blogger! :) Always waiting!

Gorgeous blog! I look forward to following you through this wild ride (PS I have to come back my work doesn't enable the follower button, apparently it thinks I've used the button enough times today) so until I'm able to get home I'll be a lurker :)

Abby Minard said...

Hi Sam! I love that Sarah sent you my link! You are so sweet! Hubsters family are big card people, and mine are big board game people. It's nice to change it up once in a while.

Elana, seriously, can I just hide under my covers and not wait? Oh wait, then I'd be waiting to fall asleep...sigh.

Jen- thanks for the compliment! Lurk away- I'm a big lurking lurker as well, so I am sure I'll fit right in with the blogging community ;p And hey, sometimes there is good waiting! Have fun tonight!