I think I can finally say "au revoir, writer's block". Whew!
This makes two days in a row that I've actually worked on my book again, after two months of not even so much as glancing at the manuscript. I've even been working on it at my very messy and cluttered home (and yesterday Georges was home for the majority of the time I spent working) because I decided that using "I can't write at home" and "I can't write when the family's around" and "I can't write because I have too freaking much to do around the house" as anti-writing excuses was just plain bullshit. OK, so two successive days of writing in the grand scheme of things means rien, but considering how diligently I've been dragging my feet for the past five months, working two days in a row feels like a pretty significant step in the right (or write) direction.
I've set a target for myself that I have to have the manuscript completely cut, reworked and edited by the end of June, although I'm planning to shoot for finishing even earlier in the month than that. Then I will use the rest of the summer to start submitting queries to agents again. And will take it from there. But that one agent who (back in January) was kind enough to give me a bit of personal feedback was right: the book did need some work, especially the original first part of the book, which was too long and dragged before getting to the "good stuff". Georges (who is actually very good at delivering a constructive critique, even considering that he and I both know he's a bit biased in my favor) felt the same, and since all three of us appeared to have the same instincts about it, I've gone to work with my little hatchet and am chopping the stuff that just isn't interesting or necessary. I'm also looking for places where the book could actually benefit from MORE anecdotes; there are a couple of spots that, to me, felt a bit too "factual" (i.e. dull). So, we'll see how it all pans out.
This editing stuff is HARD. Harder even than editing other people's manuscripts, because I lack the objectivity when it's my own work (and my own life story). I know I've got a good story, but figuring out the optimal way to tell it has been a bigger challenge than I anticipated. But I am determined to finish and get this book OUT THERE. Bottom line, it's calling to me again. I feel like I'm getting my passion back for writing.
And it's about time, too.
