Inside the Mind of a Five Year Old

My sense of humor must have gotten washed away during the nine days in a row of rain that we just had.  I can't seem to come up with a single witty or amusing thing to say.  So, I'll do what I always do in that situation.  Exploit my offspring.

Here are some recent conversations with Thing 2.


JORDAN: I wonder who was the first person to get an iPod touch?
JOSH: It was probably Adam and Eve


ME:  I think I'll go read some books to get ideas.
JOSH:  You're not like the Beatles.  They were original.


And my favorite...

JOSH: Why are there two N's in the alphabet?
ME: Why do think there are two N's?
JOSH: Cause there are... L, M, N, O, P ... Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, N, Z!


What hilarities have your kids been up to lately?

When is it Time?

Okay, Google Blogger somehow gobbled up my last post. I don't feel like rewriting it, especially since I wrote something embarrassingly similar here. (How Do You Know When You're Ready to Submit)

But I am interested to hear what everyone else thinks.  I'm sure we've all sent things out too early (The classic mistake of a newbie!).   But I'm sure we also all have at least one manuscript that we have "over-written."  One that we kept revising and revising to address other people's issues until the manuscript lost some of its original charm and appeal. 

So, how do you know when you have hit that "sweet" spot.  The exact right time to submit?

NOTE:  Google blogger spit my post back out fully in tact.  Now I feel even dumber!

How Do You Know When to Submit?

This is a tricky one.  My new WIP is off to my editor.  I thought it was ready.  (My agent didn't)

I've seen people send things off way too early.  I've also seen the opposite.  I've seen people over-revise.  They keep getting feedback and keep reworking and reworking until the story has lost some of its original appeal. 

So, how do you know when you have hit that "sweet' spot.  The place where it is time to submit.

I think a good writer has to trust her instincts on this.   Did I feel like there was no way my manuscript could be improved?  No.  It's not about being "perfect".   It's about being "irresistible."  I felt like any editor who read it would love it enough to want to work with me on "perfecting" it. 

Not to sound conceited, but I felt that it was too charming and compelling to pass up.   That's the time to send it out.  When you can't imagine anyone would say 'no."

When you can drop it in the mailbox and walk away with a huge smile on your face.

That Comfy Couch

I recognized that Tess was a genius a long time ago, but I was reminded of her brilliance when I read her recent post The Quitting Place.   I've been on that couch and god, is it comfortable!

I was on it just this past week.  It would have been so easy to stay there. But I picked up the phone and I called my agent.  It was incredibly UNCOMFORTABLE.  My heart raced.  I broke into a sweat.  I stuttered and stammered.  But I did it.   And I'm so glad I did.

Sitting on the Head of a Pin

I feel like I am sitting on the head of a pin.  If I move in any direction, I will fall off.  

This is NOT a good feeling, by the way.

I think it's being caused in large part by the fact that my agent and I are having artistic differences.   We have two completely different visions for my WIP. 

I wrote a fraction story.  And she likes it, except for the fractions.  Ha!

So, I guess my problem is... I am not entirely clear on an agent's role.  Is it her job to sell what I write?  Or is it her job to sell only what she likes?