Submission Limbo

I have decided to try my hand at multiple projects at one time, and I find that it is very hard to pay attention to the project that is in the revision process when the other is in the creating process.

 I love the creating process.

When I start a new project, I first draw a map. I'm a fantasy writer, so being able to see my world is a must. How can you create characters without first having a world to put them on? I do usually have a type of character or story in mind before I create said map, but that character or story is no more than a type until that map has been drawn out. (Don't ever ask to see my maps. I can't actually draw, but my maps do the job as best they can. *grin*) After drawing my map, I move on to the basics: creating the religion, magic, weather, geography, animals, cultures, economics, government, etc. Then, I start choosing specific names for specific places on my map and main characters.

Here is where I must plug one of my absolutely most favorite sites.Creating Fantasy and Science Fiction Worlds If you are a writer, especially of fantasy and science fiction, you must save this site and refer to it when creating any new story. It saves on the time you have to spend going back and re-writing because you forgot to take into account some really important aspect for your story's world to even exist. I am sure they have a book out there with this info in it, but this site is free and much more convenient for me.

After checking to make sure I have answered all the why, when, where, and how's, I outline.
Did I just admit that I don't rely on the natural gift and inspiration from God to tell me what direction to take, but that I OUTLINE?!!!!

Yep *grin*, sure did. It's true. I outline. I know where I'm going, why, and how long before I start typing the first word of the first draft. It's just how my brain likes to work and I find that it keeps me from going off on a tangent, rewriting more times than I would have already, and wasting my valuable time.

I am so excited about my newest project, but I am forcing myself to give the other attention, also. After-all, it is the one that I pitched to an editor, and then submitted to said editor all of 10 days ago(yeah, I'm counting...what of it?*wink*) There are always more revisions, right?! Every time I look at it, I find something else that I need to fix. If I'd leave the new project alone, I'd have this one done in a snap.

And I tell you all of this simply to say, that I am going crazy while in submission limbo and trying to keep my mind occupied by my projects, but it's only working a little.

How about you? What do you do to get through submission limbo? Do you work on other things, revise the MS you submitted, or lose yourself in Facebook? When starting a new project, do you outline? I won't hold it against you if you choose to evoke your 5th amendment right. *laughs* Let me know what you think about  the site I shared!!!

Comments

  1. I can really relate to getting lost when I take on more than one project at a time. This week I'm writing an article. It's fun to work on something shorter, but I'm finding it very hard to transition from writing the article to working on my novel-length manuscript. Some people can do it seamlessly. I have trouble, always have.

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    1. It's not so much that I am lost, but more that I find creating to be more fun than revising. I imagine it's more of a discipline thing in my case. I hope that you become more accustomed to it in time and it doesn't seem so difficult!

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  2. Oooo... I must check out that site! And man... submission limbo is HARD. But I'm doing soooo much better this time around. I've dipped right into a new WIP and it's helping A LOT. A lot, A LOT. :D

    Great post, Sab! ;)

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    1. Thank you, my dear. I think you will find the site worthy of your favorites for sure. Oh, I cannot wait to hear more about this new WIP!!!! Thanks for visiting, dear friend!

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  3. I don't outline when I start a new work (and I begin with characters, not a world, so your process and mine are very different from one another) I don't think I'd even know how. It's a skill I've occasionally thought about learning and putting to use, but so far I haven't. Maybe someday LOL

    ~ Rhonda Parrish

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    1. Variety is the spice of life. If we were all the same, this world would be so boring. I wish you much luck in doing things your way, my dear!

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  4. I took care of submission limbo by letting it go dormant. Now I just need to re-edit and with school out, I plan to submit and submit again while moving on! Good luck!

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  5. I love the creative process too. I outline, but I don't go crazy. I love the first draft. the first draft is always 'the one' until I have to edit it, ugh. But somehow I'm managing to get somewhere with my current project, but I have to be 100% focused. When I start submitting though, I don;t know what I'll do...

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    1. LOL...I think I have found a kindred spirit. I thought like you, until I got my 1st done not too long ago. Now, I am stretching my adventurous wings a bit. *grin* We'll see if I am successful.

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  6. I am querying agents now, so I know what limbo feels like. I am distracting myself with writing the first draft of a different book. As for outlining, I do a very simple one before the first draft, and then organize more later after the first draft is out of my head. Good luck with your submission! And thanks for finding my blog :)

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    1. Don't take this the wrong way, but I am really happy to know I am not alone in this limbo. *grin* Thanks for visiting mine!

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  7. Can't really say. I'm still working towards my first submission.

    But I can tell you that I'm definitely a pantser. In fact, I didn't draw the map to my fantasy epic until my rewrites were almost done. :-D

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    1. No map until the rewrites were almost done? You, my dear lady, are an enigma to my poor addled mind! *wink* I look forward to hearing how your first submission goes!

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~Sabrina

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