I'm trying to get back into the swing of things after being gone for 15 days. It seems like I work best under pressure. You know...the whole deadline thing. Deadlines really get me working. I got so much done before I left. I put together 12, count 'um 12, dummy books! (8 copies of book #1, and 4 copies of book #2.) Half of those were subbed to publishers, and the other half to agents. This is my first time subbing to agents. Writing the query/cover letter was a whole new thing for me. Summing up picture books is a hard thing to do! I got my packages in the mail the day before I left. It was kind of nice to get home and already have some responses waiting. Conference connections can speed things up! Plus, they gave me a deadline; conference attendees can submit to this "closed house" for the next three months. Got to grab those chances while you can!Now I'm trying to figure out what I should work on next. Not that there aren't a lot of options, I've got 2 WIP's going, and one new idea that has been bouncing around in my head for a while. It's one of those ideas you can't stop thinking about, you just have to get it down on paper. It's an illustration. Not a story idea yet. It seems like it's been too long since I did a full, finished, illustration. Lots of sketches, but no color. I'm itching to do color. My gut is saying to work on that one, the new one, even though I know I should try and finish up what I've already started. How about you? What makes you decide what project to take on next?
3 comments:
I work on whatever project my mind is thinking of and bugging me with. If I don't care about it at the time, and do it because I have to, then it isn't very well done. Sometimes when you get a new idea it is better to do that one than to wait and do it later - might not be as "fresh." If I have a deadline set I will work overtime and do both.
Gail - your work is excellent. Agents and publishers should be ringing your phone off the hook!
Gail your dummy looks great! I know what that's like when you are working through one thing and you get that idea that won't leave you alone. The book I just finished was one of those. I was working on my first YA when this idea found its way into my brain and wouldn't leave me alone. So, I kept tucking away little notes on the idea while I continued to work on my book. Once I got the first draft done, I let it sit while I started work on the second book. Then I did a revision of #1 and then dove into the new book.
So here I am, done with #2 done (and it's my best work ever!) I don't know how you choose what to work on. I just let things gel as they needed to.
Good luck with your dummy!
Hi, Gail! Welcome back from vacation. I was in the same boat ... had a terrific family vacation but would have loved to go to LA. Maybe next year for both of us!
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