lauraanne_gilman (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
lauraanne_gilman) wrote2003-10-19 08:30 pm
lauraanne_gilman) wrote2003-10-19 08:30 pm
story trauma, story joy
So there's this story. And it's been to three major magazine editors. One hated it. One liked it with reservations, and one liked it a lot but couldn't quite close the deal. So I ran the story by my writers' group. Nope, they couldn't really make any useful suggestions. Ran it by a friend of mine who used to be a major magazine editor. She said "I would have bought it." Once I unwrapped my hands from around her neck (joke. Mostly) she made a suggestion, and I went back to the third editor who had also made a suggestion, and I said "so, would you be willing to take a look at a revision?" (this is generally a no-no for editors unless they ask to see it again) She said yes.
So I'm trying to revise the story, changing what she had problems with while not hurting anything she liked. And it's a damed difficult thing, like maneuvering on a tightrope when someone's greased your shoes.
But it's a good story. For once, I am confident it's a good story. (I know, die of shock, all of you.) So it will find a home, sooner rather than later. I just would rather it be with this particular editor, because I haven't cracked that market yet and damn it, I want to.
So that's been the work in progress. But there was also joy -- the countersigned contracts for the books arrived in the mail yesterday. Totally unexpected -- wasn't expecting to see 'em for another month. I'm told I looked poleaxed. :-D
Gah. Okay, this is really happening, isn't it?
So I'm trying to revise the story, changing what she had problems with while not hurting anything she liked. And it's a damed difficult thing, like maneuvering on a tightrope when someone's greased your shoes.
But it's a good story. For once, I am confident it's a good story. (I know, die of shock, all of you.) So it will find a home, sooner rather than later. I just would rather it be with this particular editor, because I haven't cracked that market yet and damn it, I want to.
So that's been the work in progress. But there was also joy -- the countersigned contracts for the books arrived in the mail yesterday. Totally unexpected -- wasn't expecting to see 'em for another month. I'm told I looked poleaxed. :-D
Gah. Okay, this is really happening, isn't it?