When Do You Find Time To Write?

I've blogged before about the difficulties of finding time to write in the midst of everything else happening in life.

I've always felt like a big phony for dedicating so much time to something that might not pay off in the long run. I sit in front of my computer, feeling guilty about pandering to these people in my head instead of dusting my filmy furniture or vacuuming my family room. I go to work every day in pursuit of a paycheck, because I'm well aware that writing may never earn me one (yes, I still feel this way, even being agented), but all I want to do is write while I'm there.

The week before last, I went to Mexico. I wrote on the plane, I wrote in my hotel room, I wrote on the balcony outside with the sound of the ocean in the background. It was writing Nirvana.

Writing on vacation. Quick, someone go tell my agent how
dedicated I am!

The view from our balcony. Poor me, having to look at that
while I wrote!

Wait... Why did I come home?

The swim-up bar. I recommend the Dirty Monkey.

The pool... The one place where I couldn't write, due to sun glare
on my netbook. And the Dirty Monkeys didn't help, either.

*THEN* something awesome happened when I got home - our system crashed for 3 days at work, and I literally could not do my job. So, I wrote instead.

Unfortunately, it doesn't happen very often that I'm handed writing time on a silver platter like this. But even with all my doubts and demons and obligations, I'm going to find a way. Because it's what I love, plain and simple. (And also, because the idea for book #4 was born while I was in Mexico. Weee!!!)

For more on this subject, (and for a quick live peek at the view from my hotel room) check out my vlog below. And then tell me -  when do you find time to write?

AMAZING NEWS!

PEEPS!

I was in Mexico last week, and I'd planned to post a vlog I recorded while I was there, and maybe some pictures. Instead, I have something way better.

One of my dear critique partners, Leigh Ann Kopans, HAS SCORED HERSELF A KICKASS AGENT!

Leigh Ann and I have been CP's for a year this month (I was her first, guys. Be jealous.), and our journeys to agentedhood have been very similar.

We read each other's first novels. Ripped them apart, shined them up and polished them, queried our hearts out with them, got *so close* to yes with the last agents who read them, and then gave each other virtual hugs when we knew it was ultimately time to put those ms's in the drawer.

Then we wrote our second  novels.

Fell madly in love with them. Ripped them apart, shined them up and polished them, queried our hearts out, and got seriously down when the responses were less than stellar. Then we entered contests (separate ones) that changed everything. Sent each other frantic text messages and tweets and e-mails and threw in a couple phone calls in for good measure.

Proved nothing is impossible

So now the next step of the journey begins for both of us, and I am so thrilled and lucky to have my writing bestie and favorite cheerleader at my (virtual) side for it. Leigh Ann has worked her ass off to get to this moment, and no one deserves it more.

You can read Leigh Ann's story in her own words here. Please go congratulate her and wish her the best of luck with ONE, the novel that wowed her agent :)

Interview About Getting My Agent at Brenda Drake Writes!

So last month I did a post on finally finding an agent. I didn't say who it was, because I wasn't quite convinced I hadn't fabricated the whole thing in my imagination.

Well, the ever fabulous Brenda Drake outed me in a big way yesterday by posting an interview with yours truly, all about how my agent and I wound up together as a result of one of her contests.

Now it *really* feels official... and I like it!

To read the interview and say hi to Brenda while you're at it, click here.

Have a great weekend, peeps! I won't be blogging next week but I hope to see you all bright and early on Monday the 18th :)

Discussing Inspiration Vloggy Style

Hey all, how was your weekend?

Mine was hectic. I did find a few minutes to put together a vlog for the series my CP's have put together, and I'm posting it here. The question I'm answering is: What inspires your work?

I really wanted it to be a cool vlog, with pictures and videos or SOME sort of visual aid incorporated within, but alas, in the battle of Gina vs. Technology, Technology beat me to a bloody pulp.

So,  I give you three minutes of an extreme close-up on my face, which ranges from pissy (because technology defeated me) to swoony (because hello, I'm talking about GILBERT BLYTHE!)

Also, I THOUGHT I'd at least figured out how to tag pictures on to the end of the video, but I was wrong. So here are the Anne/Gilbert pics I wanted to include, but was too stupid to figure out how:

Gilbert is whispering "Hey, Carrots" in this photo. Anne
is ignoring him...

...So he pulls her hair. And she proceeds
to smash her writing tablet over his head. Priceless.

And in the end, it all comes down to this swoon-worthy moment.
*Sigh*

GILBERT I LOVE YOU!

Putting on Your Revision Face

I was asked to do some revisions on my manuscript this on Friday. They were nothing impossible, but I'm a nervous person by nature, and I'm always afraid I'll wind up making things worse instead of better.

Which is probably why I go through several stages of revision faces.

The first is outright panic:

You want me to do WHAT?!

But I. Can't. Do. Thaaaat!!!

No, really, how am I supposed to make this happen?

The second is a kind of manic acceptance, when the ideas start to fall into place and I realize I everything might just work out after all. That was me on Saturday.

I've got it! I've got it! I'VE GOT ITTTT!!!

PREPARE TO BE MY BITCH, REVSIONS!

But by Sunday night, when I'd been through two revise-a-thons? It felt like someone had set my eyes on fire.

Now my revisions are safetly in the hands of my capable critique partners, and with any luck, I won't have to repeat the cycle too many more times!

What kinds of stages do you go through when you tackle revisions? Does everyone have a moment of panic, or is it just me?

On Querying and Re-Querying

So it's no secret that when I first started querying my current project, it wasn't going well. Agents who I thought were a shoe-in for requests kept shutting me down with form rejections, and the first time I entered my query/first 250 in a contest, my entry got completely ignored.

When my first ten or fifteen queries didn't result in any requests, I had a sinking feeling that I needed to revise my letter, and stat.

At the same time, I realized my first 250 could probably use a little work, too. So I did an experiment and chopped a good 4 pages off my opening before entering Brenda Drake's Pitch Madness contest - and was floored when 5 different agents bid on my entry, including 2 who had already rejected my query.

So I got to thinking - what if I were to re-query some of the agents who'd previously passed, but using my revised letter and my new opening?

I know agents are divided on this topic. Some say they welcome a re-query as long as you've made significant improvements.

Others say that revisions don't matter - that if they rejected once, they'll probably reject again, and that the onus is on the author to get it right the first time.

Well, I chose to ingore that second group of people. I'm a little stubborn, and I refused to believe that agents remember every single query they reject. I was positive that my letter and/or my opening had been the problem in the first go-round, and with my spit-polished versions, I could reclaim any chances they'd cost me.

So, a few months after my initial wave of rejections, I re-queried about six or seven of the agents who'd passed. I didn't tell them it was a re-query, I just sent the letter as if it were the first time.

Now just as a disclaimer, I did not land my agent through a re-query.

But out of those six or seven agents, three who'd previously rejected came back with a request for material. One of them I had to decline, because it arrived about 4 hours after I'd accepted my offer of rep.

Honestly, what I'm trying to say here is never deny yourself a second chance. The general consensus may be that re-queries are a no-no, but I believe agents will take notice of a query that shines rather than hold a grudge against - or even remember - its dull predecesor.

What about you, peeps? What are your experiences/thoughts on re-querying agents who initially passed?

So... It Happened.

Today is my birthday, but don't worry about getting me anything, peeps. I already got one of the best gifts I could've asked for.

A couple posts ago, no one could've convinced me that my beloved manuscript would ever find itself in front of an agent who loved it as much as I did.

But I was proven wrong in a big way when not one, but two agents offered representation on it last week. I was floored, ecstatic, panicked, and everything else in between, as I'm sure you can imagine.

After speaking to both on the phone, and after much spazzing, hyperventilating, and maybe even some dry heaving, I made my choice.

And so, peeps, I'm sharing the news that I'm officially off the market.

But, because I'm still not quite convinced that this isn't all a dream, that's all I'm going to say for now :)

Have a great weekend everyone!