I have been missing in action and it’s a good thing. It means I’ve been busy revising my manuscript… on who-knows-what draft number I’m on. But this round of revision with my young adult manuscript feels good. I don’t know how to explain it??
It’s a story about first love, and a young girl’s journey into making choices. I haven’t drifted away so much with the themes from my previous revisions, but there are significant changes in the trajectory of her journey.
Reading my manuscript now feels like my voice is there. Before it felt robotic and forced. I have to thank the rejection I received from a very, well known literary agent. Well known agent has an impressive client list, so even though they requested my full manuscript to read and then later reject, it gave me hope.
Whoever said that revising a manuscript was similar to putting together a puzzle? Well, they were right. I’ve been piecing together my puzzle, slowly, methodically, sometimes pushing in the pieces when they do not fit…forcing them together. Now it feels like my puzzle authentically fits and it’s coming together nicely.
Revising isn’t the only thing I’ve been doing. I’ve been listening to my writing playlist as a reward after revising. Two of my favorite songs right now: Sara Evan’s Crazy Love and If I can’t Have You. These two songs fit the mood of my protagonist perfectly. In the end of each writing session, I drift right back into the story I’m writing. The lyrics are perfect, and I don’t want to leave the fantasy world I’ve created for my character…but the dirty dishes in my sink need to be washed, and I don’t have anyone else to do them for me.
*sigh.
If you’re curious and want to listen, I included her audio here. Enjoy!
XO, K.
