That wasn't bad

It's a good thing I belong to RWA because otherwise I'd be SUCH an idiot. I knew nothing about publishing before I joined and I'm still learning every day.

Proof. I did my pitch. I was the 2nd pitch of the day for this editor which was great because I got to get it over and done with. Seven minutes. One of my main questions to her was about which line should I be targetting with this ms. I started out thinking I was writing a Blaze, but I was now feeling this might be more Bombshell material. So we quickly go over the story, she tells me which way it's looking to her. Very polite, friendly, lovely. Thank you. Out the door. Phew.

I was feeling fine about it. I was a bit more nervous than I expected but I was also feeling proud about having done a pitch. Our RWA chapter celebrates these stepping stones to publication and I was glad that I'd done this.

But. She didn't ask for it.

So, I tell this to a couple people. "Went well, clarified which line. But didn't ask for it."

"What did she say?"

"Well, she said to tweak it over so it fits more to Bombshell, build up the heroine more if necessary and query the Bombshell editor in New York directly."

"Duh, that's an invitation! Yay!"

"Oh? Oh. OH!"


AND, I got some useful information about a brand new line which is actively seeking authors. I've had a story idea germinating for a couple years which I think might fit that very well.

Rex and I have a lot of work this summer. There'll be charts, graphs, and schedules. And chocolate.

Sherrilyn Kenyon, who was the keynote speaker, advised us to have 2 jars on our desks. One jar has chocolate in it. We get a chocolate whenever we make any step, no matter how teeny-tiny, towards writing our stories and getting them out there. The other jar is empty. Every time we have a negative, self-critical thought, we put a dollar into that jar. A year later we'd either have banished negative thinking or have enough money to go to the RWA National conference - a win either way. She wanted us to be fat and happy one year from now.

*That's not bad is Roo speak (and I think might well be Canadian speak) for high praise. It used to disconcert me if Roo said 'that's not bad' about something I had cooked. I used to add sarcastically "What a surprise! It doesn't taste like absolute pooh! Shockingly palatable!" until I realized that it actually WAS a compliment.