Waiting and Writing and 'Rithmitic

First the waiting.

Waiting sucks. No question about it. Especially when you feel like you are either on the precipice of one of the most exciting journeys of your life, or you are about to run smack into a wall. And you're waiting to find out which one it's going to be.

That's how I've felt for the last four weeks, with a couple of full manuscripts out with agents.

Will they like it? Will they like me?

It's like the first day of a new school, except you don't know the outcome for weeks. Sometimes months. And you have to understand that most of the time the answer is going to be, "um, no, but it's nothing personal." Still, as long as the book is out there, there is hope.

Then comes the writing.

Every writer, agent and publishing professional advises writers to start on the next book as soon as the first is out on submission. Don't waste those precious months of waiting, when you could be writing. And if this book doesn't sell, you'll have the next one ready to pitch.

Great advice. It is. Sounds simple really.

Except I can't make it work. I'm trying desperately to get back into my WIP, but my heart is still all tangled up with the characters in the book on submission, and my mind keeps racing through situations for a sequel.

I really need to find a way to put book 1 behind me and focus on the present. I know the best way to get over an old love is to find a new one. But I'm so not over it.

Sometimes one plus one doesn't equal two.

Hmm, maybe there's a story there somewhere.