Measuring time...

Yes, I am going to start another post with an apology. I know at least someone noticed the font size carnival I’m having. It isn’t me. It’s the bloody service that’s not letting me have any kind of continuity so for that I am sorry.  But alas, it isn’t going to get better in the foreseeable future and I really don’t care enough about it to complain. I have better things to think about!

So this year hasn’t been my most productive. I was actually just starting to wonder if I’d really written anything at all since January 1st. Then I started thinking about the passage of time and how it’s hard to count what you’ve done or how many words you’ve typed if you have nothing to measure it by. After all, January really doesn’t mean much to me except that it’s the beginning of another year. So I’m going to measure my word count from one conference t o the next. With less than thirty days till my second Romance Writer’s of Australia conference and another chance to pitch to an overseas agent and editor, I started thinking about the pitch (yes, I’ve been thinking a lot lately) and what to pitch. Then I started on a whirlwind writing adventure to try to finish the WIP I’m working on, but that hasn’t turned out so well for the moment. For starters I’m way off the mark I set for myself to be at before being able to pitch an unfinished book.  And we all know how editors and agents love pitchers to pitch a book that’s not done. But I think I have a rough idea of how much I’ve actually written since August last year. I reckon it’s about 160,000 words. That’s two small single titles or one single title and a category. But really, it’s one half done chick lit, a historical ending and a historical beginning. Not to mention all of the editing on the three.

Then if you want to count it, I’ve had several submissions (three to Harlequin, one to Dorchester, one to Sourcebooks, one to Carina, then there’s the agents) so there’s word counts for the query letters and all the other bits and pieces like this blog. But I haven’t counted them. Too hard to put into numbers. But at the end of this useless thought process I find myself still wondering what in the hell to pitch. If it was an Avon editor (who’s coming but isn’t taking pitches) it would be a no brainer. An Agent is a little harder since I have so many sub-genres. I may even decide to pitch my chick lit to the agent and my historical to the editor. Although, I’m still not really sure who that is yet.    

So I’ve gone back to Scandal’s Mistress. It’s only been looked at by three agents and two editors but I had all but given up on selling it. So I’ve taken it out of the drawer to see what areas I need to work on and which ones are already okay. And really, with the market the way it is, how can I expect to show it to five people and the dollars to start rolling in. Even Stephanie Meyer had twelve rejections before she got one yes. No, I am not comparing myself to the author of the Twilight phenomenon, but I do know I have a way to go before I’m going to be good enough to be an Avon author. Thanks to my father in law, I know I’m on the right track with the right attitude.

So I’m going to take my track and my attitude and get back to work! Until next time *bows* I bid you adieu =)