Exciting developments, my friends!
But first, the story so far. Skip this if you’re up to date on my writing-related wafflings…
I’ve written a book (see Art and Soul for more about that). I’ve been sending the first three chapters to literary agents, but haven’t been getting anywhere. I recently sent it to an editor and he suggested deleting chapters 1 and 2 and starting with chapter 3. As a result, I’m currently staring at a huge pile of edits.
And now back to the exciting news!
Having thought I hadn’t made the cut (and been rather disappointed), last week I was beyond delighted to receive an invitation to join the Romantic Novelist Association‘s New Writer’s Scheme. The Scheme allows unpublished novelists writing in the romance genre to submit their manuscript to an existing RNA member for critique. You also get to take part in all RNA activities and events.
As if that weren’t exciting enough, I also received an email from a literary agent saying they’d like to see more of my writing! I explained I was in the middle of cutting the first two chapters of my novel (more about that in last week’s post). Would they like to read the new beginning once it was done? And *drumroll*… they said yes!
I can’t stop using exclamation marks!!! 🙂
While I have until August to submit my manuscript to the New Writer’s Scheme, I want to get those pending edits done as soon as possible. I’m hoping my toddler and I can stay at my parents’ during the half-term holiday so I can lock myself in the writing garret spare room and get some serious work done. But to do that I may have to go a bit quiet here and on social media for a while.
That doesn’t mean I won’t be keeping up with you and your blogs though. I’m looking forward to hearing about your reading, writing, baking and other shenanigans 🙂
A writer’s life, like everyone else’s, is full of ups and downs. I think it’s important to celebrate the ups. And on that note, I leave you with a gratuitous gif of Mr Hiddleston:
fabulous news and the best of luck 🙂 couldn’t happen to a nicer lady x
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Thank you very much! 🙂 xx
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That’s great news! I gather the NWS scheme is brilliant, so well done!
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Thank you!
Very exciting day for you too. Your new book cover is lovely 🙂
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Yes, good news for both of us! Thank you 🙂
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Wonderful news!! I wish you all the best on your editing and your submission!! 🙂 🙂
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Thank you! Now if I could just get an hour or two to write/edit, all would be well 🙂
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Nap time?! LOL
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That’s awesome! You definitely need to celebrate the ups!!! Congratulations on both! 🙂
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Thank you! I’m currently very excited and need to try to channel that into getting the darn edits done 🙂
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Wait until tomorrow! You won’t get anything done today!! 🙂
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Big congrats. You so deserve it 🙂
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Thank you! Fingers crossed this all leads somewhere good 🙂
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Congrats- that’s amazing news!
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Thank you! I’m trying not to get wildly optimistic, but it’s nice to have some good news 🙂
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Whooo, that’s fantastic! Congrats and LOTS of luck and patience with the editing :).
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Thank you! I think I’ll need it 🙂
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* jumps up and down excitedly clapping!* SQUEE!!! Congratulations! I’m so happy for you 😀
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Thank you! When I got the email to offer me the place on the scheme (after not getting in through the first in take) I think I did a little happy dance!! There was definitely some Tigger-esque involved 🙂
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AMAZING news, Claire!
Wishing you all the luck in the world. xx
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Thank you! Fingers crossed 🙂 If nothing else, I’ll come out the other side with a better book!
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Brilliant news! I have every confidence in you!!!! << more exclamation marks 🙂
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Thank you! Hopefully next week I can spend many many hours in the editing cave while the grandparents are helping me out 🙂
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Yeah! That’s awesome news! Congrats, Claire! 🙂
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Thank you! Fingers crossed I have more news to report later this year! 🙂
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That’s wonderful 🙂 Congratulations! Wishing you the very best of luck!
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Thank you very much 🙂
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Great to hear!
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Thank you! 🙂
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YAY YAY YAY YAY GO YOU
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Thank you! That was pretty much my first reaction as well – hahaha!
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So excited for you, Claire!
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Thank you! I hope it comes to something now or I’m going to look really stupid – haha! 🙂
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No way, you won’t look stupid to us! It’s just exciting that you’re trying and putting yourself out there! I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you.
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Yay for you! Although, I will miss you.
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Thank you!
To be honest, I think I’ll be be more AWOL on Facebook and Twitter. I have a serious WP addiction 🙂
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Me, too. I was just thinking the other day that it was worse than FB and Twitter combined. Especially because people are talking about my favorite thing!
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Wonderful! How very exciting…I loved your last post on editing, such a good (and brave) idea to get it sent away to an editor and then to have the confidence to see that they may have a point. These events now are very exciting developments, really look forward to hearing what happens next! X
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Thank you! I just hope something good comes of it all. If nothing else, I’m pretty certain I’ll end with a better book to self-publish 🙂
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Oh wow!!! This is fantastic news!! Congratulations!!!!! You must be over the moon 😀 Well done!!!!!!
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Thank you! It’s just exciting to have some positive progress. Even if the agent turns out not to be interested in representing me, it’ll have been nice to have anything other than rejections! 🙂
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You’re welcome! I’m sure! And it’s a step in the right direction- like you said- and good luck, I hope it works out for the best! 🙂
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Well done, that’s wonderful news. From someone who had hoped to complete an edit in two weeks, my biggest advice is switch off the wifi completely! I wish I had.
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Thank you!
That’s good advice. I think what I’ll do every day at my parents’ is get myself and my son ready and then shut myself away in a room without the internet until lunch and then after lunch for the rest of the afternoon. I’ll definitely get most of the major changes done that way. I don’t mind doing the small things in the evenings when my brain’s tired, but I need to be “with it” for the big changes.
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This is fantastic news, Claire! I’m thrilled for you and sending lots of good vibes your way to help with revisions. Woohoo! 🙂
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Thank you! I will need the vibes… and probably a lot of chocolate! 🙂
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*throws confetti* Congratulations Claire!!! So excited for you :D!
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Thank you! 🙂
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IM SO HAPPY FOR YOU!! That is awesome, congratulations!
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Thank you! It’s all very exciting. Fingers crossed this is the beginning of more good news 🙂
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AHHH, that is so exciting! Congratulations on all fronts!
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Thank you! Just have to do the work now. Haha “just” hahaha! 😉
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Congratulations and all the best! 🙂
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Thank you! 🙂
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That is absolutely fantastic news. Congratulations Claire, and best of luck with the agent and the RNA scheme.
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Thank you! Now I just need the chance to get the edits done! 🙂
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What amazing news Claire! Best of luck with these new opportunities! I hope they all work out for you 🙂 Honestly, just congratulations! The best part of this success is that it is the direct result of your perseverance! It’s truly deserved!
Take the time you need and focus on your writing! It’s a definite priority 🙂
Congratulations again 😀
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Thank you so much! I don’t know if these developments will ultimately lead to publication, but it’s just so nice to have some positive changes rather than silence or a big pile of “no” from agents! 🙂
Thank you!
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Congratulations Claire, such wonderful news 🙂 Hx
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Thank you! Just need to do the work now and hopefully I’ll have more good news in a few months 🙂
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Looking forward to hearing all about it! 🙂
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Great news! Congratulations and best of luck 🙂
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Thank you! 🙂
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That’s fantastic news!! Well done, Claire, and congratulations!! So proud of you 😀
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Thank you! It may all come to nothing in the short term but at least I should end up with a better book (fingers crossed!) 🙂
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Bit late to the party but congrats so much! Hope even more good news comes you way! Well done:)
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Sorry, that was meant to be ‘your.’ Doh!
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Thank you very much! I’m currently sitting next to another print out of my MS and ready to finally start those edits… Just checking WP and social media before turning the Wifi off! 🙂
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Fabulous news! Congrats 🙂
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Thank you! All the editing done (for now) and sent off. So back to waiting and trying not to check my inbox every 5 minutes! 🙂
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Wonderful news! Jane, http://www.theblurbspot.com
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Thank you! Hopefully I’ll have more good news to report soon 🙂
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Looking forward to reading from you soon 🙂
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