Near Finished Blues

I wasn't able to write much since Thanksgiving. It seems no matter what I did something else clouded my concentration. Part of it is the Near Finished Blues. I started May and finished the full book in August. I agree with Stephen King's concept, "You need 4 or 5 good rewrites to get the book ready for an editor." Of course this is a paraphrase. I have read Kristin Nelson's Web site about authors and agents. She says, "Be Prepared" the Boy Scout motto before contacting an agent. I have 3 of 27 chapters complete for release. My birthday is the end of the month and my goal is to have the book finished with no additional rewrites necessary. I have a list of patients, friends and extended family that are dieing to get to read it. Since I posted the first 10 pages on my web site I have had lots of positive feed back. A special "thanks" to Jenn for her design work on a limited budget. I think the "blues" are a real concern that every step leading up to this was a work in progress and "not ready" for release. I think as you finish you also run out of reasons not to send the dreaded query letters and get antsy about the agent game. Someone commented figure 10 to 15 rejections as a normal. We send, they read, they evaluate and decide. What is you have researched a specific agent? What if you have read and reread agent advice, columes and bought books on getting published? With these questions firm in my head I have decided that being prepared is the best policy. It has cost me dearly in time of rewrite and research. But, with that said, I have a much better written book now than before. (imagine that) I think part of the fear is to have written 500 pages of something that no one cares to read! Ha Ha Ha---just another obstacle for writers. I should be able to clear some chapters with my writing club. I am new to it but do enjoy their posts and honesty. I am looking forward to resuming that after the holiday delays and some weather issues. To help my blues---I embedded a little Muse, Super massive black hole. I jokingly tell my friends it is my new theme song. Strong powerful and full of courage. At least enough to get through this last phase of writing on this project! As the end nears it is clear the challange is extensive. One of my favorite quotes is from, if you can believe it, the cartoon version of Robin Hood. I don't know if it's in the book. "Faint hearts never won fair ladies." Sorry for the male slant on it. But really, if you never aim high...how can you ever achive high? True, luck is probably the best friend for success in a given instant. But for us not so lucky...perhaps hard work, preparation and a little faith will be enough!!!