I’ve been gathering information on literary agents, following their social media, reading blogs and interviews, and making lists of which ones would be a good fit for me. I’ve been gathering together my other novels, going through them, and preparing myself to talk about them if an agent were to ask about my other book ideas.
And then there’s the waiting. I’m waiting for editorial
notes from an agent I did a workshop with. They could show up in my inbox
anytime between now and the end of December, and I’ve checked my inbox for what
seems like a million times.
In this strange place of gathering and waiting, how does one
just sit and wait? I’ve been trying to use my time well. November is National Novel Writing Month (nanowrimo), so I’ve started a completely new project. I’m also helping with a youth writing club, which is an absolute blast. Those things have been great distractions, but these words from Joanna Gaines from the latest issue of The Magnolia Journal have really helped me to settle down and take in the journey of waiting.
She says, “It (anticipation) makes us wait. It can serve as
a bridge between where we stand today and what lies ahead. Our attitude on that
journey is surely as important as wherever it is that we’re going. What we make
of this time in between, whether it’s two years, two days, or two hours, is
every bit as worthy of our attention as the outcome itself… Whatever it is you
might be anticipating in this season, here’s to savoring the waiting as much as
the outcome.”
