Adjusting Expectations (Womp, womp)

Recently, Husband Hill had a sit-down with me. "Emily," he said, "You will be less stressed in the long run if you accept that, realistically, this manuscript won't be ready until probably the spring."

Um, several things.

1) Since when was Husband Hill so chill and laid back?

2) Surely it was not almost a year ago that I had originally planned on having a complete manuscript?

3) Noooooooooo!

4) Noooooooooooooooooooo!!

Notice that, even in my darkest hour, I am still a disciplined writer and refrain from overusing exclamation points.

Husband Hill is always right, though. I learned that senior year of high school. I have been editing the first draft since April, and I am a little over halfway through the manuscript. Once I have gotten through the manuscript, more attention will have to be paid to the first pages and chapters (the lines most agents will flip through, if that). And then there's the word count (shaved off another 10,000, suckahs!) -- if it is not low enough by the time I am through with this round of edits, I'll have to take another look at the fattest sections. 

Biggest fear, 9/16/15 -- Julie Gwinn (the LOVELY Christian literary agent who liked my pitch back in February) was my only shot at getting published, and since it has been eons since she requested a full manuscript, the door has closed and she will sneer at my manuscript when it finally arrives. "Poo, poo!" she will say, "You dare send me thees excuse for a manuscript a year after we speak? Do you think I have notheeng better to do?" She has a French accent in this scenario.

Biggest comfort, 9/16/15 -- In a wonderful book I'm reading called CHRISTIAN SELF-MASTERY by B.W. Maturin, I was reminded that the success or failure of my endeavors should be judged not according to whether I obtain an earthly goal, but whether my character was improved in the process. I am determined that the process of trying to become an author will improve me as a person and as a Christian.

TTFN,

Emily