Procrastinating
The Sir Gawain project is long since done and mailed off, but I'm still finding occasion to procrastinate on it. My advisor wrote to me once she got my project in the mail and had the chance to write back. She apologized for the delay in her response (which I did not fault her for at all), but my delay is even greater--three weeks! I am a terrible person. Tonight I'm forcing myself to write her back, but I am still here procrastinating as long as possible. At least I'm getting other stuff done while procrastinating. Oh, and the main reason I hesitate to write her back is because she inquired as to whether I've found an agent for Sir Gawain yet and, um, the answer is I've procrastinated and not done it yet. I have a list of likely prospects, but no query letter. The fact is that I'm not very hopeful, but I'm determined to do it anyway--what an agonizing limbo. Come to think of it, I'm in that limbo in a couple of different respects.
Here is some good news to add to this grumbling entry: I have done some more work on my NaNoWriMo 2007 manuscript. My changes definitely show superior storytelling ability; I can tell. I cut out so many redundancies and put in some really good stuff that's much more of a hook than what I had before. And, for some more good news, Patrick read my first 3 pages and actually liked them! He gave me encouragement but also a thoughtful, detailed critique. It was exactly the kind of critique I've always wanted, picking out small details and grammatical issues but also noticing sweeping themes and characterizations. For example, he questioned my use of verbs other than "said" in dialogue attribution, but he also commented that he liked the relationship between the main character and her brother. YESSS!
Yesterday I spent the afternoon and evening with Patrick and his brother Andrew, who live in Arlington. We planned a meal, went shopping for it, and cooked dinner. Andrew showed me how to make mustard chicken, which was delicious. My baked rice pudding was a little too dry, and poor Patrick made some corn bread that didn't turn out that well. I hope that we can try corn bread again another time with a different recipe. It's definitely the recipe's fault it didn't turn out. Altogether I couldn't have asked for a better evening. I'm so thankful for Patrick and Andrew's supportive and positive presence in my life. My friendship with both of them has grown much greater since high school, which is so cool.
Well, I'd better write to Peggy before the clock runs out and it's no longer officially Monday. Sometimes I need these little artificial deadlines in order to make myself do anything.
Here is some good news to add to this grumbling entry: I have done some more work on my NaNoWriMo 2007 manuscript. My changes definitely show superior storytelling ability; I can tell. I cut out so many redundancies and put in some really good stuff that's much more of a hook than what I had before. And, for some more good news, Patrick read my first 3 pages and actually liked them! He gave me encouragement but also a thoughtful, detailed critique. It was exactly the kind of critique I've always wanted, picking out small details and grammatical issues but also noticing sweeping themes and characterizations. For example, he questioned my use of verbs other than "said" in dialogue attribution, but he also commented that he liked the relationship between the main character and her brother. YESSS!
Yesterday I spent the afternoon and evening with Patrick and his brother Andrew, who live in Arlington. We planned a meal, went shopping for it, and cooked dinner. Andrew showed me how to make mustard chicken, which was delicious. My baked rice pudding was a little too dry, and poor Patrick made some corn bread that didn't turn out that well. I hope that we can try corn bread again another time with a different recipe. It's definitely the recipe's fault it didn't turn out. Altogether I couldn't have asked for a better evening. I'm so thankful for Patrick and Andrew's supportive and positive presence in my life. My friendship with both of them has grown much greater since high school, which is so cool.
Well, I'd better write to Peggy before the clock runs out and it's no longer officially Monday. Sometimes I need these little artificial deadlines in order to make myself do anything.