What's next for Lise
In news of submitting G&F...
- Sent email query, full MS, and synopsis to an agent of a friend at the intercession of said friend. It is kind of nice to jump in line like this, but it also means I have to wait longer for a reply. Friendly!Agent got back to me same day and told me so himself--that he would need a chunk of time to read. Seems like a genuinely good guy. Would love to have him as my agent, but it may not work out.
- Sent an email query to Lucienne Diver at the Knight Agency, after much deliberation. Sources varied on whether or not she was taking on new clients. At the least, she is incredibly selective. Buuuut she also reps Nora Jemisin, who I greatly admire, and I think there are aspects in which our work is comparable (non-Western epic fantasy, protags of color, gods made flesh, etc). In any case, the query goes into a common submissions mailbox, so I'm hoping my query is intriguing enough that it would get forwarded to a more appropriate agent if necessary, even if it is addressed to Diver. (ETA: already got a rejection. form, too).
Every time I get ready to send a query--and for about an hour afterwards--I'm just a mess of anxiety. Suddenly my decision to write anything, ever, is in question, and I want to crawl back into a hole and forget about ever putting something so personal out in the world.
But I'm still doing it. Who the hell knows why?
In actual new writing...
I'm not sure what project I want to work on next. My too-delicate nerves can't handle editing and submitting something else right now, so I'd prefer to put down new words.
Lioness seems the most likely project, but... I am realizing there are some fatal flaws in the first chapters. This is very much a relationship-driven novel, and I'm not convinced I've quite made those relationships work. Especially the Yfre/Bizel relationship.
I could backfill, but my immediate urge is to rewrite from page one. This is always a danger, but it feels right. What I'm excited about writing right now are scenes that I never wrote the first time through.
... it's weird. I want to write about the seductive dance of Yfre and Bizel, but... I keep failing at actually doing it right. Or at all, in some cases.
I don't think the stuff I've written on Lioness already is bad, per se. I just don't think it's the right stuff. I think I can mine what I have, but I also think I'd do well starting on a new page.
Things that have nothing to do with writing:
- TESO 5-day early access started on Sunday. I now have a level 6 or 7 Dunmer Templar named Falanu Dren, Ebonheart Pact-side. You can still join me! The official release date is April 4th, although if you preorder now, I think you can jump in on the early access. My username is lisefrac, if you want to look me up.
- Also on Sunday, I went to see Eddie From Ohio at the Wilbur with cristovau and bess. It was lovely--we were right near the stage! My only complaint was the incredibly uncomfortable chairs at the little cocktail tables. They played a lot of Robbie's new stuff, as well as stuff from Jake, their new member. This, sadly, meant that there was less stuff I was familiar with.
- I have writing group this week. Still need to read the pieces that were submitted.
- I have all but one of the apps for Midsummer Mischief, so we should be able to cast soon.
- My dad is visiting this weekend. FOR MAH BIRFDAY.
- Sent email query, full MS, and synopsis to an agent of a friend at the intercession of said friend. It is kind of nice to jump in line like this, but it also means I have to wait longer for a reply. Friendly!Agent got back to me same day and told me so himself--that he would need a chunk of time to read. Seems like a genuinely good guy. Would love to have him as my agent, but it may not work out.
- Sent an email query to Lucienne Diver at the Knight Agency, after much deliberation. Sources varied on whether or not she was taking on new clients. At the least, she is incredibly selective. Buuuut she also reps Nora Jemisin, who I greatly admire, and I think there are aspects in which our work is comparable (non-Western epic fantasy, protags of color, gods made flesh, etc). In any case, the query goes into a common submissions mailbox, so I'm hoping my query is intriguing enough that it would get forwarded to a more appropriate agent if necessary, even if it is addressed to Diver. (ETA: already got a rejection. form, too).
Every time I get ready to send a query--and for about an hour afterwards--I'm just a mess of anxiety. Suddenly my decision to write anything, ever, is in question, and I want to crawl back into a hole and forget about ever putting something so personal out in the world.
But I'm still doing it. Who the hell knows why?
In actual new writing...
I'm not sure what project I want to work on next. My too-delicate nerves can't handle editing and submitting something else right now, so I'd prefer to put down new words.
Lioness seems the most likely project, but... I am realizing there are some fatal flaws in the first chapters. This is very much a relationship-driven novel, and I'm not convinced I've quite made those relationships work. Especially the Yfre/Bizel relationship.
I could backfill, but my immediate urge is to rewrite from page one. This is always a danger, but it feels right. What I'm excited about writing right now are scenes that I never wrote the first time through.
... it's weird. I want to write about the seductive dance of Yfre and Bizel, but... I keep failing at actually doing it right. Or at all, in some cases.
I don't think the stuff I've written on Lioness already is bad, per se. I just don't think it's the right stuff. I think I can mine what I have, but I also think I'd do well starting on a new page.
Things that have nothing to do with writing:
- TESO 5-day early access started on Sunday. I now have a level 6 or 7 Dunmer Templar named Falanu Dren, Ebonheart Pact-side. You can still join me! The official release date is April 4th, although if you preorder now, I think you can jump in on the early access. My username is lisefrac, if you want to look me up.
- Also on Sunday, I went to see Eddie From Ohio at the Wilbur with cristovau and bess. It was lovely--we were right near the stage! My only complaint was the incredibly uncomfortable chairs at the little cocktail tables. They played a lot of Robbie's new stuff, as well as stuff from Jake, their new member. This, sadly, meant that there was less stuff I was familiar with.
- I have writing group this week. Still need to read the pieces that were submitted.
- I have all but one of the apps for Midsummer Mischief, so we should be able to cast soon.
- My dad is visiting this weekend. FOR MAH BIRFDAY.