Evolution of a novel = Pregnancy + Childhood? {Humor me}

On June 1, 2011 by Aimee
Present box

What's in the box?

It IS a happy hump day today, and I don’t mean go out and have sex! I mean it’s Wednesday and for all intents and purposes, should be a rather normal middle of the week. But for me? It’s way more!

If anyone were to ask my husband, he would say I’m rather high maintenance. Okay, maybe not high … but, you know … I am a girl and all. ::wink:: Now before you tell me that I’m being sexist to all women out there, let me ask you this:

How many men would get all giddy and excited over a book trailer?

See? Me. Woman. Girl. Writer. This little ‘present’ that I opened today, the final product in a months-long endeavor that has barely begun is just beyond cool.

Yes, I knew it was coming and had a hand in the selection of images. I’ve seen three or four ‘drafts’ of it, just like I’ve had three or four edit passes on my novel.

It’s not about all that. It’s about the day it’s called ‘done’ and I can share it. That’s the day I get to open my present and look inside that box and find [INSERT PRODUCT HERE]. For me, the next time I open that early-Christmas present box will be when my novel is in my hand. Yes! We’re only one month away from the big reveal!

If you have no idea what this feels like, let’s consider an analogy: pregnancy and childhood. Now, guys, you’ll just have to imagine these feelings, even though we women do know you’re a part of it with us.

Baby related activity

Novel activity

Notes
Sex Idea Some might consider both equally fun. 😉
First trimester First 25,000 words Both bring with them extreme excitement, newness and intense desire to press on, no matter how sick it made you or how much you drank thinking you did, in fact, have the next big idea.
Second trimester Next 25,000 words This is awesome! The [story is flowing]/[baby is growing]. I love being [a writer]/[pregnant]. I can’t wait to [write another book]/[have another one of these].
Third trimester The middle of the book It’s never gonna end! Why won’t this [story come to me]/[baby get out of me]. I don’t have anymore [ideas]/[willpower]. Someone please tell me why I ever agreed to have sex in the first place? <-- this one applies to the writing side, too
Delivery The End You’ve trudged through the entire 9 month process and are finally ready to see the end result as a finished product. You’ve sweat, bled (yes, even writers), swore (probably more on the writer side of the equation) and vowed never to ever, ever, ever do this stupid exercise again.
Infancy The first pass of editing You love your [baby]/[novel] more than life itself now that you’ve figured out how to get that sucker out of your [body]/[head]. 😉
The Terrible Twos Editing (any other pass than the first one) through finding an agent or publisher Enough said.
Elementary Age Contracted It’s glorious. Everyone loves you. You love everyone. That baby you had still loves you. Your novel is still your own.
The Teen Years Everything after the contract You thought everyone loved you. You thought you loved everyone. Sure, you act like it, but sometimes, on the inside you just want to yell “But, Why?” and “You just don’t understand!” because in reality, you are the kid now. At the same time, you know that you know more than them … they just haven’t seen our genius, yet.
The Senior Year Pre-publication Excitement. Loads of mini ‘presents’ and preparation for the big day. Party planning, the release and rush and readiness for an ’empty house’ or the release of the book into the hands of people other than yourself.
18 Release I’ll tell you how this feels in another month! (and another 4 years for the first real kid)

And since I’m in that ‘Senior Year’ phase, here is one of my latest presents. My book trailer!!

What can you equate with birth and child rearing? Share!

Category :
Aimee, Little White Lies, My Books, Thoughts
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