This whole novel writing without novel selling thing has been a blast, but…

For those of you who may be new to my little corner of the Internet, let me catch you up before telling you how I plan to spend my summer rewriting pretty much everything I've ever written.

2008: I started writing my first novel.

2011: I finally finished what I thought was a decent draft of that novel and began querying literary agencies (far too soon, I might add).

2012: After several rejections and revisions, I had a solid version, attracted some attention and signed with an agency!

2013: As my agent shopped that novel around, I wrote a second one. First one got good feedback but no offers.

2014: Second novel entered the pitch realm along with first novel. Had similar fate. Meanwhile, I was invited to participate in Brent Hartinger’s Real Story Safe Sex Project. Wrote a short e-book prequel to the first novel, with safe sex themes and sexual situations. Made it available for free download. Got decent reviews, which perhaps would’ve been better if the first novel were already available for immediate consumption. Oh well. Also, I wrote a third novel.

2015: Third novel entered submission realm along with the other two as I began stewing ideas for a fourth novel. Feedback on second novel remained quiet. Got closer than ever to an offer on first novel. Got really excited. Then got a pass. Started to really grind teeth over the traditional publishing process (and its glacial speed) and also over my apparent suckyness as a writer. (Maybe it’s because I use words like suckyness?)

That brings me to the present. The teeth grinding is over, because you can’t let it last too long. I mulled over the feedback on the first novel from the editor that liked it enough to move forward within the publishing house, and then reread the manuscript for the first time in a year. The feedback was totally on point. So I shelved plans for novel four and went back to square one. I just finished yet another revision (I think we're on like #93 now) of novel one, and truly think it’s in better shape than it’s ever been. It’s latest round of submissions commences now.

Meanwhile, book four will remain shelved for, potentially, the summer as I revisit first book three (because the story is a bit fresher for me) to whip it into stronger shape, then book two (which has also not been revisited in about a year).

"Writing is rewriting" is such an overused phrase, but overused phrases are overused for a reason. In this instance, it's because it's true. And so it goes.

And so must I go. Because I #amrewriting.