WIP is at the editor – what now?


I just sent off my WIP, The Italian Sister, to the editor. 

It’s a great feeling to have the manuscript I have been laboring over out of my hair for a while. After a sigh of relief, panic sets in. WHAT NOW? I feel oddly abandoned without my work. Besides, I’m totally stuck on the sequel I was planning to write. And I mean STUCK!

Okay, I know, lots of writers go through this. I do have a few options, I guess:

 

 

1) I forget about writing for a while and enjoy a piece of chocolate instead. But that only takes a few minutes and then what?

2) A cup of coffee? A few more minutes. And then what?

3) I go on vacation–wait, you need money for this… Hmm.

4) It’s cheaper to just go for a walk in my beautiful neighborhood:

Okay, done that. Now what?

5) Read, but I do this all the time anyway. And reading can also be an escape to keep from writing. 

Gee, this is getting difficult. I’m running out of options.

I guess there is only one option left:

6) BUCKLE DOWN AND WRITE ANYWAY. Sigh!

Unless, dear writer/reader, you can come up with a better idea. What do you do when you’re stuck?

Cheers!

4 Responses to “WIP is at the editor – what now?”

  1. Susan Deming Says:
    October 13th, 2014 at 11:09 pm

    What do I do when I'm stuck? I make a commitment to sit in my chair for at least an hour, even if all I do is stare at the wall! Eventually I get bored and I start something–I try not to worry if what I start isn't what I set out to do. You never know where creative work will lead. Sometimes the path is straight, sometime crooked, sometimes completely roundabout and sometimes a dead end . . . you never know! 🙂

  2. author Christa Polkinhorn Says:
    October 13th, 2014 at 11:24 pm

    Thanks, Susan, I think I'm going to try this!

  3. Darlene Says:
    October 21st, 2014 at 4:57 am

    Going for a walk often works for me or doing some housework. Sometimes I just say, "I'm stuck so I'll leave it for today." I'm usually ok the next day. Sometimes we have to just let it go. Good luck on the new book!

  4. author Christa Polkinhorn Says:
    October 21st, 2014 at 5:13 am

    Yes, Darlene, walks work for me too. And as you said, sometimes you just have to let it go for a while. Finishing a manuscript and sending it off to the editor is always somewhat of a shock. You send off your characters and feel slightly bereft without them.