Hey, remember how I won a contest and submitted Twenty-Somewhere to a major publisher for their consideration?
Yeah, it’s okay if you don’t; it’s been a while. 90 days, in fact. And since that’s considered an acceptable waiting period before follow-up (according to publishing industry norms), I went ahead and emailed the editorial assistant today to check on the status of my manuscript. Not ten minutes later, I got a response. A pretty good response, I think.
(!!!!!)
(PS: that’s me freaking out.)
Basically they love the title, the characters, and the concept. However, they’re not as fond of the episodic format, and they’d like the ms to have a little more… punch. They want to know if I would be willing to revise. (OF COURSE I WOULD!) If so, they would like me to submit my revision ideas to discuss.
Friends, this is yet another “maybe” in the chain, and “maybe” is far, far sweeter than a “no.”
As a result of this exciting news, I will be spending the foreseeable future working out some new possibilities for Twenty-Somewhere. (Sorry, WIP, but you’re officially on hold. Hopefully just for a couple weeks? But hey, distance makes the heart grow fonder, right?) I’m also making another search for an agent, because holy cow I could really use that guidance and insight right now.
In the meantime, I’ve been relying on the advice of friends and family, and I’d like to take a moment to especially thank Therese Walsh (co-founder of Writer Unboxed) who has been SO gracious and helpful today, emailing me lots of support and advice. She’s a sweetheart and a fabulous writer, and I hope to be like her in both those ways. I can’t wait to be able to “pay it forward.” Thanks, Therese!
And thanks to all of y’all. Seriously, Twenty-Somewhere wouldn’t be anywhere without you. {group hug!}
24 responses to “"Maybe" never sounded so good”
congrats, maybe! =p let me know if you want me to look at it or anything. I’m not so sure I would be good at “punch” or knowing what makes something more marketable, but maybe I could be of help..
Congratulations!!! I’m so happy for you!
.-= • Recent post by T.S. Bazelli: Endings: Saying Goodbye to Old Friends =-.
Congratulations!
Gratz! Keep us updated! If you need any extra feedback, let me know!
.-= • Recent post by Jill Wheeler: WHAT I SAW AND HOW I LIED =-.
Congratulations! I hope you hear more good news.
Speaking of 20-somewhere, is it possible to read the last episodes if one doesn’t have a kindle? Can I just download them and read them on the computer?
Congrats!! That is so exciting. I wish you much luck with Twenty-Somewhere.
Go, Kristan, go!!! ;)
That’s a HUGE maybe! How awesome…I’m so excited for you! Let me know if you need any help or advice from me also. My best advice to you with edits is to take your time. You’ll feel like you want to find out the answers right away, but work on the writing, step away and come back to it. I revised for agents starting in June and did not send in my rewrites until the end of October. It was hard not to want to rush the process, but slowing down can only make the piece better. Yay! I’m so excited for you…let me know if you need help, have questions or want to vent (the process will do that to you!).
.-= • Recent post by Rachele Alpine: 13 Reasons Why =-.
Aurora-
I’m not sure I’m going to be good at “punch” either. :P
T.S., Trisha, Jill, and Kimberly-
Thanks, girls!!
Adam-
Well, the Kindle is now available as a free program for PCs and Macs, and the last few episodes are available here ( http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003EV5R8M ) and here ( http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003EV5QUQ ).
Rachele-
Thanks! And that’s really good advice. I definitely do feel this desire to hurry up and give them something, but they were great about telling me to take my time too. Right now I think I only have to give them revision possibilities, and then if/when we agree on a direction to take the ms, I would start the actual overhaul. At least, that’s my understanding right now… Thanks so much for offering yourself as a resource! I’ll do my best not to overwhelm you with questions. ;D
WOOHOO that is awesome!!!!
You know Mengfei and I are super excited. AHAHAHHAHAHA!!!
Fingers crossed on “the punch”
.-= • Recent post by Angie: Recalibrating =-.
Great news! Congratulations!
.-= • Recent post by Todd Newton: The Earth is trying to kill me… (reposted from 2008) =-.
How awesome! I admit [hangs head in shame] that I haven’t read, er, any of Twenty-Somewhere, but so much the better for when I read it in its new incarnation in book form!
Way to go!
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Angela, Angie, and Todd-
Thanks, y’all!
Sonja-
Haha, no worries. I’m not sure whether or not it’s up your alley… It’s kind of chick lit ish right now, although in revisions it might go less that way. Think of Friends (which I know you love ;P) vs. Sex and the City. (Yes, for some reason TV show analogies come easiest.) However, parents will likely play a role in my story. I don’t really understand why parents always disappear in fiction…
Congratulations! I see big things for Twenty-Somewhere. And they’re right–the title is awesome.
.-= • Recent post by Jon: Lessons Learned: Hollywood Style =-.
Woohoo congratulations!
.-= • Recent post by Les: Photographic Evidence =-.
Jon-
From your fingers to God’s inbox! Or at least the publishing gods. ;D
Les-
Thanks, girl!
I’m super freaking out excited for you too. I’m not even jealous, which is so unlike me. :) Those editors better be smart and take you on. And…hello agents? aren’t you lurking somewhere out there?
.-= • Recent post by Sarah: Pitching a Fit =-.
Ah, I’m asking myself that same question… :P (In reality I’m lurking myself over to them… Can you “lurk something over”? Well I am!)
You are so sweet, Kristan. Thanks for the shout-out. I still have fingers and toes crossed for you!
Sweet! I had this dream that you had written 3 episodes of “Sex and the City” (even though it’s canceled, in the dream it was still on) and I was all amazed :)
Therese-
Thanks! No matter what happens, I really appreciate you. :)
Aisha-
Dood, that would be sweet! Hey, maybe I can work on movie #3? Hahaha.
Wow, Kristan! That’s exciting news and I’ve got my fingers crossed for you!
Kristan – congratulations! What do you have to give them, a revised ms or just the plan for how you want to revise it? Two weeks sounds doable for a plan but not for an entire revision (well, at least not in my reality). FINGERS CROSSED!
Thanks, Anne!
Meghan-
At this point, my understanding is that I just have to give them plans/ideas. Then, if they like one of my plans/ideas, we would move forward together.