Instant Gratification

No, I'm not talking sex. Not today, anyway.

At my critique group last night we talked briefly about being impatient and wanting instant gratification. One would think since I had to work for things, and actually had to wait for Christmas/birthday for that one special at-the-time-desired item, that I would have learned patience and the value of waiting for something. Right... No, I grew up, got a job with my own money and was able to start buying what I wanted, when I wanted. Instant gratification.

Why am I babbling about this? Well, after the meeting last night I pondered all the way home this need for IG. Why in heaven's name did I become a writer if I want/need/demand IG? For the torture? Sadistic tendencies? Who the heck knows. If you figure it out let me know, okay?

Honestly, it's not like we can blink and have a finished story in our hands over night. Writing a full length takes months, or even years depending on how diligently we work on them. And after the writing is done, there is the editing process. Yeah, there's another over night process. Snort! Then we've got to write the dreaded synopsis and query letter, and the submissions! Oh, Lord, the submissions! We suck up the courage to put our babies out there for an editor or agent, and (GASP!) have to wait WEEKS for a response. How dare they not take one peep at our query and not know instantly that it is the next big seller. Again, SNORT! (insert sarcasm here!)

Recently I found there are some houses who will not respond at all if they aren't interested. And I completely understand this practice and wish I could use it. But, here is the problem. What if the submitting author is a complete neurotic (raising hand and waving). That author may take the abject silence and think 'what if they didn't actually received that manuscript' not, 'oh, they must be rejecting the story.' And then they submit the same story again. This could go on and on and on, with never a response. Does said author take the hint? Heck no, they pick up the phone and call the agency wanting to know if said manuscript was received, effectively severing their writing career before it even starts the engine.

And before you ask, while I confess to be neurotic, I'm not psychotic enough to repeatedly email the agent/editor the same query over and over, nor am I career-suicidal enough to call the agency/house for status on the query.

My neurosis blooms more in the path of "I sent out my query. Oh, crap, it's been two days. They must hate the story. And I'm rejected." Then I look at the email submission and realize I have a misplaced comma in the GREETING of said query. GAAAH!!! Farewell, writing career, I shall miss thee...

Hey, I admit I'm neurotic... I just didn't tell you I was insane as well. But then, if I didn't have a touch of insanity, how could I ever hope to survive the world of writing?