In March I submitted the first 10 pages of my book to a real-life, bonafide editor! There was nothing to do but wait for the first pro feedback I’d ever receive. Talk about the jitters.
As it so happened, Persona 5 came out just around that time, so getting lost in the stylish streets of Shibuya has been my happy distraction for the past month.
This weekend I finally received my book chapter critique! Now I’m trying to let it settle in. It was largely positive, which I wasn’t expecting. However, the editor did recommend some changes that are currently putting me through mental gymnastics because of the butterfly effect it could have on my book as a whole.
This kind of encouragement is harder for me than if she had hated it, as it means I still have a lot of work to do. I don’t expect many who are not writers to understand that. You have to take a stab at writing a book before Confirmation that I owe it to my story to put that time in is both dreadful and lovely. It means it has a chance at success.
Meanwhile, the voices in my head have returned.
“Tell my story next! Me! Me!”
I need to mull things over for a while.
Note: This critique was an amazing sign-up opportunity through SCBWI, which I highly recommend joining if you are in the business of writing for children.
Marirose Sanborn-Smith, Author 