One thing I wish I had known about the publishing process before I started was how much waiting is involved. I’m sure if I would have thought about it, I would have gone, “Of course there is going to be waiting with multiple people and elements involved.” But this was not a thought that occurred to me because before one submits—or at least before I submit—a query or something for publication, most thoughts are focused on, “Is this good? Is anyone but me going to like this? Should I have held onto it for another year or five and worked on it more?”
The reason I wish I had known about the waiting is because I am terrible at it. Low-grade procrastination—expert. But waiting . . . Especially if there is no definite timeline for the waiting to end, I hate it. Every time I find myself waiting, I think of Dr. Seuss’s book Oh, the Places You’ll Go! and the pages about the dreaded The Waiting Place. Dr. Seuss writes that The Waiting Place is
“…for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.
Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.”
I hate The Waiting Place. Unfortunately, at least 50% of the publishing process is being stuck in The Waiting Place—waiting for edits, waiting for cover design, waiting for proofreads, for final layout— Everything is just waiting.
And they are all good things—necessary things—to wait for, but waiting often leaves me with too much time to think, to question what I’ve written and how friends, family, and strangers will react to what I’ve written.
So what to do so the waiting doesn’t drive one crazy? Whether I have been waiting to hear back about a job, waiting the hear back after sending out queries, or waiting during this publishing process, these have been the things I’ve turned to:
- Reading—I always have a book that I’m reading, but the last nine months have given me the opportunity to read more since I haven’t felt the pressure to be writing or editing something. I’ve reread a few favorites and read many new books. I’ve restarted my Goodreads account, so you can check out what I’ve been reading there.
- Writing—It might seem odd to take a break from writing by writing, but since I couldn’t work on the project that has been my focus for so long, I had the chance to work on other projects: a new fantasy piece, editing a different American Revolution project, and—once I got my main edits back on Worthy of Trust—reworking the second and third novels in my That Word Honor trilogy.
- Coloring—I have always found coloring to be calming and a great way to relieve stress. Although there are plenty of ways to color digitally now, I still prefer actual paper and colored pencils.
- Spending more time with friends and family—Writing can be very insulating, very isolating, which can be a great escape, a great way to recharge. But waiting, and the cycle of thoughts that often come with waiting, is—at least for me—not healthy. More time with family and friends, sharing good conversation and laughter, has been even more important in these last months.
The Waiting Place is inescapable, and not just for writers. Finding a way to navigate and escape The Waiting Place is necessary for all of us.