I revised my first manuscript, an African American novel I call Greener Grass, and resubmitted to the publishing house which accepted my query without an agent. It had taken me a full year to write the first 50,000 word version in my spare time. I’d had my mother, best friend, and a couple other friends read it with good feedback before I submitted it to the publisher. Their response a few months later…the story was good, but way too short.
Bummed out by this response, I did not look at the book again, or any other form of creative writing, for an entire year. When I realized that I could, with some creativity and effort, easily extend the story, I picked it back up and worked on it little by little for 2 years in my spare (a.k.a. rare) time, finished with a 80,000 word, 300+ page manuscript.
Then I spent a good few months editing this second version before I resubmitted it at last to the publisher. Feeling pretty worried that their response to me would be, “Boy do you write slow! No one will ever publish your work!” as I did so.
This site was designed by
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
There is a definite love of writing for anyone who can pen and edit their very own novel.
Especially in spare time.
Impressive.