Book Gone to Print – Mind Going to Pot!
(Hugging Páidi - Back to Downslope)Sure, sure I am as excited as can be at the book about to be published but how come my mind feels as if it’s about to go to pot and maybe even pop at the same time…?
A part of me wants to scarper with the book, tuck it under my oxter (nearly said oyster there!) and show it to no one…another part wants to go buy all of them and hand them out willy-nilly on the street. Nutcase, yes! Going to pot, looks like it …
What am I afraid of? Being judged, I suppose… I’m sure it’s power for the course, this feeling of ‘will people like it or not’, by people, I mean friends both blogging and non-blogging…I haven’t got the length of thinking if anyone official- minded will like it or not….that is a whole other day’s worry! I mean …at times I read it and think ‘whoopee, you clever thing, what a way to go’, at other times I read it and think ‘oh heck, why did I think that was a good idea’….I suppose this comes with being a first-timer, I reckon I’ll need to toughen up though… when things fall flat, I cannot afford to take it too much to heart…wish I could be a full-of-myself type of person at times…..no wonder some literary types develop egos, it's all a big fat pretense if you ask me! ; )
At least, the plus side of reading a lot into everything is that it keeps me on my toes and ….and talking of toe-keeping, I am writing a poem a day at the moment with some poet friends and the nearer the book gets to coming into existence, the faster I’m writing….maybe it’s a sort of starting afresh thing or a sort of nulling out of all those poems in the book already. Freud and field day spring to mind. I’ll fasten my seat belt just in case....
Would love to hear any anecdotes/stories/experiences on how it was for you, on the threshold of a book coming out...I can't be the only one who is between two extremes of emotion...¿?:)
posted by Liz at 9:04 AM
8 Comments:
It is a weird experience, but when you get it to hold in your hand, you will feel very proud. I felt almost as though they didn't belong to me anymore - like children who'd grown up and fledged :)
Does this mean we will have it in our sweaty little hands soon? There's not one iota of doubt for me about this book ,I know it's going to be one of my all time favourites and I'm really looking forward to it.For most people getting a book of poetry published is a major achievement but for you Liz it is a perfectly natural progression.It's great that you already seem to be working towards the next one , all these goings on must provide inspiration and a joie de vivre for writing.I won't wish you luck you really don't need it.Enjoy yourself and your book, I know we will :)
Perhaps you will cry? Whatever emotion you have, I am certain the books will be wonderful.
I feel like that every time - it's nothing to worry about. I especially feel it with poetry which, for me, tends to be personal. At least with the fiction, I've made it up!
Like Babs said, you will be proud of the book and it's a great achievement.
When do you hope to have a copy? Mine's due out in Sep and I don't know if I'll see it before that.
N x
Can't wait to read it!
Barbara, yes, weird, it is... must be empty nest syndrome then! ; )
TFE, can I interest you in a wee summer stunt as chief pick-me-upper? ; ) ...I wanna keep your very kind words ringing in my ears...cheers, : )
Nuala, thanks...yeah, it's the personal bit as well...even though my poems are well into the far-fetched, made-up category too! ; ) I hope to have the book mid-July-ish ...but not certain.
cheers, Collin!
Because you asked . . .
Two nonfiction books published, so nothing so magical as a book of poetry.
I felt much the same as when a magazine article was published. I had worked the damn thing over so many times and dealt with so many editor queries, I was pretty tired of it all. Sounds so jaded, and I'm really not the jaded or cynical type. I was just ready to move on.
I did find myself reading certain passages over and over, feeling mighty find about them. And when something made me queasy, I did my best to ignore it.
But then the promotion part started. Oy. My least favorite part. But you're accustomed to giving voice to the beauty of your words. I hope you relish that.
May you bask in the delight of the people who love your creations. May you feel your connectedness. May you remember that it's impossible to make everyone happy, that no matter what you do, some percentage of people won't like it. May feel compassion for their loss.
(I have a novel in the works -- and if it ever gets finished and if ever gets published, I'll be completely giddy, at least I hope I will.)
Ha . . . funny . . . word verification is "blessem"
Hi Kathleen,
Welcome and very nice to meet you, bloggingly speaking. : )
Thanks very much for sharing your experience...very interesting...much enjoyed your post. Thanks!
Post a Comment
<< Home