Today I am waiting. Waiting for news on my latest manuscript submission.
And it occurs to me that much of what we do as writers involves waiting. So here are some things you can do while you wait for responses from queries, or feedback from your critique group or the best waiting of all, your release date.
1. Eat chocolate. (I highly recommend the coconut chocolate bars from Whole Foods.)
2. Read a favorite book again. (My latest obsession is Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson.)
3. Spend some time outside. (Try a jog around your neighborhood or a walk through the park. I like to walk on the beach–it’s the best thing about living in Southern California.)
4. Reach out to family and friends. (When you are trying to finish a manuscript, you have to commit time to writing and sometimes friendships are neglected. So pick up the phone, or, better yet, get together.)
5. Write something new. (Of course this is the most important thing you can do for your career. You always need to be working on something, even if it is just an idea. Research or outline a plot, sketch out character portraits or just doodle names on a piece of paper, but keep your creative mind open and free. You never know what brilliance may come to you!)
D.L.
