For my entire life, people have told me to be patient.  Now, I tell my daughters to be patient, to wait their turns, to try not to interrupt.  But I sympathize with them because when you have something to contribute, you want to contribute it right now, before you forget or the moment passes or someone else says what you were going to say.  While we view interrupting as inconsiderate, interrupting is also a sign of excitement and engagement in the conversation.  That’s what I tell myself anyway, when my mouth runs away, and I interject yet again. I don’t mean to be rude; I’m showing you how interesting you are!  Or maybe I am just impatient.

It’s been over six weeks since I submitted my first manuscript to a publisher seeking unagented submissions, and waiting for a response is almost unbearable.  I know that six weeks is not a long time in the publishing world but it feels like a year.  It’s embarrassing how many times I have checked and re-checked that I actually emailed my submission to the correct address.  Or how many times I have checked the publisher’s twitter feed for some indication of how many manuscripts they received and that they are, in fact, reviewing them. I’m desperate to know whether there is any chance that this will work for me and that I can make a living doing what I want to do.  As I wait, I read more about the publishing world and particularly appreciate Susan Dennard’s site, which contains a wealth of information (including what to do when you are waiting): http://susandennard.com/writing-resources/

In the meantime, I will remind myself to be patient (and try not to interrupt)!