Last week, I finished polishing the YA manuscript (book #2 for those of you playing along at home) and rewrote the first chapter of book #1, then I sent out three contest entries and 11 queries. Book #3 now stands at 30,000 words--I'll beat my last year's NaNo word count. Go me.
My foot is still a mess, paying work isn't materializing, and today I got my first rejection back from the batch I sent out. But, it still feels like I'm on the verge of . . . something. Not sure what yet but something. As soon as I got the rejection letter (form, bad photocopy), I turned around and dashed off another five queries. I think it was Eli who told me to send another five queries for each rejection letter. So, I have focus. And a plan. And I'm making progress.
This is the hurdle I struggled with for so long--the gumption to risk the rejection letters, to keep writing, to keep sending it out, and now it seems more manageable. I've broken the big goal into a series of more manageable goals--making even rejection--the big R--a step along the way.