The In-Between Times

Erica here. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends!

Here we are, on the Monday between Christmas and New Years. It’s a bit of a limbo time. The big rush of Christmas Day has passed, the gift giving, the caroling, the feasting is mostly done. And we’re days away from New Year’s.

But the kids are still home from school, there are still some family gatherings to navigate, and the need to start thinking about removing decorations begins in the back of your mind. You're stuck in the 'in-between' time.

In the writing life, there are lots of ‘in-between’ times, too.

• The time between when you decide to write a novel and when that novel is completed.
• The time between when you submit a novel to an agent or editor and when you hear back.
• The time between when you hear from your agent that she is submitting your work to a publisher and when you hear a verdict on the submission.
• The time between when you get the call from your agent that a publisher is offering a contract and when that contract arrives and you can FINALLY share about it.
• The time between when you sign the contract and when you get your first edits, second edits, third edits, cover art, a release date, a marketing plan, and FINALLY hold the book in your hot little hands.
• The time between when book one and book two release.
• The time between your first contract and when you might get another one.

As you can see, there are lots of ‘between’ times, and these are only a few you may encounter. So what is a writer to do in those ‘between’ times?

This may sound boring, but the number one thing a writer should do is…WRITE. If you’ve submitted a novel to an agent, don’t sit by the inbox waiting. Write the next book. If you’re waiting to hear from a publisher, write the next book. If you’re waiting on edits from your publisher, write the next book.

With so much ‘between’ time factored into the writing life, it can be easy to fritter away the days, waiting, thinking, doing all the things that aren’t writing. But writers write. That’s all there is to it. Write a novella as a lead magnet for your newsletter. If you don’t have a contract currently, write the next book. Start a new series, target a specific publisher, and write the book!

Perhaps you won’t write at the same fever-pitch as when you have a solid deadline, but don’t waste time either.

 

Why, you ask?

1. Writer’s write, and your writing muscles will atrophy if you don’t use them.

2. More than one agent has gone to a client and said, “A publisher needs X in a hurry. Do you have anything that will fit?” If you’ve been resting on your laurels instead of writing, your answer will always be, ‘Um, nope.’ (Sad face emoji.)

3. If a publisher is interested in  you, they may very well ask, “What else do you have?” And believe me, you want to have lots of completed things to show them.

Those are just some of the reasons you don’t want to squander the in-between times. Rather than sit and be frustrated at not getting any news, get your fingers on that keyboard and create something new! Be a good steward of your writing time and opportunities, and don't waste the 'between times!'

Jane Austen meets Sherlock Holmes in this new Regency mystery series

Newly returned from finishing school, Lady Juliette Thorndike is ready to debut in London society. Due to her years away, she hasn't spent much time with her parents, and sees them only as the flighty, dilettante couple the other nobles love. But when they disappear, she discovers she never really knew them at all. They've been living double lives as government spies--and they're only the latest in a long history of espionage that is the family's legacy.

Now Lady Juliette is determined to continue their work. Mentored by her uncle, she plunges into the dangerous world of spy craft. From the glittering ballrooms of London to the fox hunts, regattas, and soirees of country high society, she must chase down hidden clues, solve the mysterious code her parents left behind, and stay out of danger. All the while, she has to keep her endeavors a secret from her best friend and her suitors--not to mention nosy, irritatingly handsome Bow Street runner Daniel Swann, who suspects her of a daring theft.

Can Lady Juliette outwit her enemies and complete her parents' last mission? Or will it lead her to a terrible end?

The Debutante's Code is now out in the world! You can get your copy HERE: https://amzn.to/3GQnoZt Or wherever you buy your fiction! 

Best-selling, award-winning author Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. She’s a transplanted Kansan now living in Minnesota, and she is married to her total opposite and soul mate! When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and New Zealand All Blacks. You can connect with her at her website, www.ericavetsch.com where you can read about her books and sign up for her newsletter, and you can find her online at https://www.facebook.com/EricaVetschAuthor/ where she spends way too much time!