Do I Need to Relax Sometimes?

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer:

I recently decided to pursue a writing career, and I finished my first novel two weeks ago. My plan was to start a different project for NaNoWriMo. I started that project on November 1. It is a contemporary young adult novel called "Furlough", and I immediately got ahead. In those first few days, my word count was above the target word count for NaNoWriMo.

I quickly learned that the work of writing a novel does not end when you finish writing. Everyone said that rewrites were important, and I knew that, but I did not know how time-consuming rewrites, revisions, and edits would be for my first novel. I was trying to revise it and write my new one at the same time, and I was putting a lot of pressure on myself. So, I have now decided that NaNoWriMo is not my main writing priority at the moment, but I am glad to be off to a good start on "Furlough" (8,000 words and counting). I have also decided to count small freelance projects, such as poems, toward my NaNo total. Thankfully, my first novel's revisions are done, but I've still got NaNo on the backburner, because I'm in the process of querying.

Querying is another part of the post-writing phase. In case you don't know, querying is the process of looking for a literary agent, which is someone that represents a writer to traditional publishers. To query, you send e-mails (or occasionally snail mail) to potential agents, and they can pass, or ask to see your manuscript. After seeing your manuscript, they might offer you representation.

Recently, when my manuscript was all revised and polished and cute, I had to send the whole thing to an agent. This particular agency asked for full manuscripts from the beginning. I sent the manuscript on Saturday, and I also submitted it to a contest the same day.

I told myself "Cimone, you need to relax now. You've sent your full manuscript to two places, and you need to take a few days off from querying. Don't read your manuscript looking for mistakes. Maybe you shouldn't even write anything. Just relax."

Did I follow my own instructions? For the most part, no. I did look at my manuscript on Monday and Tuesday, and I found...

three mistakes. Three small, one-word mistakes. The first two were unfortunate, but had no effect on the plot. The third one was a lie. An actual lie. The non-spoiler way to say it is that one character asked another character how many doctors were at the grocery store, and the second character said eight, but the answer was thirteen. (The italicized words and phrases are put there as placeholders for other words and phrases.)

Thirteen.

I thought "I lied to my readers!" I was very upset.

I had to remind myself again to relax. Sometimes, tiny mistakes like that happen. I fixed the mistakes in my document, so that they won't be there the next time I send out my manuscript. As for the places I've already sent it, it is now out of my hands, and I accept that.

So, now I know that relaxation is a good idea. But how should I do that? Here are a few ways:

On Monday, I started a new writing project, also for NaNo. That sounds like more work, but this one is a lot of fun. It's a whimsical chapter book for elementary-aged children. It involves a talking camel! Camels are always fun to write about. Chapter books are quite short, so I think I can finish this one before the end of NaNoWriMo, but if not, that's fine. Progress is good.

I also went to the library yesterday, and checked out some books, so I can read when I need relaxation time. I might end up posting some book reviews here.

I live near a beach, so I could try going there sometime soon. (It's South Florida, so it's not very cold right now.)

But there is one way, above all the others, that I need to relax. I need to focus on Jesus. I can get so caught up in the world, and what I need to do, and my goals, and my job, that sometimes I forget that He promised to give me rest.

Matthew 11:28-30:
"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light."