Vizzini from Princess Bride
One thing I never expected when I set out to become an author was that there would be a lot of waiting. After a decade of designing characters and stories whenever the urge came to me, I didn’t realize how much patience was needed. Here’s a quick list of things an author could wait for:
- Inspiration
- Time to write
- Beta Readers
- Editing
- Cover Art
- Reviews
- Sales
- Pizza (food is important)
- Internet to return
Patience is definitely important here because you don’t want to rush any of these things, with the possible exception of the Internet. Sloppy editing, forced writing, half-baked ideas, and barely cooked pizza are all disastrous. It isn’t only that you can make a mistake, but you can cause other people to do so and only have yourself to blame. As the author of the book, you set the pace and call the shots. Yet, you also need to adjust for the people you’re working with because they are people. Robots can be reprogrammed to move faster. Try doing that to your beta readers and see how quickly you get tarred and feathered with your own manuscript.
I’m joking around while trying to be serious, but it’s a rather simple piece of the author mosaic. The truth is that this is different for everyone. All of us have our own levels of patience and opinions on this one. So, I’ll open the floor to stories and thoughts on how important patience is to you.
Legends of Windemere 
Great way of looking at it. I’ve learned to aim high and keep my mouth shut until it’s time. I get covers and promo art way ahead of time. I gave betas over a month, but was honest about the time frame. After everything is back under my control I start talking about a release once again.
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I always jump the gun, but part of it is because I’m working with a series. I want to do whatever I can to retain my momentum, which seems to die quicker and quicker these days. So I get over-excited and ambitious. This is why I don’t announce release dates.
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We just can’t. I have to wait until everything is back in my hands.
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Well, another goal is to get all of the books out by next December. Feels like I have a deadline on all of this, which makes me twitchy.
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I’ve read between the lines on your blog, and maybe you do have a deadline. I hope that isn’t the case, and that you can make them as good as possible.
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Same here. Though it helps that I’m a meticulous outliner and I have everything planned out. As it stands, I only have the last 2 books to write and I’ve spent more time editing the others than writing this year.
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The patience thing is hard for me too. But I am learning.
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It’s an endless struggle. Depends on how many distractions we can find.
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An absolutely excellent point, and not one I generally think about during writing, but one that becomes very, very near and dear to my heart once the editing and publishing phases arrive. Patience is required in spades when waiting for your editor to get back to you with their edits — patience, and optimism, because if you sit there imagining all the endless rewrites your editor will demand of you, it’s just depressing. And, like you said, patience with publishing — but I want my book to be a best seller NOW, dammit!
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I think I’ve given up on the best seller thing for now. I’ll push for as far as I can go and if that’s in the cards then that’s what will happen. I’ve become more concerned with having fun. 🙂 Maybe I’m just weird that way.
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I mean, money is obviously awesome, but at the end of the day, we write so others will read and enjoy. So as long as fun is being had, the fame and fortune is just icing on the cake 🙂
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Very well said. 😀 Now I want cake.
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Patience is something I tell people I don’t have. But I actually have a lot more of it then I seem to have. When it comes to writing, though… I want written, lol.
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Patience can be very fluid. Maybe we have it in some situations and not in others. Like you said, writing brings out different standards.
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The timing of this post is very interesting, since I’m waiting on a publisher to make a decision on own novel and two agents to decide on another. Turning my attention to other projects during the wait has been very helpful.
Patience is definitely not a trait I have in abundance. Anyone who has been in my car with me knows this. 🙂 But it has been necessary as I work through some plot issues or edit someone else’s book.
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Other projects definitely help. Barring that, TV can be a boon or at least DVD’s. Good luck with the novel.
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Thanks!
Yes, I keep a large container of DVDs by my computer and pop one in when I get bored.
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I’ve been doing that so much that I’m running out of series and movies. End up getting bored within a few episodes.
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Make that “on my novel” rather than “on own novel.” I should have been more patient and proofread before pressing Post Comment.
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I`m a very impatient person, waiting has always been a disaster for me but I am learning that I have to be a patient writer or else I`ll fail in my goals.
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Good lesson. Think we all have to learn it at some point.
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I have the patience of Job. I only learned that after my first book. Yes, I wait for artists, editors, formatters, beta readers, the mail person, UPS, Federal Express, and finally buyers of my books. I have become the paragon of patience. In all my previous lives of rushing around, I now find a certain calm in watching the little gizmo go round and round on my computer. I wait with the best. . “What’s that?” “Why yes, I’ll take another refill on my glass of wine. Thank you.”
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Better make it two just to make sure. I wonder what the connection between Job and job is. Do we purposely imply that having a job requires suffering?
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Ha ha ha. I like how you think.
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I’m impatient when my work is out for editing. I just want to get it back and get it over with. My editor is pretty quick and a dear friend so I don’t text her when I see that she’s on Facebook saying she’s out to dinner or at a show. I want to, but I don’t.
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Oh yeah. Never annoy your editor. They keep authors from embarrassing themselves, which is an essential service.
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“Wait” is a four-letter word.
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Patience is 8, which makes it twice as bad, right? 😀
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