In Erika's Dreams, For Writers, Writing

Well, my WIPpage (or would it be WIPpedness?) – that is, my recent state of being WIPped – has finally paid off. This morning before work I sent my manuscript, synopsis and query letter to my book doctor! (Yay! At last!) After paying $20.20 to overnight it – I needed every last minute of editing time I could scrounge up – I felt a sense of peace settle over me, assured that (God-willing and barring anymore natural disasters) my package will arrive on time and in pristine condition. I also felt confident that after months of editing, my WIP is the best it can possibly be (well, for now).

So, now what? I’m sitting here, gnawing at my cuticles and wiggling my legs restlessly as I ponder what to do with my sudden abundance of free time. So naturally, I made a list.

Here are the 10 things I plan to do over the next 2-3 weeks of WIPlessness:

  1. Rest my eyeballs.
  2. Get caught up on sleep. (Yes, this is different than #1).
  3. Loaf in my pajamas all day Sunday (it’s supposed to rain – perfect weather for a day the in the cave, a.k.a. my living room with the blinds drawn) and watch the pile of movies that hubby and I bought when we found ourselves buzzed and wandering around in the electronics department of Target.
  4. Take hubby out to dinner and remind him that despite my recent WIPpedness, he’s still my main squeeze.
  5. Tackle the teetering tower of books that I keep buying (but not reading) and stacking on my bedside table.
  6. Hit the bike trail with my new hybrid. (See how I’m getting progressively more motivated as the list goes on?)
  7. Research Greek mythology for my upcoming trip. (Anyone have any book recommendations?)
  8. Compile a database of agents to target once my WIP is finally complete. (Something you may not know about me: I love compiling databases of things).
  9. CLEAN! I’m not talkin’ about your standard straighten and tidy; I’m talkin’ a serious, break-out-the-steam-mop, empty-the-crumbs-out-of-the-bottom-of-the-toaster, clean-the-dirt-out-of-the-sliding-door-track, actually-move-the-coffee-table-when-I-vacuum CLEAN! The type of cleaning that Bissell products were designed to overcome.
  10. Come up with a tenth thing to add to this list because “10 Things” sounds so much better than “9 Things.” Any suggestions?
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  • Suzannah

    Actually, they say in marketing that odd numbers work better than even numbers for lists, so there are no rules about having to have 10 points. Isn’t that liberating??

    Enjoy your time away from your manuscript!

    • Erika Liodice

      Coincidentally, Suzannah, I have heard that. Liberating, indeed!

  • Joanne

    I usually use that kind of “wait” time to clean up my desk and files that have accumulated in Word, with research, revisions, correspondence, that sort of thing, so that when I’m ready to get back into writing, everything’s in its place. Enjoy!

    • Erika Liodice

      Congratulations, Joanne, you’ve hit on the one thing I need to do most (other than CLEAN!) but continue to ignore 🙂

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