I loved this as a kid. My mother and I sang it to my son when he was small. He thought we were hilarious.

After spending hours (around 4) reformatting my manuscript, it is on it’s way to the editor for a formal critique. All of the indents for paragraphs had to be removed. There were a lot. I found a few errors along the way. Missing letters. Misspellings that spell check doesn’t catch. The whole thing needed to be double spaced. It wasn’t. That’s the easiest correction though. I think I need to check for a common format so I never have to do this again.

I’m getting very good and efficent at jumping through hoops. This is the last main hoop. After the formal critique comes back, I send it on to the agent. Then I wait while the agent does he or her work. Editing has yet to happen and will have to happen before publishing.

Is saying “I don’t know what to…(fill in the blank)” really an invitation for others to chime in? I actually called my mother for some advice/sympathy on this one. She’s an artist, so I thought she might have gotten unasked for advice on what to paint. I have heard her many times declare that she didn’t know what to do with a canvas. I can’t say that I have ever given any ideas. Like I have any.

So why is being a writer any different. It seems that everywhere I turn someone wants to provide “helpful” suggestions to my “I don’t know what to write next.” I don’t remember asking for help or advice or ideas. Why would I use someone else’s ideas? Even when I talk about what I’m writing and I get to that point where I’m not sure where the story is going, I get unsolicited help. Again, did I invite you into my story? Did I ask for collaboration? No. And, definitely no. Perhaps I should write about an author who is plagued by helpful friends whenever the author’s work comes up in conversation.

The only solution I have to this problem is to not talk about my work. In fact, I do try to avoid talking about my storyline with anyone while I’m writing. Everyone’s a critic.

Since I have been sending tweets, and this site is listed on Facebook, I think it is about time I reveal my real name. It’s not Liz. As you will see, the email now goes to SVGal. When I first started this blog, I wanted to keep my identity hidden, however since then, many readers have found out since I told them. A few friends have read this website knowing the real author as well.

So here I am. My name is Kathy Wiemers. You can find me on Facebook if you wish. I’m on Twitter (link on the side). I have another website where I post my photos and work-related information. There’s no blog there.

It arrived. I signed. It’s sent. The request for a critique has been made.

It seems I have been lazy about posting. I recently sent out a synopsis of my NaNoWriMo novel to a literary agency. They liked the synopsis and asked for my manuscript. They liked that too. So now I’m waiting for some referrals for editors who do critiques and a contract. How cool is that? I had no idea at the time that within two weeks of sending out a synopsis I would have an agent. I’m sure I will find out who I will be working with soon as well. I’ll keep you posted.

For anyone who wonders how this happens… I would have never written novels if it hadn’t been for a course I took in February 2006. I tried. I failed. A lot. I never felt like I had a good idea. Now the words just flow–once I get an idea. I’m currently probing for novel ideas. To write 93,000+ words in a month seems impossible to most. Even rarer, I have a good chance at getting it published. My dream come true! It seemed so far away at one point in my life, yet it seems to have happened so easily. I have worked hard at finding a job as a chemist. this whole thing makes me wonder if I have been working hard at something that doesn’t really suit me. I truly loved the entire month of November when I was writing. I love chemistry too, but many, many months of searching for a job in chemistry has come to nothing.

So back to this course… Actually it was probably several courses and declaring that I’m a writer that made this happen. I got free of the inner voice that critiqued, criticized and generally made me feel like crap. I was my own worst enemy, and I had no idea how much my thoughts were holding me back. Well maybe I did, but I had no idea how to get past them. I did.

No, not the tests you’re probably thinking of. I spent some time on Sunday helping an ex with his deck, along with two of his other friends. He brought up how the current girl (he’s not really dating her since she lives on another continent) passed his tests. Obviously I didn’t pass. He claimed that everyone has tests. Women especially. “Every time a woman opens her mouth it’s a test.”

I disagree. I can’t even say that I have tests for a relationship. Of course, I have things I want and don’t want. When I was much younger, I did test guys. I wanted to see how much they would put up with. But for the past 10 years, I haven’t seen the need for relationship tests. He claimed that I tested him, but when asked for an example, he couldn’t give one. He said my question was a test. One of his friends agreed with me–that not everyone tests.

However, if people are running around testing their loved ones, how in the world can one pass? You’re not even aware that a particular event or incident is a test. I know my ex tested me. I can even give examples that were obvious tests. It’s stupid though. Instead how about creating what you want in a relationship and having it show up. Viola! No tests necessary. No need to have a checklist with pass or fail. No need to tally the passes and fails. What kind of measure is that of a relationship? Isn’t it supposed to be do you enjoy the other person’s company or not? Simple.

If people are running around giving secret elaborate tests, how does anyone pass? How does anyone stay together? If that is what is happening, it’s no wonder that I’m single. No matter what, you’re bound to fail. It’s a setup. Win-Lose.