84 Stages of KidLit Writer Insanity

If you’re here, you probably know what it’s like to have daydreams (and day-nightmares?) about brainstorming, writing, revising, querying, submitting, signing, selling, editing, and publishing your kidlit book. We’re pretty sure all you guys can relate to these stages of kidlit writer insanity…
 

1. The Idea

 

2. Daydreaming

 

3. Brainstorming

 

4. Trying to find writing tips on the internet

 

5. Outlining?

 

6. Pantsing?

 

7. Starting

 

8. Discovering your characters

 

9. Discovering your world

 

10. Hitting the first rut

 

11. Pushing through

 

12. Solving the problem

 

13. Hitting another rut

 

14. Hitting all the ruts

 

15. Emerging with your first draft

 

16. Re-reading your first draft

 

17. Realizing your first draft is terrible

 

18. Trying to find revision tips on the internet

 

19. Just going for it

 

20. Actual revising

 

21. Mid-way through revising crisis

 

22. Emerging with your second draft

 

23. Re-reading your second draft

 

24. Realizing you can’t do this alone

 

25. Finding a writing buddy or beta reader

 

26. Giving them your manuscript

 

27. Waiting for feedback

 

28. Receiving feedback

 

29. Revising again

 

30. Inevitable identity crisis

 

31. Emerging with a decent third/fourth/fifth/twentieth draft

 

32. Researching agents

 

33. Preparing your query letter

 

34. Hating your query letter

 

35. Coming to terms with your query letter

 

36. Sending your first query

 

37. Waiting for replies

 

38. Receiving a form rejection (or fifty)

 

39. Receiving a personalized rejection (or fifty)

 

40. Getting a request for a partial

 

41. Getting a request for a full

 

42. Getting an offer from an agent

 

43. Signing with an agent

 

44. Receiving your first agent editorial letter

 

45. Another identity crisis

 

46. Revising again

 

47. Being told it’s ready for submission

 

48. Waiting for your agent to send it out

 

49. Waiting for news from your agent

 

50. Hearing it’s creating interest

 

51. Hearing some people have passed

 

52. Talking with an interested editor

 

53. Getting an offer of publication

 

54. Stalking the publisher

 

55. Signing the contract

 

56. Waiting for your first editorial letter

 

57. Receiving your first editorial letter

 

58. Panic

 

59. Revising with your editor

 

60. Having an agent and an editor in your corner

 

61. Inevitable major editing crisis

 

62. Turning over your revised edition

 

63. Waiting

 

64. Copy-editing

 

65. Waiting

 

66. Getting your first cover art

 

67. Waiting

 

68. Receiving a proof copy

 

69. Waiting

 

70. Proofreading

 

71. Waiting

 

72. Getting your final cover art

 

73. Waiting

 

74. Coming up with a publicity plan

 

75. Hearing people respond to their ARCs

76. Starting on Book 2 while Book 1 isn’t even out

 

77. Your family asking a thousand times why publishing takes so long

 

78. Finalizing your launch party plans

 

79. Launch party night

 

80. Seeing your book on the shelf for the first time

 

81. School and bookstore visits

 

82. The debut high

 

83. Remembering Book 2

 

84. Getting on with your writing career

 
Which level of insane are you at currently? Leave a comment and tell us!