Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Waiting

We interrupt this blog with a scene from my favorite
movie. Can you name the movie?
Inigo: Hello there! Slow going?
Dread Pirate Roberts:

Look, I don't mean to be rude, but this
is not as easy as it looks, so I'd appreciate
it if you wouldn't distract me.

Inigo: Sorry.

Dread Pirate Roberts: [tersely] Thank you.

Inigo: I do not suppose you
could a-speed things up?

Dread Pirate Roberts: If you're in such a hurry,
you could lower a rope or a tree branch or find
something useful to do.

Inigo: I could do that. I still got some rope up
here, but I do not think you would accept my help,
since I am only waiting around to kill you.

Dread Pirate Roberts: That does put a damper
on our relationship.

Inigo: But, I promise I will not kill you until
you reach the top.

Dread Pirate Roberts: That's very comforting,
but I'm afraid you'll just have to wait.

Inigo: I hate waiting.
I could give you my word as a Spaniard..

Dread Pirate Roberts: No good.
I've known too many Spaniards.

Inigo: Is there not any way you'll trust me?

Dread Pirate Roberts: Nothing comes to mind.

Inigo: I swear, on the soul of my father,
Domingo Montoya, you will reach the top alive.

Dread Pirate Roberts: Throw me the rope.

Just reading that scene makes me smile. I love that movie.
What does it have to do with writing, you might ask.
Well, not much, except for the line “I hate waiting”.

This business is a true test of patience.
You wait each day for the perfect time to write.
When you’re done the first draft, you patiently
go through each chapter, editing each paragraph,
sentence, and word. When it’s done, you send it
to beta readers and wait for them to send it back.
Then you read through their advice and make further edits.

The waiting goes on and on and on.
Queries, partials, fulls….its never ending.

But I swear on my very own manuscript that if
patiently fix your manuscript and edit your work
there’s a much better chance you'll reach the top
with an agent and a book deal.

Here’s to waiting.

17 comments:

Tabitha Bird said...

I hate waiting too and I hope no one kills me until I reach the top LOL. Great scene! Sorry, I don't know the movie.

Tamika: said...

Here to that dreaded disease called the waiting! It looks like the end when really its only the beginning!

Jessica Nelson said...

Here, here!

That movie is cute. :-)

Candice said...

Growing up I probably saw that movie 200 times! I still own a copy. Ah the waiting, it can drive you crazy.

Tina Lynn said...

I want someone to throw me a rope!

Anonymous said...

Oh the Princess Bride is one of my all time favorites!

Yes! This summer I learned how patience is one of the most crucial elements of a writer.

Patti said...

Candice got it right, The Princess Bride. I watched that movie so many times that I could quote it at will.

There's also a scene later on about getting used to disappointment that I love.

Natalie said...

I've seen the Princess Bride many, many times too. LOVE THAT MOVIE! And, like Inigo, I hate waiting too.

Katie Ganshert said...

The best movie ever! As soon as I read Inigo the line: Hello! My name is Inigo Montoya (sp?). You killed my father! Prepare to die. popped right in my head. :)

Kasie West said...

Love that movie. And yes, this industry is a true test of patience. I've learned it many....many....many times. And I keep having to relearn it. :)

Susan R. Mills said...

Yes, here's to waiting!

Robyn Campbell said...

I love that movie. I HATE waiting. Patience, yech! I have no patience for patience.

But I'm trying to understand it, since I have ta! :)

Carolyn V. said...

I love that movie!!! And yeah, waiting is the most difficult thing. I just wish sometimes my writing would magically appear on the paper (and be free of any mistakes. =))

Kristen Torres-Toro said...

I love waiting! And what a GREAT movie!

"My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die!" Ha!

Tana said...

There's no truer pain in writing than waiting. I could think of a million ways to speed up the process, none of them viable of course ;)

Dara said...

I'm an incredibly impatient person...but I'm going to have to learn the art of patience when it comes time to query...and every other aspect of publishing afterwards.

Here's to waiting! And keeping sanity while in the middle of it :)

lisa and laura said...

Oh, Inigo! I love the Princess Bride! This makes me want to watch it right this very second.

And sadly, the waiting NEVER ENDS. Even when you have a freaking editor. You still end up waiting. I've seen glaciers move faster than the publishing industry.