Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Two-faced Transition

wikipedia
2012 is supposed to be a year of transition. I didn't come up with this idea - the Mayan calendar says so: "End of Great Cycle". I'd like to thank them for the heads up because, personally, I think beginnings are scarier than endings. I know because I write them. -- I'm 100% sure my writer friends agree with this assessment.

You don't have to be a writer or a Mayan to understand. I'm thinking Janus is a pretty good example of what I mean.

Thankfully, Wikipedia is up today, free and unfettered:

In ancient Roman religion and mythology, Janus is the god of beginnings and transitions, thence also of gates, doors, doorways, endings and time. He is usually a two-faced god since he looks to the future and the past. The concepts of January and janitor are both based on aspects of Janus.

So here we are, January of transition year 2012. What am I doing? Transitioning.

I've got one manuscript to the point where I will not touch it again without an agent looking at it first. I've got another just coming out of the gate, with plenty of room for improvement.
The problem: I've got an SCBWI conference this week and I don't know which to submit.

One is a YA fantasy designed for girls. The other is an MG Sci-fi designed for boys. Two very different sides of me, both important. One is a huge part of my past, with plenty of connections to my time as a young woman in Turkey. The other is my present and future, with teen/tween testosterone-filled adventure crammed into the work. I'm writing under the influence of my boys.

I love both manuscripts, and I'm starting to feel like Janus. Look back? Or look forward? Can't I have both?

My flawed plan: I have the first 500 of each polished to a high shine - read: best of my ability. I'll know what to do when I walk through the ballroom doorway because Fate will decide which editor/agent sits across from me. I'll ask them which they'd prefer to see.

Only one itty bitty problem -- I won't be able to sleep until its over.


Janitors are so underappreciated, btw.

4 comments:

Sarah said...

Wow, this sounds like an exciting and angst-ridden time for you! I can't wait to find out which ms gets shown off ...

This month is a time of transition for me as well, and I'm looking forward to it very much, but also wondering what it will look like on the other side. I guess I'll find out soon!

Old Kitty said...

Yikes!!! Does it have to be just the one?? Can't you pitch both? Oh dear!! Oh please submit both?? I don't understand!! Good luck with whatever you decide - I personally say give both! Yay! Take care
x

Matthew MacNish said...

I need to finish something old before I can begin something new, but good for you!

LTM said...

transitioning here, too! Letting go the MS I thought was going to fly and polishing up the one everyone said probably wouldn't... Who knows.

But I want to hear all about the conference! What did you end up doing??? :o) <3

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