I just finished reading a manuscript for a friend. It was good. Really good, like I feel attached to the characters and want them to live happily ever after on the living room couch reading stories and eating pizza. With my fine and dazzling proofreading skills, I can help my friend polish her story and ready it for submission. I, however, do not have anything ready for submission. Instead I have the following:
1. A story-ish group of words (not enough of which to make a book)
2. A great voice – a really adorable leading lady
3. A male lead that I would be in love with, were I in any position to love imaginary college freshmen
4. A promising beginning
5. A manuscript that is growing brittle from not being handled (this is metaphorical, I assure you – it’s all in the computer)
6. A mounting sense of guilt, see above
7. A lack of “what is this story about” answers
8. A growing dread that I may be a person who will write meatless, fluffy romance novels
9. A pathological (as in non-rational) fear of working hard to finish this book
10. A facebook account, reason enough to put off anything constructive