Patience, My Young Padawan

That's really how you spell "padawan." I may have had to look that up...

Anyway, today I wanted to bemoan talk about how much patience is needed in the publishing industry.

This can be answered in one word: Lots.

But see, if you're like me, you just don't believe that you'll have to wait. That you'll have to endure weeks of nothing, no answer, empty silence. That happens to other people. People you don't know, and don't want to.

But not you.

Strap in. It will happen to you. You'll know when it's happened because Friday becomes the worst day ever, because it means another weekend with still no answer. Trust me, I've been there.

Lemme tell you a story. When I first started trying to figure out how to publish a book, I read a lot of industry blogs. Someone said they'd taken a year off from writing just to read. I scoffed mighty loud. Yeah, right. Take a whole year off? This person was clearly insane (and no, I don't remember who it was).

See, it wasn't going to take me a year to do anything.

How I needed a Jedi Master to explain patience to me. Someone to tell me that a year is nothing in publishing. NOTHING. It's like a single blink.

I needed someone to tell me that how long it takes to get published is not a direct measure of my ability, but that many factors--including luck--will play into that equation.

I needed someone to remind me that the year of publication doesn't matter. No one did. I was always in a hurry. I still am, sometimes.

I needed someone to tell me to keep writing. Someone did. I still follow that advice (sort of) when I'm waiting, waiting to hear about something.

I needed someone to say, "Patience, my young Padawan. You'll get there."

People did. And now I say it to you. You will get there. I don't know when. And that doesn't matter.

Patience.

How are you doing on the whole patience thing? Those of you who've been at this for a year, two years, five years, how have you developed patience?