Reflections on A Languishing Manuscript

Years ago, I was president of a town’s writing group, but it disbanded.

Ten years ago, a character appeared in my mind and poured onto the page, words frothing from my fingers like sudsy waves at the shore. My hip replacement cemented my decision to retire, and recovery meant long hours outdoors on sunny days with my aging dog. Her love and devotion grounded me. I finished the book that summer. Two years later, my faithful companion was gone, and the manuscript remained untouched, saved in a file that moved only when the computer did, still unseen.

Two friends loved the unedited draft, typos and all, but chapters submitted elsewhere were declined—editors repeatedly said I was telling, not showing. The many rejections for chapters, poems, and short stories grew frustrating. Not even one poem accepted for an anthology? Were there so many better writers than I, or was I submitting the wrong things?

I began publishing poetry, especially nature haikus featuring my own photos, as well as short stories online on Vocal and ReedsyPrompts. My debut novel sat untouched, ignored, and languishing in my files. The sequel, half-formed, waits as well. I feel the newly introduced characters in the sequel are still pulling at my mind, but I want to let it sit until I’m satisfied with the ending of the first novel.

I realize that focusing on Vocal challenges for a chance to win money has slowed down my progress on completing and publishing my books. Writing on Vocal has helped me improve, which is useful now as I reread and edit my debut book. It seemed like people preferred my poetry over my short stories, so I wondered why I should revisit a book I wrote ten years ago. Who would be interested in a dystopian novel set in my local area? My haikus and poems always seemed to get more attention.

My hip replacement in 2016 and subsequent retirement marked a new writing path and the gestational period of my first book. In 2023, my daughter spent a lot of time editing the book and gave me many helpful suggestions. We also used online editors and different writing programs to review it.

I still delayed, distracted (deliberately?) by Vocal challenges - so easy to blame procrastination on a chance to win some cash. Then, a subsequent total knee replacement in September 2025, with an arduous and painful recovery, left no brain space for editing an entire book.

When I first wrote it, the book had a prologue. I then researched and learned that, at the time, editors didn’t like prologues. Self-publishing isn’t a true interest of mine – all the effort, formatting, and platform-specific details it requires.

A week ago, I met several authors who have published on Amazon. Their books are labeled as ‘smut’ and dark romance. One author said she only trusts a few people as Beta readers, and I finished her sentence by saying, ‘because people steal your work.’

I was once encouraged to hire a developmental editor, but they charge high fees to help shape the plot and characters. The authors I met didn’t use them. One explained that readers have limited budgets, so she prefers Amazon’s lower prices to those of traditional publishing. That’s a good point I’m keeping in mind.

Travel has also interfered with writing and editing this novel, yet the story remains at the forefront of my mind, waiting patiently to be shared. Balancing reading, family time, travel, and personal interests is important, as are activities that support health.

After meeting those authors, I decided to finish editing my book and review its point of view. I hope to find trustworthy Beta readers who will take the time to read it and give helpful feedback.

As I edit the novel, I hesitate. I add the prologue back in. Then I move on to shortening some sentences, swapping a word or two, and rearranging some scenes. Doubt creeps in: Is my world-building too thin? Am I telling or showing? The hours of editing fatigue my old brain, and I set a timer to get up and move every so often. A favorite streaming show is calling me away from my creative processes. My laptop sits across my knees, and my concentration floats from the TV screen to the computer monitor until I finally close the laptop. I can’t concentrate with the TV noise. I know I should turn off the TV, but my brain needs a rest from its central processor, which is burning out. Tomorrow morning, I will get up early and begin again.

In the past week, I have made great progress on the edits and will need to read the entire piece for clarity, conflicts, issues with point of view, formatting, and world-building.

Rejection isn’t what holds me back. Each chapter I submitted was turned down, but the feedback was kind and helpful. I’m a bit of a perfectionist and get nervous when someone points out a mistake.  I read, reread, and edit carefully, and afterward, if someone finds an error, I hurry to fix it.

Some rejection is expected, though I’d rather have an acceptance, of course. There’s always the fear that my book won’t interest a wide range of readers; perhaps its dystopian theme will seem overused. Will readers enjoy the local places I mention and want to learn more about them? At first, I thought it was a YA novel, but it’s really more of an adventure or dystopian story, and it’s hard to define its genre. I often wonder how much readership the book will have if I publish it on Amazon. The most important thing for me is that the books have the best chance of being read and shared because I poured my heart into them.

Copyright © 7/7/2026 by Andrea O. Corwin.  Thanks for stopping by! 😃 If you like ♡ my scribbles, hit the subscribe button. Please consider leaving a comment. ✍️❤️