Waiting for feedback

Waiting for feedback on a story or article is kind of like waiting to go into labor. You know it's the only way you're going to see results, but all that pain and suffering scares the hell out of you.

I posted the beginning of a short story and a partial first chapter of a novel that has been revised about a zillion times for critique at my online writers group. Each day, I go back, to see if anyone has left me any comments, but so far nothing has happened. It's like those weekly visits to the OB/GYN where you're hoping he'll tell you that you are effaced and dilated.

And in both situations, you are equally disappointed when nothing has changed. There are no comments from your peers about how brilliant or how awful your work is and the doctor tells you, "Sorry, but you'll have to make another appointment next week."

Such is the life of the writer. If we aren't waiting for feedback, we're waiting for responses from editors or waiting to hear the results from the contests we've entered. But on the bright side, we aren't trying to push an 8 to 10 pound baby out of a hole the size of smaller jar opening.