Best Laid Plans (and All That)

 by Jody Feldman

Yes. Life happened to us all this year. The “other” plans, the ones I made pre-March 2020, are now a shadow-whisper, a dream I might have once had. The plans that took over? They didn’t require any forethought. They became life. And for me, life became a pursuit of words and work. 

With the overriding thought that the pandemic would be an inconvenience of 2 to 3 months, I took that time to consume myself with writing. Early on, I finished a draft of a novel, I wrote my first screenplay (in 50 days and submitted to a competition)...and the virus raged on. I opened another book that needed revising, turned the plot inside out, got a great critique, revised yet again, and submitted it to my agent. While she was pondering its merits (or lack thereof) I took one day off then started revising a different book. The new strategy was to use that uninterrupted time to accomplish, accomplish, accomplish. 

Turns out I fulfilled that with volume, but not with desired results. The first book? It’s not ready to show anyone, The screenplay did not win, place, or show. The inside-out revision needs another inside-out revision, my agent basically said. This current revision? The jury is still out on this one as I’m two weeks from having said agent take a gander at it. 

The fact that my writing during this time hasn’t met with publication success – yet – does not mean I have failed. Of course, I wish I’d been more skilled in 2020, but I have succeeded in moving forward, in trying, in not giving up. I call that a huge victory.