Monday, February 28, 2011

The stroller that almost killed me

A few months ago my husband and I went to Babies R Us to register for our first child.  We tried out EVERY single travel system at the store until I found one that I loved...this one.


Cute, right?  Well we didn't get it at our bigger shower, so we decided to take back some of our duplicate things and pick up this travel system on our way home.  We get to Babies R Us and there it is MY travel system.  Only when we looked on the shelf...none were left.  So we found a sale's clerk and she said that they had discountinued the stroller, but we could have the floor model.

Neither my husband, nor I wanted the floor model, so we picked out another one, one that we thought was better with an MP3 hook up and jogging style wheels.  A guy went to the back, brought it out for us, and we were so excited.  Of course we should have looked at the box before we got home because once we opened the box we realized that it was NOT the stroller we picked out at the store.

My husband said, "It's fine, let's put it together and see what we think."  But it wasn't the same...to me I had really wanted that three wheeled stroller.  I wanted it, just like I thought I didn't want anything else than my first choice stroller.  I got upset, so my husband just looked at me and said, "I really like it, are you willing to compromise for me?  I don't want to have to pack it up and take it back."

As Tim said those words, it made me think about writing.  When I started HOW TO DATE AN ALIEN, I had this grand idea and wrote the first chapter that I proudly brought to my RWA meeting.  That was the first time I ever got a critique from Best selling author Jade Lee.  I actually cried when she tore my first chapter to shreds, but I knew she was right and wrote another new beginning.

Like my new stroller, I was excited to have that new beginning and bring it to my RWA group, too bad that new beginning didn't go over as well as I wanted it to.  It was good, but it just wasn't up to snuff. 

Then, like the third stroller, I had to learn to compromise.  I took what they said and injected into the new manuscript, but still kept the beginning that I really liked.  Life is really all about compromise after all.  If your agent or editor tells you that something should be changed on your manuscript, but you don't exactlly agree, then you still have to take what they say into consideration.  You may not love that they don't think that makes sense to your story, but when you really look at it and are willing to compromise, you may just find that you love it just as much.  (Note:  After playing with the new stroller for a little while now I've realized that it is just as good as the other two, if not better.  AND there is nothing funnier than hearing my husband say, "Look, we can put this down and coo at her.  We can say 'COO, COO, COO."  I don't think he knows what cooing is...")  (Note, note:  AND I do LOVE my first chapter of How to Date an Alien, so it should all work out.)

I hope this made sense to everyone...maybe it didn't?

What have you had to compromise on(writing related or not)?  Was it worth it?  Would you make your husband pack up a stroller and take it back?

4 comments:

  1. Compromise is a good thing. I had to cut down the number of pages for my manuscript, which was well worth the effort. I found that I like how much faster the story flows and it was more enjoyable to read. I know more changes are to come for my manuscript, but I can't wait to see how they improve the story line.
    Say 'hi' to your husband for me.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm rewriting my beginning right now too, and I feel like you just wrote exactly what I went through last week, minus the baby stroller ;) Even if you don't agree 100% with the suggestions in a critique, it's great to have your problem areas highlighted so that you can go back and make changes in your own style.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kelsey- That's what I'm learning is that life is all about compromising--whether it is in writing or with a stroller. Would you rather that I say 'hi' or 'COO, COO, COO.' I hope he never reads how much I make fun of him in my blogs...

    Rachel- It's definitely good to see both sides of things, even if you don't agree. It's definitely helped in my writing and now I just have to apply it to life...or with strollers, lol.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'd never make him take it back (unless it was broken). Hey you got him in the store to begin with. Kudos to him for that. Most Dads freak out at the idea of going shopping. Mine was willing to unload and put together anything I bought as long as he didn't have to actually put a foot in the store.

    ReplyDelete

You should leave me a comment. It would probably make me smile and then I will probably comment back. Unless you are a spambot. Then I will probably just ignore you.