Lately I've been writing. I've been editing. I've been attempting to write a "good" (by whose standards?) query letter. I've started querying agents. This process seems to be: a) long, b) tedious and c) totally, utterly frustrating.
I think one of the hardest things for an author is to try to have their work published. I may be a superb writer (I'm not--I'm still learning every single day!) and have no chance of getting my work published if an agent doesn't look at it and feel it will sell in the world of what everyone wants to read. Plus now there is self-publishing. Is it even worth it to go the route of traditional publishing?
I say, yes, because the publishers can market your book, get the word out. The fact is, most first time authors do not even see any royalties off of their books. They sell a few copies, and most of that money goes straight to pay for the editing, the print job, and to pay all the people who helped by not giving you a BIG FAT REJECTION!!!
As you can tell, I received two rejections yesterday. I know in the scheme of things this is not a big deal. I've just started out and rejections are part of the business. Plus, the rejections came so quickly it told me my query letter was really not up to par. I worked on the letter, and I think I have a bit of a better format. Some people query 50 agents at a time, but I'm doing about 5 at a time, because honestly I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M DOING! I wish I was in the publishing or editing business and knew even an inkling of the information about how the publishing world works.
I have read a lot of blogs lately, including the blogs of the agents I've queried. These blogs contain great tips for writing query letters, getting recognition, and not giving up when you receive those little rejection slips. Agents are bombarded with query letters, and if yours does not grab their attention right away, or stand out as totally amazing, then it will go in the Slush pile and receive the automatic REJECT notice. Rejection is part of life, and I'm getting used to it. I just have to polish and make it better.
Here are a few of the websites I've been reading about query letters. I received rejections from both of these ladies, who were probably way out of my league anyway:
Bent on Books: Jenny Bent of the Bent Agency. I'd loved to be signed with her, as I've read on Writer's Forum she is simply amazing to work with. On to the next project!
Pub Rants: The Nelson Agency. I queried Kristin Nelson.
Back to the chopping block....
Yesterday, I started the editing process. It is a HUGE step in the right direction. It's also a HUGE job, and I felt slightly overwhelmed reading through my work and wondering who the heck wrote it. That's the way I'm supposed to feel so I can make the necessary changes, right?
After this, I need to work on a query letter and let about 400 people read it so I can make sure it looks its best. Send to agents who are soliciting new authors. Then just wait for the rejection letters to roll in...and if I'm lucky, an acceptance.
I did a little bit of reading about query letters yesterday and about rejection slips. I also perused some contests coming up, and I'm debating writing a short story for one or two of them. Short stories aren't my thing: novels are, but I think short stories are a good way to get recognized and maybe if I submit enough of them I could win a contest or two to add some experience to my query letter.
Speaking of experience: I have none. I wasn't on the newspaper in high school, not an English major, never really wrote for anyone but myself until this year. This is all new to me, and it is still slightly overwhelming. I'm proud of my work though, and I DO want other people to read what I wrote.
I started the short story yesterday, about a little girl coping with Alopecia Areata for the first time. This sounds familiar, right? Writing about this is somewhat cathartic for me, and even though the little girl in the story is not me, I had some of the same fears and thoughts that she did when I first started losing my hair. I struggled with accepting myself, and honestly some days I still do. But I think the story will be good because it comes from my heart. I have the general idea in my head and now it's just a question of how to par it down to 6,000 words. Six thousand words is awfully small, especially when you're used to writing novels and not short stories.
Thoughts on Writing
DJ Lance is the background noise to my creative juices this morning. Darling Daughter decided 4:30 AM was as good a time as any to start her day. She loves Yo Gabba Gabba. I don't mind it. I wonder if I should be writing a children's book, instead of attempting a novel.
I've realized a few things about novel writing this week.
- I have too many ideas in my head. I've started a novel. I've worked on editing it. I've worked on writing it. My characters are leading their own lives, moving in the way they are supposed to lead me, the author. As the ideas are flowing, other ideas for books fill my mind. When my mind is creating it doesn't want to stop. I think this is why I have a problem with completion. I start one story, then I move on when a "better" idea hits me.
- I really need an editor, but I can't afford one. I have a tendency to be a perfectionist. This is not good. I keep going back and making changes, and I don't make progress. I need to set certain days to write and certain days to edit, so I can make progress. And eventually...I need to have an editor.
- I need to attend some creative writing classes or seminars. I need to meet other creative writers and discuss struggles in getting published (very hard to do right now) and editing and character development and dialogue and so on...
