Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Let the Querying (*cough *cough rejections) Begin!!! ;)

Hey guys!!!!

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I'm going to try to post more frequently starting today!

So after reading a very helpful agency's blog that answered the question I've been wondering for weeks now (ie: How long does it take an editor at a publishing company to respond about whether they're interested in your manuscript?), I've decided that I should maybe start my search for a literary agent now, for a number of reasons...

1) I have a feeling as NaNoWriMo is nearing the end (which I didn't take part of this year :( ...but I really want to one year! I hope all those who are participating are getting close to their goal if they haven't reached it already!), participants' query letters are going to start flowing to agents come December (though I hear that January is the worst and is called "Query Season"). Hopefully I will get good news before I get lost in the flood of query letters in agency inboxes (but who knows!).

2) In answer to the question about editors, I found that they can take months and months to respond....and that's only when you have an agent! Seeing as I don't have one, the editor that currently has my manuscript probably won't look at it for a while (which is understandable).

So I figured, why not start the long process today, right? Maybe it will help move my manuscript up from the bottom of the pile if I have a literary agent representing me. Plus, it has been made VERY clear to me that I should have an agent negotiate my publishing contract for me (should I be lucky enough to get a contract one day).

I sent my first query letters (along with a sample of the first chapter) out to four agencies (hopefully that wasn't too much or too many to do at once) less than an hour ago. Wow, it was so exhilarating, and nerve-wracking at the same time; pushing that "send" button...my hands starting sweating a little! But I'm really happy I did it! I believe one of the agents said that they'd get back to me in two weeks if interested, two said within four weeks if interested, and one said within three weeks with his response. I'm so nervous! I've already been frantically checking my email everyday waiting for the editor to respond (which I now realize was somewhat silly on my part), so I'm sure my anxiousness is only going to heighten from here! But yeah, I'm really excited to see what the future has in store for me, and hopefully I get good news one day (even if it's not with these four). Until then, I plan on just continuing to write my sequel to this novel, and maybe start on another novel which I have outlined and am really excited about.

I read a quote on another blog that really expressed the right kind of attitude to have (and I plan on adopting from now on): "Expect the worse, and hope for the best." :)


My fingers and toes are crossed; hopefully everything turns out well! :D

X <3 O

4 comments:

  1. Ahh! I'm crossing my fingers for you! Cross yours for me that I'll get discovered soon! (My school play's coming up and I have a good feeling about that!) You know what? Forget my fingers! I'm crossing my toes, too! Best of luck to your book!!!!

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  2. Thanks Eileen!
    I am TOTALLY crossing my fingers AND toes for you too! I have a really good feeling that things are going to turn out well for both of us in the future! :)
    Good luck with your school's play!!!! :D

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  3. Best of luck! Yes, I sent my first batch of queries out in early November, and now I won't bother with any more until after the New Year.

    Four isn't a bad number at all. I sent a handful to agents using one style of query, revised, and sent another handful out. I haven't had enough of a response to decide yet whether one letter is better than the other, whether agents simply aren't ready for my story, or what. Heh.

    The waiting is the hardest part. ^.^

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  4. Thank you Wendy!
    I just got my first rejection a couple hours ago (that was quick, right?). *Sigh...that hurt a little more than I was anticipating it would, because it was from the one agent who said he'll respond whether he wants your project or not...but yeah, I'm going keep going though!
    Good luck with all your submissions :)

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