The path to traditional publishing is a slow burning fire. In the U.S. and maybe elsewhere, (I imagine each country has its own rules), if you decide to take the traditional path, you first need to query an agent. Once you’re offered representation, the agent will then sell your book to a publishing house, and that’s how you get a book deal. You have to decide whether you want to go through all that or just self-publish. That is your choice, but if you do choose the conventional path, querying becomes a required (and dreadful) step.

I decided in December to start querying agents for my young adult fantasy novel. The novel has been edited and proofread and is ready to go. We, writers, know how difficult writing a book is and what the struggles are. It does take a mountain, a village, and all the rest of the land to make it happen. Then, I’ve also heard authors say that writing a book is only half the battle. Let’s say that after a month of querying, I’m starting to understand what they meant.

 

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Querying an agent:

May the waiting game begin

 

 

What querying means to me

 

Writing a book is pouring your heart out on paper, and letting agents read your manuscript is showing the world a part of your soul. This is really scary. You feel vulnerable and pray/hope that someone who doesn’t know you will love your work enough to sell it to publishing houses. There is nothing easy about this part. Now, please keep in mind that I’m at the beginning of the process, so my view is limited, but here is my feeling about it so far.

 

Slow process

When you send your query letter to an agent, the standard message is that it will take anywhere from four to eight weeks for them to reply. Some even state that if you don’t hear back, it basically means no. When do you consider the answer to be a no? That is a good question. I would say that a good rule of thumb is to move on after two months, but this is an arbitrary opinion based on what I’ve seen so far.

 

Now, agents are busy like hell. I’ve had the chance to meet a few of them at a writing conference, and they gave excellent advice that I will try to list for you in another post. They receive anywhere from 100 to 300 requests a day. No one can read that many pages at once. So, I understand the lengthy process. They have legitimate reasons not to get back to you ASAP. However, there are situations where it does happen, but you need to befriend luck and timing for the most part (considering you have a solid story to sell).

 

Even though I knew they were busy, I couldn’t help but check my inbox every hour the first week. Then, at least twice a day (spam folder included)… and it drove me insane. The wait was slowly killing me even though I’ve queried only about 10 agents. I’m merely at the beginning of the process, and half of the agents responded within two weeks. I consider myself lucky. I’ve also received a couple of personalized answers, which made me feel good, but the process is really slow. You can’t help how you feel. It’s normal.

 

 

Self-doubt

The problem that comes with the wait is self-doubt. It creeps on you slowly, and as the rejection letters pile up, the self-doubt spirals out of control. You start thinking that maybe your book is not good enough despite the passion you felt about it only a day before. Maybe the writing is terrible, the characters not well-developed… (insert whatever horrible things you can think of.)

 

Here are some things I have to remind myself about a few times.

• The first 10 pages must be nothing less than outstanding. Just because an agent passes on your book does not mean the whole book is terrible.
• Everyone has different tastes, and what works for one may not for another.
• This industry is very subjective, and this is not personal.
• The difference between a successful author and an unpublished author is persistence. Do not let yourself get discouraged.
• Finally, I have on my desk a list of how many rejection letters famous authors received before getting published, and it reminds me that I have a long road ahead of me.

 

 

Need for rewriting

At times, an agent may give you some pointers. You are always free to listen or not. It’s your call. Sometimes you need another opinion to help you decide. Now, I did say that I’ve received a couple of personalized replies, and I took their feedback very seriously. I read them and talk about it with my editor and beta readers. I’m not changing the content, but I fixed the couple of things they mentioned. I’ll be ready for a new round very soon. The wait is unbearable, but I look forward to this new round.

 

 

What to do during the wait

 

Attend seminars if you can.

I found that being surrounded by other writers who understand your struggles fuels your motivation. In October, I attended the Writer’s Digest’s writing conference in Pasadena, California. This was my third time going, and there is something incredible that happens every time I join. I always come back with this urge to write even more. Attending writing conferences is very important for your improvement as a writer.

 

The classes are very educational. I’ve learned a lot—from how to structure a novel to how to give life to a character or even to write a fight scene. I met a wonderful group of women there who are so passionate and fun to be around. They made the whole experience even better. I also had the chance to meet agents and published authors who discussed the industry standards and what to expect. It’s invigorating and very helpful. I highly recommend that you attend one of these conferences if you can.

 

 

Do something else.

Sometimes the mind needs to rest or be distracted. Do something fun. Celebrate.

 

You know how much you have invested in this writing endeavor, and sometimes, you need a break. Take it, and get your mojo back. Writing is hard, but it should be fun too. Your brain needs to rest because the more you forget about your work in progress or your finished manuscript, the better your thinking and your ability to spot errors become. Your mind stops focusing on your book long enough for you to have a somewhat fresh pair of eyes when you return to it. The best favor you can do to yourself is to take some distance with your work before editing. You need it!

 

 

Read.

Read a good book. Let the magic of the words transport you. Relax. You can also read blog posts from other writers. I find them inspiring, and seeing them makes me realize that I’m not alone in this.

Take a look at this post from K.M. Allan. Congrats again to her. She finally received a well-deserved offer, but it wasn’t without a sweat. We all go through a lot as writers, and she is a beautiful example.

These shares can give you some confidence and heal your poor heart.

 

 

Continue writing.

Finally, start writing again. Start a new project, or edit a work in progress; [tweet_dis]practice makes us better writers.[/tweet_dis] There is no way around this one. Sit back, and bleed your soul on paper! Discipline, consistency, and practice are a must for improving your writing skills. Make writing a habit!

 

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I’ll let you know how the next round goes, and if you have any tips or want to share your experience, please feel free to comment. I’d love to hear about your take on this. Again, I’m only at the beginning, so anyone with tips is more than welcome to share. No writer is or has to be truly alone.

 

 

Until next week… Happy writing!

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