Monotreme l'orange

write a novel (read all 4 entries…)

Progress  — 4 weeks ago

I have sent out 32 query letters to prospective agents.

At present, the tally is 11 “no”s (but some very nice “no”s in the bunch) and I am waiting to hear from 21.

Yesterday, I sent my first e-query. This agent doesn’t accept paper, and I’m happy with that. To show my concern for the environment, I sent my query with recycled electrons. I’m hoping she’ll note the extra care I took and act accordingly.

I have chopped my recent work into digestible bits and submitted it to various literary journals. Following Jenn’s lead, I plan to submit a story to Quay in the next few weeks.

I feel good about the novel I’m trying to get an agent for. The novel I have in draft is more problematic but I hope I can fix the problems with extensive rewrites. We’ll see.

Jul 17, 09:06PM PDT 11 cheers

Comments:

RuthG makes her fitness rewarding

Nice nos

are always promising!

And you need just one yes out of the remaining 21—your odds are good!

Jul 18, 08:09AM PDT | Thread | Respond to this 3 cheers

Monotreme l'orange

Half full?

Well, I was sanguine about this. But now that another day has passed, and no SASE in the mail, the count stands at 0-12-20 (I heard from an email-only query sent yesterday) and I’m freaking out.

I still assume that the remaining 20 queries fit into either extreme: those that are collecting dust in someone’s slushpile whilst they’re away on a well-deserved vacation, and those that are actually getting read (and, I hope, enjoyed!) by my new best agent buddy.

Any insight into this would be appreciated. In my previous life, as a scientist-type writing journal articles and grants, I couldn’t do multiple queries, so I didn’t have this problem.

Jul 18, 04:33PM PDT | Thread | Respond to this 1 cheer

RuthG makes her fitness rewarding

Don't freak out

Twenty remaining queries is a LOT! And most of them probably don’t fit on either extreme. Do let your prospective agent have time for at least a short vacation.

Not that I’m an expert. Years ago, someone said she wanted to represent me & then disappeared—no responses to further e-mails. Good riddance to her, I say. But I need to try again soon.

Jul 19, 02:09PM PDT | Thread | Respond to this 2 cheers

Monotreme l'orange

Over-thinking

I have been accused of over-thinking things, on many occasions, but most recently about this very issue.

Still. “No” from Thursday’s e-query and one in today’s mail, so we’re at 0-13-19.

Round Two begins on Aug 15.

Ruth, you’d be proud of the changes I’ve made since you saw the MS last. It’s really much improved. I keep finding new things that need to be changed, but it has to end sometime, I suppose.

I’ll give it at least 100 queries.

Jul 19, 02:23PM PDT | Respond to this 4 cheers


Monotreme has gotten 11 cheers on this entry.

 

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