The Joys and Pains of Query Letters

As you know by now I’ve written three YA novels, the first I’ve deemed ‘not ready’ and the other two of which I have been seeking representation for. I began the whole query process roughly a year ago. It came back with all rejections for months, and then in the summer I got a requested full. I finished writing my next book while I waited for news to come back.

Unfortunately, being a literary agent is a very busy and stressful job, and the agent fell behind on reading through submissions and news still hasn’t come. That’s okay, I understand. I was beyond excited to get that full request in the first place. It gave me hope and a push to keep trying. I could wait. But I decided to start sending out more letters in the meantime, this time for newest manuscript.

Again, let the rejections roll. Then I started hearing about pitch contests on Twitter (as you also know by previous posts) and I participated in three of them. I received 3 favorites, 2 favorites, and 6 favorites for each pitch party (which means the agent/editor requested a partial of my material). Out of those 11, so far I have received 4 rejections, 1 full request, 2 I’m still waiting to hear back on, and the rest I decided not to send to because it felt like the wrong fit for me. So I know. I know how hard it is to wait, what it’s like to be rejected, how it feels to get a request, and all the crazy what-ifs that run through your head, both good and bad. Here are some tips to keep in mind if you’re at this same, crazy stage.

Don’t let the rejections kill your spirit. I know it hurts. You just want someone out there to believe in your work. You know how when you check your email on your phone or device you can usually read the first couple of sentences before you even open the letter? I got to the point where if I saw the word “unfortunately” in those first couple lines I already knew what the rest of the email was: a pass. And yes it got increasingly harder to shrug it off the more I received, and yes I began questioning myself. Was I not ready? Am I not good enough after all? Should I just give up? No, no, and no. You MUST believe in yourself. You MUST keep trying. If you put in the work, believe in your writing, and create the best project you can then somewhere down the line your time will come.

Don’t compare yourself to other aspiring writers. Don’t hate them for their success. You might hear of another writer getting a request, an offer, or even a publishing deal. It will probably sting a little. You might wonder why them and not you? Maybe they haven’t been at it as long as you have. Maybe you think your writing is better. Seeing another writer’s dreams come true while yours are still unrealized can make you question your self-worth. Don’t do that. Be happy for that writer. You know how hard this is. We’re in this together. Their success does not in any way make you a failure.

I won’t tell you to have patience. I know that’s impossible. But don’t obsess. I know how nerve-racking it is to check your email and wonder if today might be the day there’s good news waiting in your inbox. I know how one week can feel like one month and one month can feel like half a year. But you can’t stop living in the meantime. You can’t stop writing. You can’t focus solely on what may or may not happen when you could be focusing on making things happen. Start a new manuscript. Become a critique partner or beta reader to give back to others. Write some short stories. Don’t stop creating.

The query process is full of ups and downs. It can raise you up or tear you down if you let it. It requires you to strike a balance between remaining realistic and holding onto hope. I know it’s hard to put yourself out there and put your dream in the hands of someone else. I know it’s equally exciting and crushing. But it’s necessary if this is the route you want to go with your work. And it is worth it. I’ve been doing this a year, and I’m not ready to give in yet.

I remain hopeful.

I believe.

What are your experiences with query letters and requests? How do you handle the ups and downs? Reply below!

A Day of Disappointment and Excitement

It’s been an up and down day on the writing front. Well maybe a couple of days. Do I give you the good news or bad news first? Well, technically there doesn’t have to be any bad news. It’s all in how you choose to look at it. I’m working on that.

So there was this contest I spoke of briefly called #PitchWars. Basically writers submitted a query and five pages to four possible mentor picks. They were notable authors and people in the writing industry. If chosen they would then mentor you for a few weeks and then in January, with your polished MS and query letter, you submit to a wonderful array of known agents for the agent round. The mentors work with you and your novel to give you the best chance for scoring an agent. Basically the grand prize could be requests for your work and possible representation leading to a publishing contract.

Unfortunately, I was not chosen in the mentor round. I was prepared for that. So many wonderfully talented people entered the competition, and only so many can be picked. It was fun following the feed on Twitter and meeting new people. It was encouraging to put myself out there like that. All four of the mentors I submitted to gave me personalized feedback on why they passed, and I’m grateful for that.

So how am I taking the news?

*I’m disappointed, of course, but not discouraged; I’ll keep trying.

*I’m kicking myself for not changing a few things in my initial query/sample pages. I think I could have had a better shot. But this is how we learn. We can’t always know what’s right, and being given feedback from respected authors is a priceless tool in improving and moving forward.

*I’m sad none of my mentor picks requested more pages before deciding like they did with other authors. Maybe if they’d read just one page more their minds could have been changed or their connection grown stronger. But that falls on me for not making sure my first few pages accomplished just that. Remember that post I wrote on the importance of first pages? I could stand to listen to my own advice.

Overall, the people who were chosen deserve it; they are talented writers and the mentors really championed for them. I’m happy to say I was a part of this community and learned the things I did. Rejection always hurts. But we grow and we move on. It’s actually made me want to dive into writing again, and that’s always a good side effect.

The good news this week?

I placed second in a small short story competition between other writers at my university. There was no prize other than bragging rights, so here. I’ve bragged. Seriously though, I haven’t done many writing competitions, and it was cool to place and know my story was received well among the judges.

The even better news?

All the authors involved in the charity anthology got a sneak peek of the finished product today. It looks amazing. Seeing the table of contents with all the author names and story titles was really satisfying. Then the stories themselves and the author bios at the end made me proud to be among these people for this awesome cause. There are some great stories in there, and we are all excited to share them with you and give back to those affected by the Sandy Hook tragedy. It goes on sale on Amazon on December 23^rd.

So yeah there were some good and bad moments lately, but really they were mostly good. One rejection doesn’t mean I’ll never be accepted. One contest isn’t my only option out there. I learned a lot and was included in something special. If writers quit and gave in after receiving one rejection then no one would be an author. It’s part of it. And even though you’re reading a response that says you aren’t being pursued further and you know that’s disappointing, there is good amongst that rejection too. It tells you how to improve. It gives you reason to persevere. It gives you hope that maybe the next one will be a yes. So don’t give up. I haven’t yet. Writing means too much to me to let it go.

Have you experienced rejection in the writing world? How did you react? Reply below!