Queries Queries Queries

I am sick to my stomach because I'm so nervous. I've been researching agents, reading their websites, scanning their blogs, trying to find my perfect match, and then offering myself to them.

It's crazy how something as short as 250 words can make or break it on whether an agent is interested in reading more about my finished book.

I really want to reward myself for putting myself through this nerve wracking experience, but I don't know what to get for me.

Any suggestions?

Onward and hopefully Upward

Yesterday I crafted the best query letter I could, (I'd actually written it long before, but tightened it up and polished it til it shined) I corrected my synopsis, and made double sure my first chapter had absolutely no problems and then I did something scary.

I sent them out to AGENTS! Now I've been told that agents really are nice people and that I really want to have one of them on my side, helping me get my manuscript in the hands of the people in charge, but I must say it was a scary thing. I was pretty nervous about sending them since the last time I sent out my submissions resulted in all no's. I did get a few who said, Hmm, sounds interesting, please let me see some sample pages... To which I eagerly sent them. Then still came back as no thank you's but it was encouraging that I got to the next step of them requesting pages.

I have yet to have anyone request a full, but since I have spent the last year really improving this story, I'm hoping that this round will result in a few of those.

Who knows, I may even have someone say they like it. That is what I'm hoping for, but now that the submission process on Eye on Orion has begun, I'm really going to dig back into the next project. I've got a great idea for a fight scene with knives. Gonna go play with that.

Until next time.

Laura

More of those fun edits.

I've been slowly but surely getting the last little changes made in my manuscript, but it seems to be taking a long time.

I must say the editing part isn't as fun as the rush you get when you write a new scene, or get a fantastic idea of what to write, but it is also important. More important than the original words you write because they are the last ones. The ones that other people will see.

I want them to think I'm much better at this than I really am. And to do that, I've got to make those fun fun fun edits.

That is what is on the plate today. I will do it.

Where is my mind?

My mind is not on my manuscript that it should be on. Instead it is on the one I "finished" that I need to go over one more time and do some fixes that were suggested to me by a good friend who read my story.

I've got one of those dreaded sagging middles. Luckily, it is only about 2 chapters that need some help, and just a couple of things to tighten places up. But now I have to decide if I focus my creative energy on the old manuscript so I can get it ready to send out, or to work on my Work In Progress since I kind of have the idea of where to go on it. Plus my goal was to get it done by the end of February. Seriously, I should have time to do both of them if I'd organize my time better, but I sure do a lot of other "Important" things that take away from my writing time even though it is my special time I set asside just for me and writing.

HMMMM things to think about.

BUT I also want to work on a totally different thing that I had written the first chapter to about a year ago before I got the brilliant idea of the current WIP took over my mind.

Oh the horror. So many options and so much time and such a lazy me.

Gonna get on it right now. (as soon as I post this link to FB so I can have everyone know that I can't motivate myself to write.)

WOW, so it has begun again. Another year, another round of goals and resolutions. I don't plan to do anything so silly as lose weight, infact, I plan to gain some. :) More on that later.

Anyway,
My goal for myself as a writer is to send out my finished manuscript. To do that, I must first send out awesome query letters and get fabulous agents interested in looking at my manuscript.

My second goal is to finish the project I have in the works. I'm figuring I'm about halfway done with it now, so I plan to get the first draft done by the end of February. To do that I must take the time to write in it every day, and instead of beating it to death after each chapter I write, I'm going to just write it out and finish the dang thing. Then I'll do some massive readings and edits and fix all the stuff that needs it.

I also have a goal to still be a sane person and make it so my husband who supports me in all this won't regret supporting me. I love that man.

So there it is. It's writen down for all the vast world to see. Those are my beginning writing goals this year. I'll add more as I get these done, but I think they are doable, and that is the first step in being successful. Pick something you can do.

Laura