A solid year has passed. I queried my freaking heart out guys. I entered pitch contests, paid for query critiques (which I don’t recommend), critique swapped maybe 50 times, submitted my query package to a popular podcast, and died a little inside only to be renewed time and time again.
Oh, and no, I haven’t signed with an agent. What I did though was gain priceless experience that will help me get the next book out into the world. I have high hopes.
I also gained quite the community by agreeing to read for other writers, mostly found on #writingcommunity on Twitter and Moms Who Write on Facebook. This community includes critique partners, beta readers, cheerleaders, editors, agents, and friends. Without them I would have had a dismal querying package and would have undoubtedly given up long ago.
It would be impossible to put all of the highs and lows of year one into one blog post so here are a few highlights (and lowlights.. is that a thing?):
– I sent the shittiest query letter EVER to around 30 agents in the first 2 months (I HAVE REGERTS!)
– Got a full request from a sure fire shmagent which was a bummer to say the least
– Entered #RevPit and didn’t even make a single shortlist or 10 queries
– Gave up on querying full stop. Then started it again three days later.
– Had the honor of hearing Carly Watters from PS Literary Agency and The Shit No One Tells You About Writing podcast read and critique my query and first pages on Books with Hooks
– Had so many no responses and form rejections I could paper a dank a little bathroom with them
– Wrote an entire paranormal romance inspired by Twilight, Major League Baseball, and Eric Northman but refused to make any reference to vampires
– Began writing the book that just *might* be the one to land me an agent
Overall, a year ago I thought to myself, I’ll set a goal and I will query for one year and then I will self-publish. Well it turns out I will not be self-publishing and I will probably send another query or two on this heart book of mine. Also, next time querying will be easier and dare I pray, more successful. I learned invaluable lessons and will trod on as a writer of books and sender of emails into the void.
The Neophyte Novelist 