Tuesday, September 22, 2009

And The Beat Goes On.

Two books and eighty-four rejections later, I'm still without an agent. Now I'm getting ready to shop around A TASTE OF LOVE. Am I reluctant to put myself through all the waiting and nail biting? You betcha. But it's the only way to sell my work. Will I feel like slashing my wrists if no one picks up the phone or emails me with the news that I'm the next Lori Foster or Sherrilyn Kenyon? Nope.

The process of querying a book is a bit strange. I've received a rejection less than two minutes after I've sent it out via email. Did they take time to read it? It's a mystery. Some have been curt and to the point. "Sorry, not for me." Others have been encouraging even though they are form letters.

Don't get me wrong, I wonder about each rejection. What was it that made them say no. A bad query letter? Was the writing weak or my voice not strong or unique enough for their particular line? All these factor in and you never know when you get a form letter without any clue to their reason for the rejection. So you keep on going.

There are moments of giddiness when an agent asks to read more of your work. Some will give you a bit of insight if they reject you, again, others just say it wasn't for them. It does'nt matter. You keep sending out your work.

Each rejection is a stepping stone to the future and I have to look at it that way. One of these days I'll have the right book at the right time and then the business of writing will take a different road. I'm looking forward to traveling along that particular path.