The Hunt for An Agent Begins Again…Kinda…Maybe Soon.
8-19-24
This has been said a million times by a million writers, so nothing new here, but I dread this every time, the querying process. Even harder than submitting and writing the letters is finding the right agent to pitch to. Hours and hours I spend a day each time I opt to explore the endless pages of the internet on this painful search.
Now, you might be saying to yourself at this point, “boy he really doesn’t like querying”, and you would be right. However, I do enjoy the prospect that someone out there is the right person to represent myself and my books. That alone makes the entire process worth it in my opinion, and even has me at times enjoying it.
Knowing where to look is the hardest part. I hate wasting my time, and often this process makes me feel that way, especially when I’ve spent all day sending out letters only to get back nothing, or the occasional stock no thank you email. Spending the time I could be spending writing always makes me feel bad, but again, I know this is a necessary part of becoming a traditionally published author, so I will do it again and again until I find the right person.
Becoming A Better Writer
Since last I tried to query, which at the time of my writing this has been at least six months (maybe longer), my manuscripts have improved ten-fold. I’ve only ever pitched one of my books—the first one I wrote—THE LIGHTLESS, in the past, but I am slowly inching my way to being ready to pitch an entire trilogy outside of that first novel.
As I am confident that I am getting better at telling stories and crafting prose, I am equally as confident that I’ve gotten that much worse at querying. I received a few tips at a workshop I attended, but I have yet to put those new skills to practice thus far, besides updating my query letter. Furthermore, since then I haven’t even looked at that letter, nor the synopsis for THE LIGHTLESS.
What Will I Pitch and When
As I mentioned above, I believe I will be ready to pitch the first in a trilogy of novels by the end of the year. I am neck deep in the second draft of the third novel, and it still needs a few thousand words. THE LIGHTLESS I may let sit awhile longer, and revisit it in a few months. While I still believe it to be a very strong manuscript, and I’ve already had a few months of not opening it, I may let it sit for a few more months then get back in for another draft. As much as it pains me to have to crack it back open, and to pull out its guts, I know I can make it better. THE LIGHTLESS sits within its own universe separate to the trilogy I’ve written, so soon I should have two books ready to pitch. My novella also hasn’t been touched in months, though it lingers in my mind often, as it begs me for a second draft. That story needs a ton of work, however, as I’ve hardly even edited it at all.
Thanks for reading this little rant/update, and I’ll talk to you all again very soon!
—JMB
