Happy belated new year, all!
I suppose it's worth mentioning that my old computer met its maker over the Christmas holidays- cause of death was hard drive failure and, due to an external hard drive that didn't back up what it was programmed to, I lost my NaNoWriMo novel and about 25 pages of a short story I'd been working on. I'm a bit bummed about it, but otherwise okay- hey, the thing probably needed a rewrite anyway.
I also found out that, while I was computer-less, my query letter was featured on QueryDice, a critiquing blog run by literary agent Lauren Ruth. Naturally, it was horrible- she basically told me that I had no idea what I was doing (and, looking back, I probably didn't), but I respect her all the more for it. Hey, if you're going to tell me that my proposal sucks, then I'd like to know why.... There just isn't enough honesty in this world anymore.
Must....edit....naaoooow.
Showing posts with label Query-whoring. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Query-whoring. Show all posts
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Query-Wh*ring: You're Doing It Wrong!
Okay, so I lied.
Between sleeping, sniffling, and hacking my lungs out, I've been more than a little occupied with things other than my writing. I figure that recovering will give me a bit of a break- at least long enough until my submissions can be considered 'exclusive' again.
Being off from work, of course, I've had time to think about things like query-letters- and the different, conflicting advice that everyone and his/her cat is hitting me over the head with. Looking back on my previous submissions, I've followed each agency's individual guidelines- I even used a template from a bestselling-author's website as a base- and not done anything more or less than what's required: synopses, keeping my rants to less than a page... You name it, it's there. But my novel-writer's-market guide tells me one thing; then, Writer's Digest says something else, and the Writers' Union of Canada, and so on... ad nauseum.
Naturally, I'm beginning to despair more than I should at this point. I realize that it's only 3 weeks into the new year- this means that I still have another 49 (or thereabouts) to find a home for this book, but it's hard not to be disappointed when no one seems to be checking their emails. I was tempted to take my Wall of Awesome/Wall of Rejection signs down today, but I didn't- it would feel too much like admitting failure, and it's too early for that.
As "E" (M's girlfriend) might say: "You can either get a grip on yourself and see this through, or let the negative energy eat you alive- your choice."
Way to go, E.
-
I choose all of the above.
Between sleeping, sniffling, and hacking my lungs out, I've been more than a little occupied with things other than my writing. I figure that recovering will give me a bit of a break- at least long enough until my submissions can be considered 'exclusive' again.
Being off from work, of course, I've had time to think about things like query-letters- and the different, conflicting advice that everyone and his/her cat is hitting me over the head with. Looking back on my previous submissions, I've followed each agency's individual guidelines- I even used a template from a bestselling-author's website as a base- and not done anything more or less than what's required: synopses, keeping my rants to less than a page... You name it, it's there. But my novel-writer's-market guide tells me one thing; then, Writer's Digest says something else, and the Writers' Union of Canada, and so on... ad nauseum.
Naturally, I'm beginning to despair more than I should at this point. I realize that it's only 3 weeks into the new year- this means that I still have another 49 (or thereabouts) to find a home for this book, but it's hard not to be disappointed when no one seems to be checking their emails. I was tempted to take my Wall of Awesome/Wall of Rejection signs down today, but I didn't- it would feel too much like admitting failure, and it's too early for that.
As "E" (M's girlfriend) might say: "You can either get a grip on yourself and see this through, or let the negative energy eat you alive- your choice."
Way to go, E.
-
I choose all of the above.
Monday, January 10, 2011
The Monday Blahs, and Other Sordid Tales of Aspiring Writerdom.
So, today was a total bust.
Today was supposed to have been my day off, and I had planned to spend it researching different agencies (and possibly query-whoring, though I'd best stick to exclusive submissions for now)- sadly, it wasn't meant to be.
I'd been looking forward to today, and I now have absolutely nothing to show for my efforts- what a total disappointment/epic writing fail. Oh, and no emails, either... I'm beginning to suspect that even the spam-bots hate my face.
In the meantime, I'm just praying to things that I don't believe in, and hoping that they give me the energy/patience to see this through.
All hail the Literary gods!
L.
-
Acceptances: 0
Rejections: 0
Manuscript Requests: 0
Today was supposed to have been my day off, and I had planned to spend it researching different agencies (and possibly query-whoring, though I'd best stick to exclusive submissions for now)- sadly, it wasn't meant to be.
I'd been looking forward to today, and I now have absolutely nothing to show for my efforts- what a total disappointment/epic writing fail. Oh, and no emails, either... I'm beginning to suspect that even the spam-bots hate my face.
In the meantime, I'm just praying to things that I don't believe in, and hoping that they give me the energy/patience to see this through.
All hail the Literary gods!
L.
-
Acceptances: 0
Rejections: 0
Manuscript Requests: 0
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