The Query Journey - Writer's Next Step

 

Book finished, edited every which way and now on to the Query journey. Yay! 

Sure, it's a trial, ego testing, and takes a lot of research. But hey! It's part of being a writer, so I say; Have fun with it. Get to know these gatekeepers. Check out their Query Tracker pages, Websites, Manuscript Wish List, and social media pages. 

I generally do this while the husband watches TV at night since I'm not much of a TV person. 

My first piece of advice is to go to Query Tracker. What a gift this site is to writers. Take a few to watch their videos so you can use the site to the best of your abilities. You can do a free version, but for like $25, you can get so much more. Big plus: You can query most agents right through the QT site. Super easy!

In QT, you can see what genres they rep, how many of what they requested, see their clients, and read comments from others who have sent in a query.  These comments tell you what was rejected, how long it took to get that answer and some people even post the rejection letter. (Is that necessary?) 

When I see an agent on QT that I might want to send my book to I first check the genre. Yep, they accept my kind of book. They I peek at their client list just to make sure they actually rep writers and how big that list is. Not that it's a deal breaker either way but it does give me a little insight. 

Next my favorite research tool in QT; Reports. Here I an set it to Fiction Genre and see how many requests they did for which genres. So if the book I'm trying to get a rep for is Horror. I can see how many requests they did for this genre. If all I see is requests for romance and fantasy, the chances are they're not a fan of too much horror. Will this take them off my list? Not yet. There is more research to be done. 

Read the comments. This part can be surprising. Most are just submitted on this date, rejected that date, or req for full, etc. HOWEVER, some take these slow response times and rejections way too personally and get a little snarky. Please don't do that! Today, they may reject, but tomorrow they may scoop up your next book. 

 There are so many reasons an agent will take a long time to respond. First, their inbox may be overflowing, and they're getting through it as best they can. Second, they might have put your query aside to give it another look. (Yay!) Third, these agents are people with private lives, families, and other agent-y things to do. They assist with R&R for their different clients who have already signed. They need to talk to publishing houses, editors to build relationships. Most attend conferences that help writers. They are very busy people!  

Of course, Query Tracker is only one way to research agents. You can do a web search, type #mswl into any social media platform. Visit their websites and read about which agent is looking for which genre. Do a random search of their names. Check the Writer's Beware site, Publishers Market Place. Look on YouTube. There are many agents and agent interviews on YouTube. My favorite are the Bookends Literary Agency videos. Super informative on how the system works and things writers need to know. 

So while you're waiting for a reply, what do you do? 

• Keep researching other agents to submit to
• Write your next book! (actually, this should be #1)
• Live your life, do fun things
• Relax. Writing is a marathon, and queries are just one part. 

Write on, my friend

Awesome Writer's Group Today!

 If you're a writer, you need a writer's group. Check around in your area and find out where they are. Try them on for size and see what fits you. 

I've done a lot of groups. Some awesome, some not so much. Give them a chance and see what fits. 

In the beginning, I wasn't much of a sharer with my writing. It was just for fun, and I viewed it as personal. As my confidence grew, I evolved into different types of groups. 

Critique group: In most critique groups, you share your work and other writers give their opinions and suggestions. Every group I've been in it was an option if you wanted to read or not. Some groups didn't let new people say anything for the first group which I though was weird. Hey, it's their group. Let it be. 

One critique group I was in, the woman wrote about a man whose truck broke down on a deserted road, and he said the word, "fuck." Two of the men in the group went on for twenty minutes putting down her word. I thought that was wrong, but since it was my first time, I kept my mouth shut. Dialog tells us a lot about the character. Some people use that word. To question if a character will curse in the first chapter? Didn't his use of the word tell us something about him? 

Other writing groups are just writing exercise groups. Where they give you a prompt and you just write. Sometimes it's world-building, journaling, or even passing on the story. (One person writes for 5 mins, passing the sheet, next person does 5 mins, and so on.) Some really creative stuff comes from that exercise. 

Whatever writing group you find, go check it out. Find one that fits. They are your people. 

 Writing groups can be inspiring. 

What to do After Finishing Your Book?

 Aside from the polish, edit, polish, edit, round-a-bout... Take two days off. Let your brain drain and your thinking patterns refresh. After all, being neck deep in the world of your story can be draining. I always feel like I've run a marathon when I finish that final edit. 

So, off it goes into query-land. A place of agents, publishers and hope. Let it fly. 

What now? Your next great story, or course! 

From the one I just sent off to query-land, I've got an idea for a sequel. Part of it already mapped out on paper. Three chapters written. 

The issue with that is, will the agent (Please God, send me that dream agent. 🙏) want a sequel? Will they think it's a good idea? I do. 😺 But on something like this, if the agent does want the first book, I'd listen to them on book 2. 

I have another finished book in the drawer. One I really liked, but my beta reader said it had a bit of head-hopping in it. So that's a major edit overhaul. No prob. It will keep me busy. 

So what did I do today? I worked on both of them. What else? 

Tomorrow I may find another agent to query, while kick out another chapter or two on one of these. 

Or maybe I'll just spend the day painting. It's a stress relief. 

What's your plans? 

Lack of Research. - All my fault!

 When looking for an agent, researching what they want and what they've requested in the past (thank you, Query Tracker!) can be a huge help when you're submitting your work to the right agents. 

One piece of advice I missed? Research them EVERYWHERE! 

I made an agent list on Query Tracker. Those I love and those who fit the genre I'm proposing. No one is really second string. I looked them up, and they all seem to be hard-working, agents who are passionate about their authors and books.

But I didn't look everywhere. Today, I put the names of the ones I didn't think wanted my genre, but who I respected, into a search engine.  WhooooHooo! Lots of stuff came up and there were a few interviews and websites where these agents talked about being open to other genres. 

My genre! 

Now I'm rebuilding my query list. With the thought that John Grisham sent out queries to 100 agents before someone bit for A Time to Kill, there's still a chance...

New Project - 2nd in Series or Something New?

 

Once a book moves off the desk, it's time to figure out what's next. 

While writing Threshold of Midnight, an idea for a sequel came to mind, and I immediately started outlining. Just get those ideas down on paper in case - IN CASE - I want to make the sequel my next project. 

I have 3 other manuscripts finished but not edited. Should I just get them edited and out? Or start the sequel that's on the edge of my mind while those characters are fresh in my mind? 

So I need to pick between these; 

1. Threshold of Tomorrow (Sequel to Threshold of Midnight)

2. Eyes of My Killer (paranormal detective novel)

3. To Be A Patriot (Fight back against the establishment)

4. Lucifer (my oldest manuscript - what if you meet Lucifer?)

Which would you choose? 

Leave a comment

Last Minute Writing Panic

 

After weeks (months?) of editing, re-editing, checking and reading, reading, reading my manuscript. 

It's perfect.                      I think?

No, I put so much time into it. I can still see the pages when I close my eyes. Those characters are still here in the room with me, outside, peeking in my windows. 

What does all this mean? I sent a query!

Actually two. 

After watching agents, book marketing and reviews, I started with two absolute favorites. I've followed their careers, the agency, and their YouTube channels. They're not the only ones I follow, but  I do have great respect for them. There are more on my list  to query in the next few days, but this is a start. 

(Note; If you haven't searched "lit agents" on YouTube, try it! It's a wealth of information on the industry.) 

These are my dream agents. 

If they call, you'll be seeing me dancing down the middle of the street. And maybe the grocery store. 

Later, maybe tomorrow or the next day, I'll send to the next on my list. I know publishing is a long game. Very few jump ahead of the line, and we need to respect the rules. 

Check back for updates! 

Writing Interuptions - How to manage them?

One BIG challenge a writer faces is finding uninterrupted writing time. Those few precious hours when you can shut out the world and just write. A place where words flow and your brain is churning out the perfect story.

One way I found to get more on the paper (or word doc) is to schedule a block of time for writing. A time when the house is quieter, the family is busy with whatever and the animals have been fed and walked. 

Ahhhh, that perfect world. 

Can anyone tell me where to find it??? 

For those of you who believe in the WoooWooo, Aug 8th is the Lion's Gate Portal. A time when the sun in Leo aligns with the star Sirius and the constellation Orion. 

It's a time when you can manifest the best things. The universe is ready for your requests. 

So, I'm in that final edit. I have maybe 20 pages left and today, Aug 8th I was going to send that Query letter out into the Lion's Gate Portal! Yes! Let the planets align and bring positive energy to my work. 

Great plan? 

Maggie Mittens didn't think so. 

I'm sitting on the couch with my laptop, papers and notes spread out all around me, and here comes murder Mittens. She puts that snout on the back of my laptop and flips it closed. 

AAaahahaha!  Open, check the save, did I lose anything? 

"Go lay down, Maggie." She moves away, picks up her chew toy and I get back to work. 

This is good, brain engaged, recaptured the zone, and words are starting to flow again. 

Bam! Laptop lid closed!  Who's little face is there? 

                                        Yeah, this one. -->

"Out? Wanna go out?"  She looks at me and lies down. 

Back to work...the vibe is still there... somewhere. 

Here comes the cat. She thinks the keyboard is some kind of massage bed. Is it the heat from the keyboard? Or is she some kind of critic? And now? Wait! People are texting me.... 

So much for the Lion's Gate Portal. The frustration has me wanting to lock myself in the bathroom. (and don't think I'm so far from it!) 

Tomorrow is the full moon. Any advice on that?