All of our journeys are different. They’re each filled with thunderous highs and heart-shattering lows.
I wrote The End, sent my book off to an editor and beta readers, made some tweaks, and I was ready to be published…Right? No one told me about query letters, synopses, and HOW to get published. To be fair, I didn’t know anyone who’s ever tried to publish a book before.
After a deep dive into a research rabbit hole, I figured out my category (YA) and genre (fantasy/thriller), prepared my query package, and ventured forth. Query Tracker quickly became my lover-to-enemy.
Next came networking.
I met authors at a convention and began infiltrating booktok. I learned about small-press and indie publishing. Everyone’s heard about self-publishing, but the small-press traditional route? That was an idea that piqued my interest the most. On both spectrums, I’ve met some incredible authors, and appreciate the flexibility these options created for all types of creators.
Now you might be saying, hold the f up – what’s the difference between small-, big-, and indie press? I hate to be that person, but this will be a topic for another day.
I submitted my queries fast and hard—anxiety had me pressed with FOMO. I mean, who knows when literary agents will close to submissions? “It only takes one”. This saying became the bane of my querying journey. Well, that and the word “subjective”. I could live happily without hearing either one ever again.
My manuscript received two full requests during my first round of querying, both ending in passes.
I changed my query letter. Then again. And again. Then stopped. It was time to revise. I revised the book for a couple months, polished up the synopsis, changed my query letter one more time, and jumped back in. Once again, anxiety was winning. I had hired someone to critique my manuscript, but the edits wouldn’t arrive in my mailbox until a handful of agents closed for the summer.
Now, almost a year since I began my journey to publishing, I’m powering through these edits. With wonderful feedback from agents, I know my manuscript is closer to where it needs to be to land me an agent. I’m still querying and as soon as this revision is done, I’ll begin writing another book.
Never give up, and always shoot your shot.
~JDizzle
