Well, I've done it.
Sent out five queries for a story that's been waiting patiently to be released. I'd forgotten how horrible the waiting feels, and it's only been a few days!
Are any of you querying right now? Care to share in my sweaty palms and dreadful imaginings? When was the last time you queried?
50 comments:
Oh, good luck, Jessica!
I'm, well, not querying yet, but this is such an exciting step!
Thanks Weronika. :-) I took your advice with the query letter too so hopefully it's stronger. :-)
Oh wow. GO GIRL!
I have not queried yet. Bu I am planning to by the end of this year. I will be just as nervous as you I am sure.
I really hope it turns out well Jessica :)
My publishers has this wonderful series about a small town called the "Mossy Creek" series - they invited me and few of their other authors to submit for the next book in the series. They only have a few slots, so it's not a guarantee - so, waiting to hear!
Good Luck on your submits! Good for you and congrats!
Almost two years ago for my first novel.
I'm on #4 now. I can't decide whether I'll shoot some out before the conference in Sept. or just wait to pitch then.
I'm thinking of you. I know that is a fragile time.
~ Wendy
Good luck! I hope to start querying by the end of June. I'm almost finished with my revisions, but still need to polish my summary a bit.
I'm terrified, but keep telling myself "what do I have to lose?" Nothing.
Thanks Wendy. :-) It is fragile starting out, but I think once I have some requests/rejections under my belt, I'll be okay. I would query before the conference, but that's just me. I hope you garner some interest!
Oooh, Kathryn, I'll be thinking of you! They invited you though, so that's always hopeful. :-)
Tabitha, wow, you're getting close!!!
Charity, I hear you! You're right, we might lose the opportunity for now only to sell a book, but that doesn't even mean the book won't sell in the future. Still, it's scary, but if we don't do it then how can we ever sell, right?
I hope the querying goes well for you! Good luck with that summary. :-)
Jessica,
About two years since I queried. Not fun, is it? But I understand why it is a necessary part of the process. Good luck and God bless on your process.
Note: I put a little plug on my blog for your blog, in reference to your comments on the book. Thanks.
wb
Thank you Warren for the plug. Also for the commiseration. :-)
Good luck and HANG IN THERE.
So glad you sent some more out! You know I have and I hate the waiting. I tell myself all kinds of things but then try not to think about any of it. I will pray that you hear WONDERFUL news!!
Thanks Caroline!
Terri, I hope wonderful things for you too! :-)
Yes, waiting is the hardest thing in life, almost. Being on a diet, having a sick kid or parent, and losing a friend can be worse. I feel for you, and pray for positive results.
Love,
Jen
Thanks Jeanette. You're right. This is really a small thing and though it's hard, I'm glad it's all I'm waiting for right now. Very thankful, actually.
Well, I've never sent out one of those "big" queries, of the novel-length book proposal type, but I have sent out story submissions, and I know what it's like to wait in suspense for those. Even though they are "little," I still want them to succeed, and it is painful when they don't, and wonderful when they do.
During the "waiting" time, I just have to keep writing on other projects and keep hoping.
Someday I'll be brave and send out something bigger.
Querying is ALWAYS stressful! The only way for me to stay sane is to keep working on a new project and distract myself as much as possible.
Hope you get terrific news!
Congratulations, Jessica!!!!
Not querying at the moment, but the process will most likely start this fall. :)
Yep, I'm querying too. I keep wondering...did they get everything okay? Did I forget to include something, like the synopsis? Ugg. This is exciting, but also nerve-wracking.
Good luck on getting your news back.
Tyrean, good advice for me to work on something else. :-) I think you're brave already for sending out stuff for "little" stories. They count just as much, I think.
Thanks Jill. :-) I def. need to start distracting myself!
Erica, you still send out queries? I guess you have to write them up for your agent who then sends them out? Or something? Either way, good luck!
Linda, me too! Uber paranoia...not fun.
Ah well, it's all part of the biz, right? ;-) I hope you get good responses too!
Good luck! The waiting is so hard, but it's a lot of fun to get requests back.
Good luck! Will be looking forward to hearing some good news soon!
I'm not at the querying stage yet but I hope to be there by September/October. It would be sooner if I was able to get all the research I needed :P Me and my silly obsession with historicals set in other cultures...
Oh, my condolences. There's nothing worse than querying -- and I've had two c-sections.
Good luck!
Lol about Elana's comment :)
I sent out queries earlier this year and the waiting was hard. I'm still waiting to hear back on a full. It's not too bad until I start to think about it--that's when time passes really slowly.
I'm excited for you, though! All the best with your querying.
Kudos to you for getting those queries out there. Here's hoping you receive lots of requests.
Not ready to query yet, but when I do I'm sure I'll be right where you are! Best of luck!
Good Luck Jessica! I am not ready for that side of things yet.
Thanks Glynis, Beth and Keli! I appreciate you guys. :-)
Cindy, I'm both laughing and cringing at Elana's comment too! Ouch. I hear you on the full. I've had one out since Feb. and waiting is just....*shudder* But it's also exciting, you know? I hope you hear soon on the manuscript! Something good too. :-)
Thanks Elana! I'll take your word for it and stick with the other types of deliveries. *grin*
Thank you, Julie! And you're right, getting requests is awesome!
Dara, what is it with you and other places, huh? LOL I hope you get to visit one of your settings someday. :-)
Congrats. It's coming! :O)
*hugs and good luck cookies*
Waiting stinks, but it makes reaching the goal all the more wonderful.
You go, girl! I'm excited for you!!!
Jessica this is wonderful! Good luck and I'll be praying for your story to find a home. And way to go in getting it out there:)
How exciting! Congratulations and I hope something wonderful comes your way very soon -- God's best!
Yay!!!! So excited for you. And of course, I love that made it an ocean themed post.
Sending good get-an-agent-fast vibes your way. :)
I am oh-so-close!! :-)
Have a great weekend!
I have a little secret. I have a bowl of chocolates hidden in my desk. For every rejection letter I get I eat some. It helps the whole 'let down feeling'. I also have a few gift cards for Dairy Queen - so for every 'yep, I'm interested' I go get a blizzard (can you see a pattern here???) I have 3 out on partials right now.
Diane, I hope so!
Yum, cookies! Thanks Danyelle. *grin*
Thanks Jennifer. Let's hope the excitement is well-founded! :-)
Thank you Kara! :-)
Me too Susanne! God's best sounds pretty good to me.
Karen, of course! The ocean is awesome. lol
Oooh, Shannon! Really? I hope you blog about it, or maybe you already have? I'll check it out...
Steena, that's an awesome idea!!! Love it and wish I had a DQ nearby.
Best wishes and blessings to you, Jessica. That's how it is, I guess. The waiting causes so much nervous tension. I haven't queried yet, but am not far from it. Thinking of you.
Congrats on sending out those queries!!! That's half the battle!
Wow, good for you. No guts, no glory.
Way to go.
Good luck on your queries!!!
Ack, Tina. Trust me, there's lots of guts: churning, nauseous ones! LOL
Thanks CMOM!
Thanks Angie. :-)
Jenny, let's hope it's half the battle. *grin*
Good for you!! I hate queries and synopsis writing just about kills me every time. Fortunately now that I have an agent, I don't have to send out those initial queries, but I still have to work on book proposals, and YES the synopsis. As much as I try to bribe her with champagne, chocolates and free trips to Bermuda, she will not write my synopsis for me. It sucks, but there you go. Keep us posted!!
Good for you! Keep yourself busy so the waiting becomes invisible. I haven't queried since last fall. It's such a hard process, but it means you're a real writer. That's cool.
LOL Catherine! For a free trip to Bermuda, I might write up your synopsis. *grin* Thanks for stopping by and making me smile.
Deb, I'm trying to stay busy...kind of. I've kind of been procrastinating on the manuscript I finished. Not too good to admit, I guess. But I do feel like a real writer, so like you say, that's cool! ;-)
I am so proud of you. Remember to put your trust in God and not man and he will work out your path. You are doing awesome and so good at what you do. Love Me :)
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