Dipping My Toes in the Query Ocean

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?

Comments

Oh, good luck, Jessica!

I'm, well, not querying yet, but this is such an exciting step!
Jessica Nelson said…
Thanks Weronika. :-) I took your advice with the query letter too so hopefully it's stronger. :-)
Tabitha Bird said…
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.
Jessica Nelson said…
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!!!
Jessica Nelson said…
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. :-)
Warren Baldwin said…
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
Jessica Nelson said…
Thank you Warren for the plug. Also for the commiseration. :-)
Good luck and HANG IN THERE.
Terri Tiffany said…
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!!
Jessica Nelson said…
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
Jessica Nelson said…
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.
Jill Kemerer said…
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!
Erica Vetsch said…
Congratulations, Jessica!!!!

Not querying at the moment, but the process will most likely start this fall. :)
Linda Kage said…
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.
Jessica Nelson said…
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!
Jessica Nelson said…
Linda, me too! Uber paranoia...not fun.
Ah well, it's all part of the biz, right? ;-) I hope you get good responses too!
Unknown said…
Good luck! The waiting is so hard, but it's a lot of fun to get requests back.
Dara said…
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...
Elana Johnson said…
Oh, my condolences. There's nothing worse than querying -- and I've had two c-sections.

Good luck!
Cindy R. Wilson said…
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.
Keli Gwyn said…
Kudos to you for getting those queries out there. Here's hoping you receive lots of requests.
Beth Mann said…
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.
Jessica Nelson said…
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*
Jessica Nelson said…
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. :-)
Diane said…
Congrats. It's coming! :O)
Danyelle L. said…
*hugs and good luck cookies*

Waiting stinks, but it makes reaching the goal all the more wonderful.
Jennifer Shirk said…
You go, girl! I'm excited for you!!!
Kara said…
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:)
Susanne Dietze said…
How exciting! Congratulations and I hope something wonderful comes your way very soon -- God's best!
kah said…
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!
Steena Holmes said…
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.
Jessica Nelson said…
Diane, I hope so!

Yum, cookies! Thanks Danyelle. *grin*

Thanks Jennifer. Let's hope the excitement is well-founded! :-)
Jessica Nelson said…
Thank you Kara! :-)

Me too Susanne! God's best sounds pretty good to me.

Karen, of course! The ocean is awesome. lol
Jessica Nelson said…
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.
Angie Muresan said…
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.
Jenny B. Jones said…
Congrats on sending out those queries!!! That's half the battle!
Anonymous said…
Wow, good for you. No guts, no glory.

Way to go.
Good luck on your queries!!!
Jessica Nelson said…
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*
Catherine West said…
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!!
Deb Shucka said…
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.
Jessica Nelson said…
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! ;-)
denise petrovich said…
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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