Waiting Game


It's been years since I've queried.

And I guess I forgot how time consuming it can be. What with the research--who's the perfect agent for this? Okay, who are the perfect fifty agents for this? Who had comments left on Query Tracker today? Are there any updates I need to research?

Then you have to write the query letter and try to find some sort of informational tidbit that you can use to personalize it toward one of the fifty agents. I actually used the fact that we both enjoy the music stylings of Lily Allen in one of my queries. Jury's still out whether that will be a selling point in considering my ten pages.

And now comes the waiting part.

The last time I queried a novel it was done via snail mail.

Told you it'd been a while.

And there's one--and only one--way that I like that better. The mail comes once a day. Way less time consuming.

I'm now checking email on my computer, on my phone at work, at stop lights. I've become obsessed to see "re:query" in my inbox.

I tell myself, "No news is good news" and "It's good--they're considering.." I'm not sure if I'm right or simply delusional.

Nine queries out, one form rejection, eight to go.
Time to check my email.

Comments

  1. So much of our career time is spent in "hurry up and wait." I don't think it improves with time, either!

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  2. LOL.

    I hate the query process. And since I'm a "tad" obsessive, checking my email is exhausting.

    Good luck on the queries, and start the next book, M. It helps.

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  3. I hate the hurry-up-and-wait of this business...Ms. Impatience over here. Good luck with the queries, though...

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  4. Best of luck with the querying process. Keep us posted!

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  5. So, nine queries out, two form rejections, seven to go. LOL. Time to put out a few more queries ;)

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  6. This is the part I hate most. The waiting. But D'Ann is right, start the next book. Good luck!

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  7. I hate the query process. So much of our time as writers is spent waiting, waiting and more waiting. It's demeaning and awful IMO. But it is part of the process unfortunately. What's really bad is when an editor tells you, Oh, yeah, I read your proposal but I haven't had a chance to get back to you--after you have been waiting for 18 months and they knew that! An editor you've known for years...

    Sorry for the vent. This blog hit a tender spot with me today.

    Cher

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  8. Love your blog! So so true. Good luck with your queries, hope you're posting an acceptance blog soon!

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