Querying
Querying, Querying, Querying…that seems to be the most nerve wracking word when it comes to being a published author. I never understood this until I started querying. The pressure to choose which agents to query first, their submission guidelines, the waiting, the rejections, the list goes on. It can be a suffocating experience if you go down the rabbit hole. There are plenty of videos on YouTube about querying, and they are amazing resources to look at beforehand. I’ve watched every BookEnds Lit, IWriterly, and Alexa Donne videos about querying, and they have all taught me something different about the publishing industry.
Today I sent out my first round of queries and it wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be. I watched Alexa Donne’s querying strategy on YouTube before deciding who to query first. There are so many resources that you can access before you decide who to query, and sometimes it can be overwhelming! I spent my morning looking at agent response times on Query Tracker, then I looked at #MWSL to make sure the agent was still interested in what my genre is, and then last but not least, I checked Publisher’s Marketplace to see the selling history for the agents on my query list.
Once I felt like I had a solid list I went down the rabbit hole of their submission guidelines. Some wanted queries via Query Manager, and some wanted traditional email. I always get so worried with email because there is no tracking on it, but that is the name of the game. Next comes the waiting….and waiting…and waiting…
I’m an impatient person, and if becoming a writer has taught me anything, it’s that good things take time. I thought my first draft was great, and I had written it in four months. After sending it to betas and critique partners, I started realizing that I needed to slow down. I needed to wait for feedback, and in that time I was able to think of more ideas and things to really round out my story. It was in that waiting time that I grew the most as a writer. I cannot stress this enough. It is so important to have critique partners and beta readers read your work before you submit. You want to put out the best product you can, right?!
I wouldn’t have made it this far without the encouragement, constructive criticism, and support of my CP’s and Beta’s. Thank y’all so much!
Anywho, if you are down in the query trenches with me, I am rooting for you! If you are about to query, take a deep breath and dive in! If you are still in the writing process, keep chugging along, you will get there!
As always, if you have any questions or need any prayers, drop a comment! Have a blessed day!
