>JUST QUERY
>Wow, almost two months since I last posted. I guess those holidays that I swore wouldn’t slow me down, slowed me down.
It’s January 15th — just about the right time to get back into the swing of the normal routine, right? Well, sorta. I’ve got some new things going on that I’ll talk more about later.
Today, I’m talking about submissions. I have a bunch of excuses I could easily (and justifiably) use to delay sending off my next set of queries to the agents one tier down on my list. These include, but are not limited to:
- I’m working full time
- My husband is out of town
- The house is a mess
- There is laundry to be done
- There are bills to be paid
- There is homework to be supervised
- It’s too late (at night)
- I have to get up early tomorrow
- I’m too tired
- I’m PMSing
- I’m just going to get rejected anyway
But, I didn’t focus on those (IMHO very valid) excuses. I just opened my computer, brought up my documents and got started. An hour later, my queries are out, and I feel good about that. It’s a little like exercise–you don’t particularly love it while you’re doing it, but you feel much better after it’s done.
So, just ignore your excuses (no matter how extraordinary, they are) and JUST QUERY.
Total sent: 12
Email Q’s: 8
Mail Q’s: 4
I still have 2 partials and 1 full out to agents, sent first of November. Not quite what I’d consider “written off”, but also not particularly promising. I also still have 2 mailed Q’s that have not received a response yet.
Share your querying progress (or woes).
JUST QUERY
>Wow, almost two months since I last posted. I guess those holidays that I swore wouldn’t slow me down, slowed me down.
It’s January 15th — just about the right time to get back into the swing of the normal routine, right? Well, sorta. I’ve got some new things going on that I’ll talk more about later.
Today, I’m talking about submissions. I have a bunch of excuses I could easily (and justifiably) use to delay sending off my next set of queries to the agents one tier down on my list. These include, but are not limited to:
- I’m working full time
- My husband is out of town
- The house is a mess
- There is laundry to be done
- There are bills to be paid
- There is homework to be supervised
- It’s too late (at night)
- I have to get up early tomorrow
- I’m too tired
- I’m PMSing
- I’m just going to get rejected anyway
But, I didn’t focus on those (IMHO very valid) excuses. I just opened my computer, brought up my documents and got started. An hour later, my queries are out, and I feel good about that. It’s a little like exercise–you don’t particularly love it while you’re doing it, but you feel much better after it’s done.
So, just ignore your excuses (no matter how extraordinary, they are) and JUST QUERY.
Total sent: 12
Email Q’s: 8
Mail Q’s: 4
I still have 2 partials and 1 full out to agents, sent first of November. Not quite what I’d consider “written off”, but also not particularly promising. I also still have 2 mailed Q’s that have not received a response yet.
Share your querying progress (or woes).
>Submission Watch
>
I think everyone is clearing off their desks before the holiday…cause I’m wracking up the rejections. And it’s ever so much easier to use that as an excuse. Although, I have to say, the rejections this time around are a whole lot more positive than they were two years ago when I was doing this.
But, a rejection is a rejection. And, when I’m down in one area, I pick up in another to offset the negative atmosphere.
So…my latest endeavor (along with polishing my entries for the GH, continuing in Karin Tabke’s first line contest, attending plotting workshops and moving forward with my new WIP) has been corraling fantastic instructors for online classes through my new RWA Chapter-Wine Country Romance Writers. We’ve really got a killer line up for 2008 and into 2009. Hope you’ll be able to join us for a few.
And if there is something specific you’d like to take a class on, but can’t find it anywhere, let me know. I’m always open to new ideas.
Have a safe holiday.
Submission Watch
>I think everyone is clearing off their desks before the holiday…cause I’m wracking up the rejections. And it’s ever so much easier to use that as an excuse. Although, I have to say, the rejections this time around are a whole lot more positive than they were two years ago when I was doing this.
But, a rejection is a rejection. And, when I’m down in one area, I pick up in another to offset the negative atmosphere.
So…my latest endeavor (along with polishing my entries for the GH, continuing in Karin Tabke’s first line contest, attending plotting workshops and moving forward with my new WIP) has been corraling fantastic instructors for online classes through my new RWA Chapter-Wine Country Romance Writers. We’ve really got a killer line up for 2008 and into 2009. Hope you’ll be able to join us for a few.
And if there is something specific you’d like to take a class on, but can’t find it anywhere, let me know. I’m always open to new ideas.
Have a safe holiday.
>Submission Watch
>
Things are a bit slow. Typically, right after I send a Q or partial out, I get answers within a few days — either Rs (majority) or, “Would like to see more.”
Now, 3-4 weeks after sending the initial Qs and a few follow-up partials, I’m…yep, you got it…waiting.
It’s been vewy, vewy quiet.
Submission Watch
>
Things are a bit slow. Typically, right after I send a Q or partial out, I get answers within a few days — either Rs (majority) or, “Would like to see more.”
Now, 3-4 weeks after sending the initial Qs and a few follow-up partials, I’m…yep, you got it…waiting.
It’s been vewy, vewy quiet.