Scary!

So this week I've been jumping back on the query band wagon, sending out queries to agents, publishers, etc. But can I just tell you, I've forgotten how absolutely terrifying sending out a query is? Putting yourself out there for rejection sucks. It really, really sucks.

Oh! You say you don't know what a query is? I forget that this isn't a term most people use in everyday conversations (unless you're a crazy writer, such as myself). A query is basically a letter you send out to a publisher or a literary agent, asking if they might be interested in seeing your work. Sounds fun, no? Then, based on your query letter, the agent and/or publisher decides if they want to see a partial or full manuscript. And only if after reading your partial or full they decide they like your work, they will decide to represent you (literary agents) or publish you (publishers). So, a query is the first of many steps to getting published.

So your query has to be practically perfect in every way (like Mary Poppins). It is a representation of you and your writing skills. That query letter basically holds your future.

Sound scary yet? I hope so, because then you can appreciate how I'm feeling. Most queries today are done over e-mail. They're called e-queries. So a few days ago I went through my list of agents and publishers I've gathered over the last few months and picked one to send a query to. Just one, measly little query. After I had everything typed up in the email, pasted the prologue to my book in the body of the email, triple checked the recipients name (you'll understand why I do this after I tell you my mortifying story of the first query I ever sent), and then included my contact information, I just stared at the screen. Did I really want to send this? Did I really want to put myself through this kind of rejection . . . again? I hadn't sent a query out for a few months at this point. Was it really worth it? Is seeing my blood, sweat, and tears in print really worth all this anxiety?

Yes. Yes it is! This is what I've been working towards for three years of my life. I didn't stay up until all hours of the morning writing, daydream about my characters in class, and miss out on huge social events to get this thing down on paper just to quit now. I mean, I wrote the book. That's the hardest part, right?

So, with that in mind I hit send. I still haven't heard back yet. Waiting is probably the hardest part. Waiting sucks.

But, I have to say I've learned a lot. From my first query to this one I sent a few days ago, I feel I've made truck loads of improvement. Maybe one day I'll post my query letter on here. . . . But probably not. ;)

The first query letter I ever sent was to an agent named Maya Rock at Writer's House. The thing is, as I was typing up my query on the computer I put in the name of the editor at a publishing house called Shadow Mountain (they are my dream publisher, so naturally I addressed it to them). But when I copy and pasted it into the email, I forgot to change the name from Ms. Mangum to Ms. Rock. So the very first thing Maya Rock reads from me is "Dear Ms. Mangum". Gah. I shudder just remembering.

However, she was very sweet in her rejection, never mentioning my fumble. But it was still a rejection.

Then, a few weeks later I sent a query to Mr. Josh Getzler of Writer's House. Writer's House is the big league agents. I'm talking, Stephenie Meyer agents. Josh is a junior agent (he is NOT Stephenie's agent. I'm not that crazy), so I figured he was safe to send to. Here's the rejection he sent back. See if you can identify what's wrong with it that made me really, really mad. :)


June 16, 2009

Dear Mr. Guy,

Thank you for your query regarding The Elements. (Here's my little commentary. I realize The Elements, is a really lame title, which is why it's now called The Elements: Secrets of the River.)

I’m sorry, but I am afraid that your project does not seem like one we could successfully represent at this time, but I hope you succeed in you search for appropriate, enthusiastic representation.

Best of luck to you!

Sincerely,

Josh Getzler

Junior Agent


Anybody catch it? No? I'll give you a hint. It's right after the date and just before "Thank you for your query". Do you see it now?

MR. Guy. MR! Do I look like a MR Guy to you? MR. Guy is my father, my uncles, and a few of my cousins. I am not Mr. Guy!

Grr. That made me so mad when I read it. I was almost glad he'd rejected it since apparently he's the type of agent who can't tell the difference between Aaron the boy and Erin the girl. I wouldn't want such an incompetent agent. At least, that's what I thought to cover up the hurt of my fourth rejection.

So yeah. Querying stinks. It stinks like moldy cheese left out in the sun. But, it's a necessary part of the road to getting published, along with all the rejections. I'm learning to be tough skinned. I'm also learning that The Elements: Secrets of the River, may not be my first book I get published. In fact, it probably won't. That's why I have to keep writing, keep getting my ideas into book form, and then one of them will find the right agent or publisher. I just have to keep believing and never give up.

My Plan

Alrighty friends, here's the deal. Remember how I'm so bad? (If you don't remember, kindly read the last post.) Well, I've finally come up with a plan to help me cure this. It's a plan so radical, so daring, so out there, that I'm pretty sure it's illegal in at least 5 states.

I've made myself a schedule.

There, I said it. I made a schedule. This schedule is something I am going to follow to the letter in order to help myself go to class every single day. Never again will I be the victim of sleeping in so late that I miss all my classes and barely wake up in time to go to work. Never again will I miss vital information, crucial to my midterms. Never again will I miss class this semester. That is my solemn vow and I expect your full support in my endeavour.

. . . . . . . Wow. That was a bit dramatic, wasn't it? Seriously thought, I've been toying around with the idea of writing down a schedule for myself to follow that will help me get all the things I want to done while saving my grades and my scholarship (yeah, my missing school has gotten to the point where I'm worried about losing my scholarship).

So, here is my schedule in all of it's freshly plotted, scheduly glory.

Monday/Wednesday/Friday Schedule

• 7:30- Wake Up
• 8:10- Leave for History
• 10:10- Leave for Astronomy
• 11:30-1:30- Homework, piano, write, read, etc.
• 2:00- Work (where I can read, do homework, write, etc, etc.)
• 8:00-9:00- TV, relax, read write, etc.
• 9:00-9:30- Exercise
• 9:30- Shower, get ready for bed, read scriptures, etc.
• 10:00- Go to bed

Tuesday/Thursday Schedule

• 8:00- Wake Up
• 8:40- Leave for Human Development & Music of World Cultures (this class equals DEATH!)
• 11:30-1:00- Piano, write, homework, etc.
• 1:10- Leave for Institute
• 2:30-9:00- Piano, write, read, homework, relax, etc.
• 9:00- Shower, get ready for bed, read scriptures, etc.
• 10:00- Go to bed

There you have it. That is my new schedule. You know, as I look at it, I realize I actually have A LOT of free time. Several hours worth, actually. So I don't know why I feel the need to stay awake until three in the morning doing things. I feel confident that I can get all the things I need/want to get done in those little windows of opportunity.

So, how is school going anyways you ask? It's going okay, despite my frequent sluffing ways. I still manage to do well on my tests. Well, on most of my tests. I had my Music of World Cultures midterm this week and I did not do so well. BUT, in my defense I don't think I would have done well on it even if I had gone to class last week. All of those questions are just so hard! There's so much information you have to know. I go to that class and I feel like I'm just having information shoved at me the whole time. It's an information dumping fest and none of it sticks to me. So, yeah. I'm a bit worried about that class. Hopefully I do better on the final and don't fail that class miserably.

And, I know I promised to update on how my writing is going, so here's the first real post about that. I haven't really been writing a whole lot lately. I open up the story on my computer and just kind of sit there (usually until about three o'clock in the morning . . . . Hmm. Do you think my school problems and this restless writers syndrome could be related?) hoping to write something and get into my groove, but it just never happens. But I am getting better. I wrote a couple paragraphs in one story yesterday, which is more than I have done in a while.

Anyway, I'd better get back to studying. I'm at work right now, writing this blog post. You wouldn't believe how much free time I have here. It's awesome! I've just finished reading an essay for history and I still have several more to trudge through, so this was kind of my break. I have to take the test on said essays tomorrow.

Wish me luck!

I'm so bad.

Okay friends, here's the deal. I'm really bad at this whole "waking up" thing. Like, REALLY bad. I haven't been to any of my tuesday/thursday classes this whole week. Yeah, I'm writing this post after I woke up. See, I told you I was bad.

I seriously don't know what my deal is this week. I just have had little or no desire to go to these two classes. The first class is Human Development. I usually don't mind this class, but it just seems so early. Nine o'clock in the morning? Really? But the thing is, I know that nine isn't early considering I have classes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday that start at eight-thirty.

My other class is World Music. This class is . . . interesting. I have a professor who, whenever there is silence at one of his questions (which happens a lot), will call out my name three or four times. Let me demonstrate:

Professor: "What are the two forms of traditional music in Indonesia?"

Class: " . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ."

Professor: "Erin, Erin, Erin?"

Me: " . . . . . . . . . . . . . ."

So you see, this is how class goes for sixty painful minutes. I think he picks on me because I look him in the eye. Maybe I should start studying the carpet during class. I don't know, but it's really annoying and makes me not want to go. Is that a legitimate reason to not want to go to class? Becaue the professor picks on you? That's what I'll tell my parents if they ask (and/or find out) that I didn't go to class today either. As for Human Development I don't really have any excuses.

Well friends, I AM going to one class today: INSTITUTE! Yay! I actually do like institute, except I am never caught up on the reading. This too is a reason why I am so bad. But hopefully by going to institute I'm redeeming myself a little bit.

Have a good day! :D

About Time!

It's about time I started a blog, don't you think? I'm always complaining about others not keeping up their blogs, so I figured I'd stop being a hypocrite and do something myself.

So, what exactly am I to blog about, you ask? About me! What else? But I'm going to write about "the other side of me", which would explain the name. I don't let a lot of people know this, but I am secretly a wanna be author. I've already written one book and am trying, trying, trying to get it published. In the mean time I'm working on a couple other books, all while going to school and working. It's a crazy double life I lead and now I have somewhere to sort it all out and complain.

Yay blogging! :D