My current WIP can actually mean two things. One being the book that I am working on after I completed the one I’ve been talking about since the beginning of this blog. That one, has been not really getting anywhere new. I personally believe that it is sounding pretty great but it is slow moving at the moment. The one I will be talking about now is the one that I completed and have been sending to Literary Agents.
Granted, when I say completed, I mean that I was confidently done with it. After about 60 rejection letters you start to wonder how completed it is and what might be wrong with it. I felt very confident after my multiple edits, beta reading, revision etc. Don’t worry I am not giving up. These rejection letters have only egged me on and made me what to fight harder to get it published.
Most have been generic, a handful partly generic, and only one that was legitimately giving me a solid answer as why they didn’t feel it worked for them while complementing my writing in the process, which of course was very nice but still not a “yes”. But it made me doubt if only for a moment, if I should keep pursuing this or did I write a novel that no one will want to read. Brushing my doubts aside I reassessed the email rejection letter they sent me.
One of the key issues she said was the length. My Romantic Thriller novel is around 160,000 words. Granted yes that is a lot of words but I started my editing and revision processes with a lot more. Also, I and every reader I know (and I know quite a few) love longer novels. I don’t mind knowing more about the storyline granted, of course that it keeps me engrossed in the story.
She received only about three pages of my novel, that’s it. It is insane to think that these Literary Agents have to make a decision based on only three pages. The concept that you are looking for an Agent to hire (basically) because in the end they will get a cut from your advance or profits on the book and that they can not work with you to find you a Publisher or to improve your novel in anyway is also strange to me. We are looking to hire someone to help us and we as authors can’t even find someone that we are going to pay to work with us. The concept is baffling to me. I mean I would completely understand if say they saw no talent whatsoever in their eyes and didn’t feel as though they would be the best person to represent it. But if they see that spark of potential and think it is great but it needs a few things tweaked, you would think it would be ok. That being said it is our responsibility to make sure it is handed to them on a silver platter all primed and polished, no mistakes, no errors, and it has to be the next best seller (is what it feels like anyways) is so frustrating. This is not meant to be a burn on Literary Agents because I know that they have a job to do and they go through their fair share of stress I am sure but I would like to know what their perfect novel looks like because it seems like a fantasy to me.
I apologize for my random outburst up there but there is a certain level of frustration when submitting your novel to multiple Literary Agents. As in, why do people suggest to hire an Editor to Edit your manuscript before sending it to a Literary Agent? I mean isn’t it part of the process to have it edited by the editorial staff at the literary agency as well. Then when a publisher picks it up there will be an editing process through there as well. So, in essence as long as there are few to none as far as spelling errors and grammatical errors than it should be good right? I understand Literary Agents completely in the fact that they want to represent books that they have an interest in. I get it. Just like I wouldn’t write a novel that I wouldn’t read.
The issue is that trying to become a Traditionally published author is hard. And yes, Everything worth having in life requires hard work, but where are the Literary Agents who whether you are a new Author or not, will look at your work the same. I have read some novels that are published by bigger name Authors that are not so great, that have only been published because of their name. We have this gritty determinations new Authors to see our goal come to fruition. New authors have that drive, that desire to get to their work out there. If I was a Literary Agent I would love new Authors who show a desire to continue to write for years to come. There is a hunger as a new Author so to speak, so we will work hard to make and keep a career doing what we love. If I was a literary Agent than that is what I would look for over anything else, is that hunger.
So, that being said now I am moving on to plan B. There is a drive inside of me to get my novels out there to the world. I guess you could say that I’ve already moved on to plan B. I have started submitting directly to publishers who do not require an Agent to represent you. There is one large difference I have found between looking for an Agent vs a Publisher as far as the submitting process goes. That is the fact that most Publishers want to see a larger part if not your whole manuscript. Which I find incredibly refreshing because they are not determining your chances based off of one chapter and a query letter. Most publishers are actually having you submit a larger sample so they can review it properly and determine from there. Also unfortunately the time is longer as well, most won’t get back to you for months instead of weeks like an Agent.
However, in my search I have been debating for so long on just tweaking a few things, ironing out the wrinkles a bit with my book, doing another edit, getting a cover designed, figuring out a good layout for a book format and just self publishing. That is plan C, I suppose. But for now I will report back to ya’ll in this blog on the progress of my traditional publishing road. That way either you know what to be prepared for when you are ready to try it or you just get the progress on when you finally get to read this novel I’ve been talking about for so long.
Thank you all for following me through this Journey. All of you are a part of why I keep pushing myself everyday to see past each rejection letter and know that it is a goal I’ve set for myself that will be accomplished someday, hopefully sooner rather than later.
No matter what your goals are, no matter how many no’s or road blocks you hit, keep pushing. You were meant to do what you love to do. If you just let the world’s No’s stop you than you will have nothing to strive for. We as Human Beings need to have something to strive for. Without those somethings, we wouldn’t have so many wonderful things to be thankful for in life. The advancements made over time with Humans has been the determination of people fighting for their goals to make something better than it was before. So make the world a better place and publish your novel.
Thank you for reading my blog…Until Next Time…JUST KEEP WRITING.
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Tiffany’s Writing Journey 