I ended up scrapping the idea I brainstormed Friday night. Story wouldn’t stick. No worries, though. I came up with a new one last night. Haven’t fleshed out the male lead in the story and have to watch my tendency to write a female who can kick his ass. This is for a romance market after all. 😉
I dreamed I got the call from one of the agents looking at my urban fantasy. Woke up… then cracked up. Do you think it’s on my mind a bit?
Speaking of agents, there have been some interesting conversations going on in the blogosphere lately about how much to share during the querying process. Someone said talking about rejections on your blog can hurt you.
I don’t totally agree. Think it has more to do with HOW you share. Badmouthing or even saying which agents are turning you down? Big no no, IMO. And coming off whiny, petulant or pissed? Might as well stop querying now.
Saying you’ve sent out 15 queries and gotten a no from less than half? Don’t think that hurts anything. Not every project is right for every person. Just because one agent feels he or she can’t get behind a story doesn’t mean another won’t absolutely love it.
This is a business. Even though it can feel personal because we invest so much of ourselves and our time into the manuscripts, it really isn’t. Most of the nos I’ve received have been very complimentary.
One even used words like talented and brilliant. But the project wasn’t right for her and I fully understand that. (And oh yeah, it was nice to hear such adjectives.)
I may get a little impatient here and there, but not with any particular agent. Mine stems from a desire to get going full steam on this. As many writers will share, the waiting can be the hardest part.
So, in the meantime, it’s best to focus on a project. Or in my case, a few. Think I’m going to actually start marketing some of the short fiction again. The finished Valen Greer piece has only gone out to a couple of magazines and one considered it big time–even had me do rewrites. Valen has too strong a personality to just sit back and be ignored. I may even end up sharing the polished and very different version here.
Today, I’m listening to Beth Orton. I’ve got Daybreaker and Central Reservation on the Itunes playlist, but I’m eyeing this new EP.
Also mixed in a bit of Jonatha Brooke Live and Nelly McKay . Nelly is one artist who is impossible to describe. Jazzy? Alternative? To me, she’s fiercely intelligent, unflinchingly honest and smart-mouthed, so of course, I love her. 😉