The Querying Quest Continues

A week ago, I started submitting query letters again for my revised manuscript. Not only has my original manuscript been boosted by over 10K words since my last querying attempt, but elements of the story have also been improved upon and fleshed out. The result is a slightly changed story, but the path ahead of me (and the goal) is the same. 

The First Batch

I admittedly sent my first batch of queries to a lot of agents. Given my lack of success with querying in the past, I decided to cast a wide initial net. I am also more aware of how prolonged this timeline can be. In fact, just last week I received a rejection letter for a query I sent in Feb. 2023. 

So, I wanted to get the ball rolling sooner rather than later. I’m eager to try this story out again after it received middling interest last time. Already, I have received more positive responses, though all have been in the form of rejection letters. This time, however, several of these rejection responses were personalized and not form letters. If you have ever queried, you know the significance of this.

Yes, I am straining to see the silver lining, but can you blame me? My experience knocking on the door of the traditional publishing industry has been disheartening up until this point. I’ve learned you’ve got to take the wins where you can. 

To Be Honest

After I have finished sending a sufficient number of query letters, I am going to get back to writing new projects. This round of querying has made me really reflect on the process and what I want out of it. I concluded that after querying three books unsuccessfully, I will be taking a break after this fourth one if things do not go well.

This doesn’t mean I’m giving up on the dream entirely, but I would like to write for myself again. I have stressed myself out over being accepted, and I think I need to take a step back if it doesn’t work out. All the rejections wear you down after a time. It wouldn’t be the end, just a pause.

In the Meantime

If I ever reach that conclusion, it won’t be for a while. I intend to continue to push myself and send out queries. I will keep putting myself out there because even if it’s not with this book, I will be traditionally published one day. Period.