Tuesday, February 15, 2011

My discovery and understanding for today, will be in the form of Querying, finding the "right" Agent for this middle Grade fiction. I have spent three years composing 89,000 words, which is too long apparently for a debut novel, especially in this genre. I sent out five submissions yesterday and got a No Thank you immediately-- a short and sweet no, within 3 hours of an email query.

Wow. As i've discovered today, all rejections are not equal (from another's blog-i may link, if i can find it again). The three I have received so far in total, appear not to be form letters, adding kind comments within. It seems, the agents were not-fully in love with the voice of the story. What can i do? I will, onward plow, specifically looking for the agent that, somehow i will know and importantly--they will know, if we're a "good fit."

I will use this blog to track my progress. I have until 3:00 on school days, before i pick up my two sons from school. (they hate after school) There is never enough time: to research, to twitter, to learn to submit-damn i just want to write-- and sing and write my songs and get back to the story of Abegale. One of the other characters is trying to tell me his story, Mr. Miller, the Gulf War veteran. I've already written a sentence for book two. I want to come out of first person and write the POV of some of the other characters--god this is fun.

Of all the creative pursuits in my life: sculpture, painting, singing; Writing has given me limitless potential to create a world of my own making and come alive with the feelings and trials or adventures of the characters, which entertain me.
Ten minutes to spare--gotta run, can't be late.

2 comments:

Jamie McGuire said...

Self-publish? 89,000 words is not too long for a debut novel. My debut novel was 120K. Go for it! :)

K. L. Hallam said...

Thank you Jamie, for the comment--It's a middle grade MS, adventure, some light supernatural, and yes, I agree that the word count was fine--but Now it's 76,000 words. After advice from an agent reading 50 pages , suggested I "make every word count" I did. I hope. Last week of revisions, this round anyhow.