To Each Their Own

Lately, in quite a few of the blogs I follow, there have been a few comments about "How can you write a novel, but not write a query letter?" I would like to address this. And I am only speaking for me.

I wrote my novel in a six week mad spewing of words. Yes, I wrote a novel in six weeks. Then another six weeks went into fleshing it out more, doing a very rough editing job, fixing plot holes, making certain scenes more believable, and so on and so forth. Then I let some people read it.

I got feed back, made some changes, then let it sit. I didn't look at it for a few weeks. Then I started editing. A year later, I felt I had a very good novel. Over a year and four months. It was perfect in my eyes. I let someone I didn't know very well read it to edit some more, and I feel my novel is in the best shape of it's life.

Through the entire process, I was ecstatic. Little ol' me wrote a frigging book! And people liked it! Alot! I wasn't writing for any purpose then to make ME happy and to get out the story that wouldn't let me sleep. There was joy in my life!

But, now for the few paragraphs that people tell me that I should be able to just "whip up". Whip up? Seriously? Please tell me how in the hell I should just be able to whip up into two, maybe three, paragraphs, 300 pages of blood, sweat, and tears. Please tell me how I am supposed to take damn near a year and a half and condense it into a one page letter that may even remotely catch an agents attention.

I know I can do it, I do. I have faith in myself as an author and I know that I have the persistence and dedication to make this dream a reality. But for people to blithely say "What? YOU can't whip up a query letter?", well, that really gets on my nerves.

With a novel, you have 70,000 to 90,000 words to get your story on paper. With a query letter, you have 250 words. To me, there is a huge difference. THEN, lets add the fact that all agents are different. Whip up. Ha.

You may be able to do this. You may be able to get the parts that matter the most in a single glance. You may be able to whip up one of the most important business letters in your career. I can't.

My letter has come a long way baby, but it's still a work in progress. And I envy you if you are getting requests with your perfect-the-first-time letter. I envy you and wish you the best of luck. But please, don't leave condescending comments about "Why can't everyone do this?". FEW people can.

Don't Stop Believing

Certain songs can be so inspiring. Whether it is ideas for a new novel, or perhaps just something to get you through the day. Songs can lift your spirits and make you believe that you can achieve the impossible.

At this moment in my life, while doing the endless rounds of query, reject, bang head on desk, and repeat, I am also going through a major crisis. But, as Journey told me, I won't stop believing. This is just a stepping stone to where I will end up. And it will be worth it.

Keeping the Faith

That can be difficult sometimes. I know this. But I also know that my perseverance will pay off. It may not be tomorrow, although it would be nice. It may not come next week, month, or year. I am not wearing blinders. But, as Billy Joel told me to do, I will be keeping the faith.

What else can I do? There is absolutely nothing else in the world I would rather do. Even if I hit it big in the lottery (which we don't have one, have to go north), I would spend all my time writing. Granted, it may be at a beach resort, or as I am waiting for the riders of the Tour de France to swing into the last loops at Champs-Elysees, or wherever, I will be writing.

I can't stop now. It's like an addiction. I have to write. I have to edit my writing. I have to tinker with it. I have to let the stories flow. I have to see where they take me.

I have one novel complete and about as ready for submission as I can make it. I have the sequel a quarter of the way done. I also have three additional books started. All I have to do is sit down with a pen and paper for the ideas to start flowing. And I can't stop. I don't want to.

There is no question of me keeping the faith. The question is, will you?

My First Time

Ok, now that I have created this, I don't really know what to do with it.

First, the reason for creating it. I am doing my best to become a working writer. I want to find writer friends. I want to show the world my successes and failures. Hopefully, the failures come few and far between. I know this is a hard business to break into. I am not wearing blinders. I know there will be rejections, but for every one of them, every request will be that much sweeter. I want to be able to help other writers to achieve their writing dreams.

My love affair with books started when I was a child and helped me overcome a sometimes brutal childhood. Unfortunately, they also played a big part in my grades. It was hard to learn when I had my textbook open, but my current favorite novel tucked in between the pages. All my fault, I know, for not learning to set aside the escape for more academic pursuits. Oh well, that's so much water now.

And so begins this new chapter of my life. Come with me on what I am sure will be a magic carpet ride.

Much love,
S. Yarns