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.