Friday, April 29, 2011

An Update on Submissions - Part 2

Commiserate with me! I know there are a lot of you out there who can.

I'm in the waiting game: NY agent has my manuscript. First I worried about how it arrived - in shambles inside the box because the US Postal worker took it out of its personalized, white, tear-proof swaddle (i.e. envelope). I worried about contacting the agent and sounding too needy - but she had to know it may be traumatized upon arrival.

It took weeks to muster enough courage to track it on the USPS website and now I know exactly when it arrived. Sounds silly, right? Not if you've been there... I find I think about it the way I think about my kids (all other cliches put aside) - where is it now, what is it doing, is she reading it, is it still in a box? Okay, that last part clearly doesn't apply to thoughts of my children, even though they have been obsessed with turning boxes into houses, spaceships, boats, etc., and have spent time pretending the laundry basket is also a house, spaceship, boat, etc.

So, it took almost a month, but I began sending out my novel again. It's renamed now, can't do that with a child: The Scale of Souls. Ah, yes, it sounds grand. I can almost see it on a shelf, nestled between other titles and sleeping comfortably until it is picked up by a reader who appreciates literary fiction - one that doesn't mind traveling through time and who likes complex sentence structures one doesn't always find in New York best sellers. (I know I'll regret that last statement...)

I wait and I wait. There are moments when I nearly lose patience. I want an answer: be it yay or nay, just an answer. It is followed by, "Please let it be a yay! I know it's a lot to ask for - first agent who wants to see the whole manuscript wants to sign me." But I can do that - it's my reverie!

I re-reviewed the agent's articles and web site (not much of a site at this point, more of a one page listing of stats and requirements - I hope they build one, make researching agents so much easier!). It stated that the response time for queries was quick, and it was, but that manuscript responses take between 1 and 3 months. Let her pore over each word, each phrase, each chapter so carefully chosen, structured and restructured. Let her get hooked and remind herself that she hasn't made notes in a few pages, but she wants to continue. Let her advance through Part II and smile because she wants to know what happens to Lizzie after five years. Let her be shocked, let her laugh, let her wince. Let her be enthralled and empathize with Lizzie. Let her call me to tell me she's interested! (God, it's truly like dating, isn't it?!)

I think about the art work the book may one day have and it seems overwhelming, as do book promotion tours I'll have to most likely plan myself to push the book. I'm ready for that; my husband and I have spoken about the marketing time dedicated to a successful book in today's market where 20% of books get 80% of the marketing budget of the large houses, and you can guess at the converse of 80% of books getting 20% of the budget. I'M READY!!!

I suppose it's much easier to go back to worrying if it's out of the box yet...