Sunday, December 12, 2010

Rejection and why it doesn't kick my ass as much as it used to.

This is what rejection feels like;




This year of querying is my third time. Not first, not second, but third time querying the same WIP. Granted, after the second round of rejections I flipped a poo and rewrote the entire thing, and the result was AWESOME.

A lot of agents talk about the 'practice novel' and how the author will sometimes query it to them. I made that mistake twice, and it killed me. Right now, I'm doing something rather devious and querying the same agents I queried before, but with this shiny new WIP and new query with changed character names.

I'm relying on the fact that agents tend to FORGET a terrible past query. (I hope.) D:

So now that the REAL DEAL of my WIP is done and out there in the query world, I feel pumped. Excited beyond recognition. For the past two query times, I had no confidence in my manuscript at all - I expected all rejections and I mostly got all rejections. But even if Satan came up and slapped me in the face, I wouldn't quaver away from my confidence with this WIP.

So far, the rejection count goes something like this;

Formal Rejection: 3
Partial Requested but Rejected in the End: 1
Haven't heard from yet: 56

Rejection doesn't hurt anymore, but not because I've grown used to it. I have this crazy glowing trust that defies rejection, because the WIP is just that good. It deserves nothing less than getting published, and very soon. I KNOW it will get published, because I can feel it. Hard to describe, but the feeling is there, like a deja vu I've yet to trigger, but know is around.

And when it happens, I'll probably just explode. And throw a party. Not necessarily in that order. Or maybe in that order. I've always wanted to go to a party as a cloud of unrecognizable fleshy bits.

17 comments:

  1. YAY! Self-confidence ftw! YOU ROCK MICHELLE! AND YOUR WIP DOES TOO!

    Lots and lots and lots of good luck wishes to you for an agent to pick it up soon!

    p.s. Poor Ron!

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  2. I love your attitude. Would sure like to read a bit of the shiny new WIP. Did you post the query letter here?

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  3. @Karla - Thanks! Best wishes to you too!

    @LM Preston - Thanks! I don't think I'll be posting anymore here since it's 'offically' out on query now. I had the query over on AW in Query Letter Hell and that was a crazy experience. I might post it? But it sucks hard. I would feel better posting it IF I got an agent using it. D:

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  4. You rock, Michelle! Great attitude. And I want an invite to that party! :-) I'll bring the Bailieys and ice cream haha

    xxoo

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  5. I came over from AW after seeing your blog in your profile. Your blog is just too funny - you have great voice (the same voice that comes out so well in your writing). I'm looking forward to reading more from you. :)

    I know the feeling of being so in love with your MS - it definitely makes everything *better*, even being rejected, doesn't it? Best of luck!

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  6. @Mel - YEAHH, I'm excited for this party already. :D

    @Guinevere - You flatter me! Thank you very, very much for your kind words.

    Yeah, now that I think about it, that glowing confidence must be love.

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  7. Wow, our query stories are really similar! And after a huge overhaul of both the query and novel, I'm sending out a batch of queries this weekend.

    I've got that same sense of confidence (it's so much better that it MUST be good now) and hope (this time all my hard work will pay off) but I can't quite silence that cynical voice (but you've been so close before and left twisting in the wind).

    But hope is winning out, so I hope to see you (in the flesh) at that party! Sorry, couldn't resist the pun, from the the last line of your post. I'll cross my fingers for you!

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  8. @Angelica - Yeah! I bet tons of people are in our predicament, and I hope we all pull out of it successfully. ;)

    Just shut that cynical voice up. It's not doing you any good, and stuff that isn't doing good but taking up room in your brain must LEAVE.

    Keeping my fingers crossed for you as well, and sending oodles of good luck your way!

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  9. Lol, I totally read your blog the other day, but my computer was acting up and I didn't follow...and you beat me to it. Nice post--and GOOD LUCK with everything. No secret I've loved your snips, no doubt you'll totally get there :)

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  10. Janine - :D :D :0 :D I seriously couldn't believe I wasn't following you, and now all is well. Thank you! I also love your snips - you know me, anything steampunk and I'm on it like flies on stink. <3

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  11. That video should be titled Number of Times a Girl in the Far Left Corner Blinks While Snape Smacks Ron to Unfitting Music. (:

    I haven't gotten to the querying stage. I'm forever stuck in the revisions stage. Sixth time through. Your optimism makes me so thrilled. Fingers crossed - that contract will come knocking on your door, I can feel it.

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  12. nindogs - The girl actually distracted me more than Alan Rickman abusing the ginger. And that's saying something.

    Sixth time for revisions is pretty standard, but still crazy tough. Hang in there. I'm not the best at optimism myself, but sometimes you just gotta be positive for once or risk going nuts, you know?

    Thanks so much for the positive thoughts and the follow - I followed you back. ;) And may I say I LOVE that user picture of yours, tres coolio.

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  13. I fell across your blog today and already LOVE it!

    haha loved the video... I adore Alan Rickman. Brillint representation of what Rejection feels like.

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  14. Jen - Thanks for the follow! Alan Rickman is my husband...in another reality. A very awesome reality. >:( I followed your blog too! Thanks again.

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  15. Very sneaky. Can't wait to see how this works for you. I'm also in the process of querying and curious what your process is. How do you select the agents you query and do you personalize each letter?

    Good luck!!!

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  16. Sarah - Hi! I usually choose my agents via the wonderful QueryTracker website, using their genre filters. I then go down the list and send out queries, but I make sure to click on any links in their profiles to websites, submission guidelines, preferences, and what they're looking for now.

    I do try to personalize it, usually when I've read a book by their client or if a client of theirs is coming out with a book I'm excited for and plan to get, I mention it briefly in the first para, but not every agent has clients I've read/look forward to. In a lot of cases I read recent interviews, and try to work something in. It's hard, because you have to strike the balance between professional and intimiate, two unfortunate opposites.

    Good luck to you too! :D

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  17. I was awed by the number of queries you sent out. That's quite a task to personalize each one!

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