Sending out query letters is a very stressful part of writing. If I am emailing the letter, I stare at the page for a while - rereading and rereading - and then after taking a deep breath, I hit send. If I mail the letter, I stand, hovering the envelope over the drop box and try to channel positive energy into the envelope. Silly, I know, but, hey. But as I am walking away, I tell myself - I did all that I could and now it is up to someone else. But, it got me thinking-- Am I doing enough? Should I have a special chant? A special pair of magic query shoes?
When I receive a letter back, I prepare myself for the no. So if it is a no, I'm not surprised but if I get a beautiful partial request - I am ecstatic. But with each closed door, I open a new one by mailing out a new letter. I once met a published author, who said she would pour a glass of wine and curl up in her favorite chair to read her letters. I don't have that much patience. I rip them open, close my eyes for a brief second, and read it right away.
So, for this week's Watcha Say Wednesday, I ask you - What are your query letter rituals? Do you have a certain day that you send out query letters? Do you get a "no" and then send out a new letter? Do you say a serenity prayer or burn incense? How 'bout them magic query shoes, or shirt, or under britches?
What about when you receive a response from an agent? Do you read it right away, or let them accumulate? Do you only open them in a certain chair, at a specific time? Do you lie down on the floor so that you don't hurt yourself if you faint?
I don't really have any rituals. I mean, yes, I read over the letter before hitting send to make sure I have spelled names right, included contact information...etc. But when i received letters, I open them within seconds. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not at that stage yet, but I think experiencing five minutes of blind panic will become ritual real fast!
ReplyDeleteI just ripped them open, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath before reading.
ReplyDeletei haven't done queries yet, but i have submitted shorts and it's much the same thing.
ReplyDeleteI try to prepare for the rejection, but i can't quite quash that part of me that gets excited and thinks "This is the one"
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ReplyDeleteI like to pee on them.. mark the SASE with my scent if you will, that way I know what it is without having to read it.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to start queying for "Mend" soon... so I need to start drinking more water, or beer, or both.
Good for you [that you are querying]! Sorry I've been a slacker with the AWA. Been swamped...
I have no ritual of sending other than to obsess about the letter. When I get a rejection, I feel quite bad, and tell myself that I'm awful, I have no business even querying, but then after that I get over it and realize it's just one, and I keep trying. I spend a fair amount of time being envious of other successful writers who clearly are doing things right and I can't figure out what it is, and then I blog and I think "That wasn't a bad post" and then the next day no one comments and I go "Oh, I guess it was....is it me? It must be me...I'm doing something that people find repulsive. I just wish I knew what it was." And then I read other blogs and I pretend to work and I drink coffee and then I think about getting back to writing a story all the while thinking, "Why bother? You'll never..." and then I realize "you'll never" talk is exactly what I dislike and exactly what I should not be saying, and then I think about The Secret and I think, well, I could positive-think my way to a partial and full request, that's what I'll do! And then I get on twitter and promptly forget everything.
ReplyDeleteAll my query letters have been emails. I squint at the page, let a smaller amount of disappointment creep into view. Wincing.
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