013-Feedback (Or The Lack Thereof)
“Everybody said, "Follow your heart". I did, it got broken” ~Agatha Christie
I’m at a strange place in my writing travels. The idea of churning out a second novel is tempting, and for the record there are two works in progress sitting at over 20k. Those in particular may be the start of a new series. Yet my difficulty lies in that The Ghost of Time Forgotten is in the query process, and the more I trudge through a new first draft, the more I realize that I’d prefer figuring out when I can get my completed novel into the world.
One problem: lately it feels like I’ve been yelling into a void of time and space where I sit and stare off into a spreadsheet containing queries I’ve sent, only to realize two months have passed with no response. It’s an incredibly conflicting feeling for something you would expect to receive feedback for.
Are you there, agent? It’s me, A.J.
Bringing me to the crux of this blog. You know how public speaking, or “being in front of a crowd” somehow finds its way to the list of main phobias and fears? Again, there’s a conflict for me here, because on one hand I used to sing and bars and clubs (sometimes in front of five people, sometimes in front of a hundred or two)—yet I also recently stuttered my way through a reading of Garden States…on Zoom no less.
Why is that? Singing was easy in a sense—you know the songs for the most part. You can clap or not clap. Sing with me or don’t. Jump around as you see fit. Sure, it’s more fun for everyone if you do, but I didn’t expect to ever elicit thought on your part. I expected to supplement your night, provide a backing track, and get you singing and dancing a bit.
Imagine that performance, but it’s the story you created this time. You’re not hearing the words to Wanted Dead or Alive in your ears for the five-hundredth time! No, it’s an original, and this time, I hope to provide you with all three hundred pages of material to bring forth those thoughts and pictures in your mind. I can perform the three-hundred pages for you, or in the case of querying, I can desperately attempt to tell you about those pages in one single, twelve-point-fonted, double-spaced page.
Either way, I perform. So…what happens when there’s no response?
There are at minimum three prominent times you’ll hear feedback on a novel: the beta reading process, querying, and once your literary baby gets out into the world. Beta reading you want the feedback, querying you need the feedback, and once it’s out, you’re going to get the feedback whether you want it or not. Unfortunately, with querying, the feedback you need is far from guaranteed.
I’ve sent approximately a dozen queries thus far, and refrained from sending out too many at once, partly to prevent a slew of responses and to determine a need to update and edit my query letter. Only a quarter of those have a response after two months, including two form rejections and one with some nice, personalized feedback. Each response is truly appreciated, as they all put me only tiny step closer to publishing.
I know it’s a very difficult time to submit a manuscript as well as sorting through them as an agent or publisher. The great news is nobody wants to tear you down, they want you to be better. Rejection can be painful at times, but rest assured those are primarily a matter of time and fit, and not a critique on the merit of your work.
Perseverance and patience are required, as is a thick skin. Chin up, people! Keep pressing forward.
As always, I would love to hear your thoughts, or just say hello! Are you in the querying process? How have you managed the balance between trying to submit a completed work and drafting a new one? Comment below (no log-in, password, or website needed if it asks), or reach out to me via Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter at ajcharleswriter.
If you’d like to be featured in a discussion about your own writing and creative projects, reach out to me!