In case you don't know the song, it's by Natasha Bedingfield I've always loved this song, probably because I often stop working on a wip (work-in-progress) in the middle of the story. Most of the reason is self-doubt (story of my life) and part is the story took a turn I wasn't expecting and now I have to rethink it all.
Nora Roberts is famous for saying "you can fix anything but a blank page", which means, just write. But, really, it's not as easy as many think. You can't just sit down and vomit words onto a page and hope they tell a compelling story. Nine times out of ten it's compelling to you, but send it to an agent or editor and you get:
Thank you for thinking to query me, although it doesn’t seem like a good fit for my list at this time. I wish you the best of luck finding an agent.
Or
We're sorry, but your project is not a fit for our agency at this time, so we will have to pass. Thank you for considering us and best of luck with your future queries.
Yes, those are from an agents who I submitted Body & Soul to. I don't think they actually read my submissions and probably gave them to an associate who wouldn't know a good story if a library fell on her.
For now, at least.
I don't even know why I bother with agents anymore. I've had two...which felt like validation that I was a good writer. But then, one decided to become an editor and dropped me....not even offering to publish the book we were working on together 🙄 and the second agent couldn't decide if she wanted to work at a prestigious agency (where she already was), open up an agency with another agent, or open her own agency. In the end, she did all three. Her venture on her own became all about her and how much money I could make her and how many books I could spit out a year. Uh...I'm not that prolific a writer.
That was all back in 2007 and needless to say, we parted ways. I haven't had an agent since...although I've published FIVE books in that time. I have submitted my work to other agents and editors over the years....those rejections above just two of the handful I received. Two of those rejected books--House of Cards and Body & Soul-- even won a Reader's Award for Best Book in their category.
I have to wonder...did they reject me because my books are set in south Texas....predominately Mexican towns? And that my characters are Mexican? It wouldn't surprise me in the least. For all their bluster about inclusion of "authors of color" as we're called, they pass on more non-white authors than white.
Anyway...I know I shouldn't let any of that stop me from writing because I still publish my work and eventually I'll pick up more readers. But it's very discouraging and disheartening sometimes.
Anyway...again...at the moment I have two novels I'm "working" on. One is a paranormal romance....which I seem to write often for some reason. And the second...I'm not sure how to categorize but it's not a romance and definitely out of my comfort zone. I have a friend who thinks that's a good thing and the story could be my 'claim to fame'....but, there's that doubt creeping in again.
Regardless, I am going to try to get at least one of the novels completed this year. I will keep you posted.
Thanks for reading.
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