A Step in the Publishing Journey

Here is a question to ponder: does publication make a successful author or the rejections?

Because I have successfully gained the inevitable, much-talked-about-in-the-world-of-writers-from-centuries-past-to-present, rejection. Well, make that two. But the first was a query, and they didn't even bother to respond, while this was a carefully crafted proposal that required a great deal more information and work, including outlining my entire novel into a brief synopsis - how do you cram a one-hundred-thousand word suspense novel into a choppy and direct summary??? The poet in me died a little, but I managed.

The process was no easy thing and took me months of reading and re-reading articles to properly format and assemble the proposal and try to understand things like what the heck was a one-sentence summary, a back cover copy, comparative titles, and where they should all go. Annndd now I have resigned from snapping selfies due to partial baldness!

But finally, and after wiping the beads of sweat from my brow, I clicked the terrifying send button, and off the email went! A few weeks passed before I received an answer. The agent was cordial, posing questions to which I readily responded with all the powers of persuasive answers my limited abilities afforded. We went back and forth a few times before she decided my beloved novel was not along the lines of what she wanted to represent, pointing out concerns in the lengths my heroine goes to in seeking justice for her murdered parents.

It was a gloomy day, reading those words... no really, it was gray and wintry outside. But I repeated to myself the life principle from Charles F. Stanley, "Disappointments are inevitable, discouragement is a choice." God's got this, meaning this wasn't the path for me. That reminder really soothes the rough edges of life, because I can lean fully on Him to direct me to what's best. He's my Heavenly Father and doesn't loving dads do what's best for their children?

Now what, you ask? Perhaps I didn't get the deal with the literary agent, but our conversation and the resulting friendly criticism prompted me to analyze Safecracker again, making me realize I could add a few things to strengthen the novel. I gotta say, I was loath to go back to editing again, as I firmly promised myself the manuscript was complete after the third draft and the countless complaints from others that I was over-editing. But this surgery was necessary, I believe, in bringing the danger closer to Sidney's person, revealing another level of villainy in my antagonist, and hopefully, entrenching the heroine deeper in the hearts of my readers while justifying her actions.

So that's where I'm at in my publishing journey, somewhere between putting the last touches on the new addition and sending the proposal to another agent. And then, maybe I can pull my latest novel from the back burner and start cooking again! Nothing beats the process of crafting a new story!

Enough about me. How do you deal with your everyday disappointments? I'd love to chat with you in the comments below!

Until next time!

Alissa