It’s Easy to make mistakes…

Last night, as I lay in bed, trying to drift off to sleep, I found myself reflecting on the missteps I made while working on my debut novel. One glaring mistake was waiting a full decade between finishing the manuscript and taking any steps to share it with the world. Another was not grasping the crucial difference between being “done” and truly being “ready” for the querying process.

Since I began querying agents, I’ve made significant edits to the manuscript—mostly after the first fifty pages, which I like to tell myself won’t affect the majority of my queries. But, of course, I couldn’t resist revising my opening pages yet again. It’s become a pattern: I’ve rewritten my author bio, synopsis, and query letter countless times. Honestly, it’s fair to say those elements were done, but not yet ready when I started reaching out to agents.

Thanks to Querytracker, I can see that my manuscript has landed in some “maybe” piles—a somewhat comforting place in the querying world, though it can mean anything or nothing at all, depending on the day.

As I navigate this waiting game, I may choose to query additional agents as I approach the end of the typical four to six-week response period. My advice to anyone in a similar position? Make sure you’re truly ready before you dive into the querying process.