So I went out New Years Eve, like so many did. And I had a little too much to drink, like so many did. So I took a taxi home, like I hope so many did. But my taxi driver was special. He used to be an editor in NYC.
Granted, he edited technical instruction manuals, which is a far cry from editing fiction, but he knew enough about the trade to offer me some advice, which, although I was very drunk, I took happily. He told me to write a summary of my novel, even if I’m stuck or haven’t written anything yet, and start sending that out to publishers.
I’d read a lot of “this is how you publish your book” articles that gave this same advice over the years, but it just seemed not the thing for me. I mean, what sense does that make, trying to get someone to buy something that’s not even finished yet. That be like saying, “Yes, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, the house will be right here, where this foundation is poured. The kitchen will be about…here—just imagine a stove right here—and if you look about 12 feet up, right around this area here, that is where the master bedroom will be. Now, how about that down payment?” Just sounds stupid.
But, and this could be the alcohol interfering with my judgment, this man made sense. I’m going to keep trying to work on my novel anyway, and so long as I’m doing that, I might as well throw the idea out there into the universe. Who knows, I might get some one who wants a fresh name, likes my idea, and wants to send me a thousand dollars to finish it. *coughwishfulthinkingcough*
Even if I get a rejection letter for every ten I send out (and jack shit for the other nine), that’s something. I don’t know what’s in these letters, if they just tell you your idea is crap or if they give you some “we would be more likely to purchase your novel if you did x, y, and z” advice, but I’m open to either.
Not that I want rejection letters. Honestly, I’d rather get several, “Your idea is amazing, Miss. D. We predict it will be a best seller, and want to offer you a disgustingly large advance,” letters, but I know that’s highly unlikely. I mean, didn’t Stephanie Meyer get something like 50 rejection letters for Twilight? Betcha those guys got their asses kicked.
So, that’s my plan for this year. I need to come up with a summary, compile a list of publishers and agents that take unsolicited submissions, and get my stamps out.
I think, though, that I’ll send out summaries for Remberance instead of Revelations. There’s just so much more research I have to do for Revelations, and I don’t want to put it out there until that’s done. True, I have research that needs to be done for Remberance, like what life was like for a teen in the 50s, what music was popular, common slang, etc. But, I figure between Google and a few long conversations with my grandparents (who, while not teens in the 50s, were young adults), I will be well on my way.
